Page 46 - FCW, April 2017

ExecTech
needed to implement CMS, and they
are extensive. And even though Word- Press is an order of magnitude easier, it is still something agencies might not be able to accomplish in-house. In fact, many developers say that an agency’s existing systems might actually be an obstacle.
“Setting up Drupal in development boxes is one thing,” said an expert who spoke on condition of anonymity, “but being forced at times to implement the CMS in existing enterprise infrastruc- tures can be a pain in the ass.”
Accessibility is another unique requirement of government work, ever since Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act was amended in 1998 to require agencies to make IT-based services available to people with disabilities.
“We are legally required to make gov- ernment services accessible to those with disabilities, and that includes web-
sites and web content, especially as more and more government services are delivered digitally,” said Matthew Burrell, a General Services Administra- tion spokesman.
Next steps
What an agency does next is in large part a function of what it has already done.
“Few agencies are starting from zero as content producers,” Burrell said. “Many of them have been pub- lishing since their inception. However, transitioning to a mix of content that includes digital, and then eventually to a digital-first mode, is a major change.”
Perhaps the best way to assess organizational needs would be with the help of 18F, GSA’s digital services consultancy. Born in the wake of the troubled rollout of HealthCare.gov in 2013, 18F’s staff knows all the mistakes
that have already been made. Agencies should begin by defining pain points and making an honest assessment of its current array of tech- nologies and skills. Then they should look for a solution that at a minimum complies with the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, the Federal Information Security Mod-
ernization Act and Section 508.
In addition, Burrell said that “con- necting with communities of practice either within government or outside of government can be extremely helpful.” Once agencies choose a solution, they must ask themselves who is going to run it. “This requires a lot of ongoing support,” Uhlir said. “You should con- sider entering into partnership with an
agency” that does it full-time.
If an agency decides to run a CMS in-house, his advice is to ensure that
the team is expertly trained. n
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