Information and data sharing Interoperable platforms are the backbone of data and information sharing, big data analytics and collaboration. By seizing on these opportunities, government can create a modern workplace in which employees have the enabling tools needed to keep pace with the expectations of the Canadians and businesses they serve. Determine the feasibility of developing a “tell us once” approach for government (planned actions) TBS will investigate the “tell us once” approach for the GC from various perspectives to understand possible risks and challenges including: security, privacy, IM and IT. Build a platform for enterprise interoperability (actions underway) TBS will continue to work with stakeholders to develop a unified service approach and to create a set of modern integration tools called the GC Interoperability Platform (GCIP). This platform acts as an information broker, enabling the exchange of data and information between enterprise systems, departments and governments. The GCIP project will implement a central data exchange where information can be shared securely and reliably between government applications. Three core solutions for financial management, human resource management and information management will be connected to seamlessly exchange information, regardless of the technologies underpinning them. These systems operate on a “tell us once” principle, where data is entered in one system and then reused by multiple other systems, as legislation and policy permit, thus reducing the need for duplicate data entry while improving data integrity and accuracy. This work will lay the foundation to link internal departmental information with solutions for delivering programs and services and enable greater GC-wide collaboration when designing digital services. TBS will continue to lead the adoption of a common GCIP to support information sharing inside and outside the GC domain. This approach will enable business process improvement within the government and across jurisdictions, leading to improved program and service delivery for citizens and businesses. Through the creation and use of a governance framework (policies, directives, guidelines and open standards) for the GCIP, TBS will: foster openness and collaboration promote digital services advance enterprise interoperability and information sharing across the government Introduce a strategy for use of open source software and open standards (planned actions) The use of open source software supports interoperability and information sharing and should be considered in the assessment of IM-IT solutions. Open source products are publicly available, and the availability of their source code promotes open and collaborative development around their specifications, making them more robust and interoperable. The use of open standards ensures interoperability between products and systems, and maintains flexibility within the IM-IT environment. TBS will lead the development of a strategy to set direction for the government on the use and release of open source software and open standards that will be ratified by GC EARB. Introduce a mobile application strategy and framework (planned actions) Canadians and business want to use mobile applications to interact with government data and obtain government services. As part of the overall web strategy, TBS will lead the development of a strategy and framework for the development and management of mobile applications that are easy to use and trusted that will be validated through GC EARB. GC mobile applications will be identified on Canada.ca and available through application stores. Develop an application programming interface strategy (actions underway) APIs are used to reveal GC digital capabilities and can be combined and reused to create digital services. APIs are increasingly becoming the way to facilitate sharing of government data and information and, as such, are foundational building blocks that support the GC’s commitment to digital services. TBS will develop an API strategy for the GC. Introduce a government API store (actions underway) TBS will lead the creation of an API store to support information sharing with Canadians, business and other entities external to government. Departments have already made available a number of APIs. The GC API store will offer a consistent means to discovering APIs and subscribing to them. The store will provide API publishers and users with a central, multi-tenant API management platform that includes: a searchable catalogue version control automated access provisioning workflows Operating under a self-service model, API publishers will be allowed to sign up and benefit from “active documentation” that allows them to drill into API definitions, try APIs and share their feedback in the store’s forum. Interoperability, mobile applications and APIs are key elements to supporting digital services for the GC. Enhance online infrastructure to enable departments to release their data and information (actions underway) Having reliable infrastructure in place to ensure the maximum release of government data and information ultimately results in: a platform for Canadians that enables access to open government data and information the opportunity to meaningfully engage on related issues The long-term goals of these activities are to deliver value to Canadians through open information and data that: fosters greater citizen participation in government promotes innovation creates economic opportunities Canada’s Open Data Exchange (ODX) is an organization that helps Canadian companies make use of open data. TBS will work with the ODX to deepen insight into the commercial open data landscape and to understand what challenges need to be overcome in order to make Canadian open data companies more competitive. Develop a master data management program (planned actions) In an open and distributed operational environment such as the GC, there is a risk that business-critical data becomes redundant, inconsistent and scattered throughout the enterprise. Master data management (MDM) can be defined as the processes, governance, tools, rules and technology required to create and maintain consistent and accurate master data. It focuses on common critical data elements and establishes strong governance around them. MDM can eliminate redundancy and inconsistency of data in an organization and ensure its quality and control. It can provide a single, authoritative point of reference that can be shared by many processes and applications across the organization. It can also streamline data sharing and facilitate interoperability. TBS will work with key business owners (for example, the Office of the Comptroller General and the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer) to establish a government-wide MDM program to formally identify standard data elements and single authoritative sources for key information domains, where appropriate. Advance analytics (planned actions) Business intelligence involves creating, aggregating, analyzing and visualizing data to inform and facilitate business management and strategy. Analytics is about asking questions and refers to all the ways in which data can be broken down, compared and examined for trends. Big data is the technology that stores and processes data and information in datasets that are so large or complex that traditional data processing applications can’t analyze them. Big data can make available almost limitless amounts of information, improving data-driven decision making and expanding open data initiatives. TBS, working with departments, will lead the development of requirements for an enterprise analytics platform. TBS will work with departments to identify a business lead to develop a data lake (a repository of raw data) service strategy so that the GC can take advantage of big data and market innovation to foster better analytics and promote horizontal data sharing. Implement a platform for external collaboration (actions underway) Technology makes it easier for citizens, academia, scientists, businesses and government to share ideas and information and to collaborate with one another. TBS will lead the establishment of an external collaboration service provider to host departments and provide them with a dedicated workspace and computing storage for unclassified and transitory data. Cloud pilot projects will test-drive requirements and determine the most suitable platform to meet government business, information and security needs. TBS, in collaboration with departments, including PSPC and SSC, provides departments with a secure platform called GCCollab to: share opinions, information and analyses collaborate with external partners, academia, businesses, other governments and citizens While meeting the government’s requirements for security classification, disposition and recordkeeping, the platform will support an array of functions such as document sharing, co-authoring, assigning tasks, organizing meetings and holding discussions. Implement GCDOCS (actions underway) Time and productivity are frequently lost due to the lack of consistent tools and systems to help employees store, search and find the information and data they need to do their jobs. Enterprise IM solutions such as GCDOCS streamline and simplify these processes, but they need to be configured properly to make back-end IM processes as invisible as possible to users. Automation can provide opportunities to: simplify and streamline key IM processes and practices deliver a seamless user experience that relieves burden on individual GC workers Furthermore, implementing integrated and standardized solutions across departments can help make it easier for GC employees to find, use and share the information and data they need to do their job, while ensuring consistent, foundational management of GC information assets. Information and data can be leveraged to help departments achieve their business objectives and meet their mandated requirements. TBS and PSPC will enhance the government-wide GCDOCS service for departments, including: full deployment by 2022 broadening its integration with back office systems piloting its use as a tool for increasing the openness of government information Migrate websites to Canada.ca and assess options for a single GC digital service platform (actions underway) The GC’s Web Renewal Initiative will improve Canadians’ access to GC online services through a single online window (Canada.ca). This initiative will bring hundreds of existing sites into one, designed to better meet the needs of Canadians. TBS will develop a new strategy to set further direction on providing a single window to Canadians for all GC information and services and create the conditions required to transition to a single GC service platform.