Homeland Security: DHS Enterprise Architecture Continues to Evolve but Improvements Needed
Highlights
GAO designated the transformation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as high risk in 2003, and it continues to do so today. One essential tool for facilitating organizational transformation is an enterprise architecture (EA)--a corporate blueprint that serves as an authoritative frame of reference for information technology investment decision making. The Congress required DHS to submit a report that includes its EA and a capital investment plan for implementing it. The Congress also required that GAO review the report. In June 2006, DHS submitted this report to the Congress. GAO's objective was to assess the status of the EA, referred to as DHS EA 2006, and the plan for implementing it. To meet this objective, GAO analyzed architectural documents relative to its prior recommendations; evaluated stakeholder comments and the process used to obtain them; and analyzed the implementation plan against relevant guidance.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Homeland Security | To ensure that DHS fully implements our prior EA recommendations and effectively solicits and addresses stakeholder comments on incremental versions of its EA, the Secretary of Homeland Security should direct the department's Chief Information Officer (CIO) to include in future versions of the department's EA a traceability matrix that explicitly maps EA content to our recommendations in sufficient detail to demonstrate their implementation. |
DHS has taken actions that are consistent with the intent of this recommendation. In particular, DHS is using a GAO-developed matrix that explicitly maps HLS EA 2008 content to our recommendations aimed at adding needed architectural depth and breadth. In addition, according to the DHS chief architect, future versions of the HLS EA will include a traceability matrix that maps HLS EA content to our recommendations.
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| Department of Homeland Security | To ensure that DHS fully implements our prior EA recommendations and effectively solicits and addresses stakeholder comments on incremental versions of its EA, the Secretary of Homeland Security should direct the department's CIO to ensure that future efforts to solicit stakeholder comments on the department's EA employ an effective approach that includes clearly defining the type of information requested and allowing sufficient time for obtaining and responding to these comments. |
DHS has taken actions to solicit stakeholder comments on the latest version of its enterprise architecture (i.e., HLS EA 2009). Specifically, it identified the type of information requested (e.g., the accuracy of component's functions) and allowed time (i.e., from October 6, 2008 to October 31, 2008) for formally obtaining and responding to comments. In addition, stakeholders were allowed to informally comment and provide feedback on the EA throughout the year, according to the DHS chief architect.
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