With a strong background in technology and business administration, plus 15 years of experience in the public sector, Nancy Desormeau is no stranger to government technology initiatives.
As Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) she is working to establish a disciplined Value Management Office to evaluate ICT investments and see that they deliver the expected ROI.
Desormeau’s team is also working on establishing a Knowledge Management Office to lead the integration of information across diverse business lines to better deliver service to more than 100 federal departments and agencies.
“We envision the possibility that the results of our efforts could be shared with other public sector organizations to assist in the goal of seamless service,” she said, adding that while the initiatives have not yet been implemented, PWGSC is already facing questions of long-term sustainability with these projects.
Desormeau said her primary challenges relate to leading a process of change in management in her department.
“We will have to learn a new way of thinking about our ICT priorities and their management. That will cause us to re-examine our decision-making and governance, which in turn implies a heavy focus on two areas: value and relationship management.”
As for the challenges faced by public servants today, Desormeau cited the need to rethink service delivery methods vis-