The AFFIRMation On Line

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

AFFIRM, the Association For Federal Information Resources Management, is a Washington, DC-based council of the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils. It is a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose goal is to improve the management of information within the Federal Government.

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The AFFIRMation


AFFIRM, the Association For Federal Information Resources Management, is a Washington, DC-based council of the Federation of Government Information Processing Councils. It is a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose goal is to improve the management of information within the Federal Government.




AFFIRM Board for 1995-1996 Year

At the AFFIRM meeting of June 15, 1995, John Coyle, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, announced the results of the election for the 1995-1996 slate of officers. The results were: President - Paul Wohlleben, EPA; Vice President - Cynthia Shoemaker, PhD, George Washington University; Vice President-Programs - Deirdre Murray, GTE and Maureen Rhemann, Northrop-Grumman; Secretary - Cathy Hollan, Patent and Trademark Office; Treasurer - Chris Folger, Infovision International, Inc.

In addition to the elected offices, over the summer months incoming President Paul Wohlleben reorganized the AFFIRM committee structure by making the following appointments: Assistant Treasurer - Terry Forrest, EPA; Communications - Eva Desiderio, Department of Agriculture and Phil Paparodis, EPA; Sponsorships - Mary Dale, Ogden and Rick Martin, EPA; Memberships - Beth Koehler, Department of Justice, and Brenda Daly, EPA; Newsletter - Ava Arnone, DynCorp and Joseph Lentini, EPA; Emerging Issues Forum - Marv Gordon, Northrop-Grumman and Mark Day, EPA; Reengineering - Bob Golas, Informix; Webmasters - Marlene Palmer, FEMTO Associates and Christina Nelson, Knowledge Command; Systems Support - Bill Beaver, EPA; and Historian - John Coyle, Department of the Interior.

These committee changes fall into two categories: a reorganization of existing committees to better reflect their respective purposes; and new committees to address expanding areas of AFFIRM focus in the coming year. "As part of these structural changes, we resorted the functions of the former Public Relations and Publicity Committees into the Communications and Sponsorship Committees," President Paul Wohlleben said. "We also created several new committees to provide the organizational capacity to support our objectives for the new year, including reengineering and automating association communications and operations; to expand AFFIRM's influence by addressing emerging key Federal IRM issues, and to establish an Internet presence. We also recognized that the retirement of many of AFFIRM's founders had created a need to capture our institutional history."





Monthly Seminar Series

CIOs In Government
Seeing Eye To Eye With The Private Sector

An exciting panel of experts from government and industry will discuss the similarities and differences of carrying out the vital Chief Information Officer (CIO) role at the next AFFIRM luncheon. Panelists will include:

Alan Balutis - Director for Budget, Management, and Information and CIO, Department of Commerce

Sarah Jane League - CIO, DISA

Tom Meredith - CIO, Dell Computer

Edith Holmes - President and Publisher, (moderator) Federal Computer Week

Join us on Thursday, October 19, at George Washington University's University Club located at 800 21st St., NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC. Reception: 11:15 am; Luncheon: 11:45 am; Program: 12:15 pm. Please place telephone reservations at 202-686-4602.
The President's Corner

I am pleased that our new AFFIRM year is upon us. I anticipate it being one of substantial activity and progress for our organization.

My first order of business is to compliment AFFIRM's outgoing Board and Committee Chairpersons for another successful year. I'd like to especially recognize outgoing President Art Chantker for his leadership and energetic commitment to AFFIRM. I am pleased that Art will actively assist our new Board as an AFFIRM Director.

Next, I will outline the five objectives that the AFFIRM Board has established for the coming year. The Board was active over the summer months, establishing the foundation for achieving these objectives and for a successful year.

First, AFFIRM will enhance its standing and capability to influence Federal IRM policy. To this end, we will focus our efforts on the emerging key issues confronting executive-level IRM management in the Federal sector. One key issue we will address over the coming year is the establishment of a CIO in each Federal agency, and the key roles emanating from that position (e.g., planning, investment management, and linkage of program and IRM). To support this objective, we migrated the AFFIRM Performance Measurement Group into the AFFIRM Emerging Issues Forum. We expect this Forum to provide one of the most active venues for examination of the key issues confronting Federal IRM today. I will challenge the Forum to produce several "white papers" this year to communicate the AFFIRM perspective on issues selected for special focus.

Second, to broaden financial support, we will offer two types of sponsorship opportunities to industry. We will continue the Seminar Sponsorship Program, whereby one organization sponsors each of our ten luncheon seminars. In addition, we created a Sustaining Partner Sponsorship Program. This new Program will enable AFFIRM to strengthen its financial base, and to finance the costs of publishing and communicating materials like the "white papers" described above.

Third, we will streamline association operations and communications. Lotus Development Corporation has provided AFFIRM with complimentary licenses of its NotesSuite software. NotesSuite will allow AFFIRM to embrace a more electronic mode of conducting business. We will use this software to issue communications to AFFIRM Board members, seminar notices, membership activities notices, and for AFFIRMation newsletter production and distribution to those members for whom E-mail or FAX delivery is preferred.

Fourth, we will improve our external reach by creating a home page for AFFIRM on the Internet World Wide Web. We expect to use this home page to communicate the advantages of AFFIRM Membership and to position the value-added products we create (e.g., the AFFIRMation and "white papers" produced by the Emerging Issues Forum).

Finally, we plan a survey of our members to determine a collective membership perspective on a number of IRM issues. We will use that perspective to fine tune AFFIRM's future direction.

We need the support and active participation of all our membership to fully achieve these ambitious objectives. If you are able to actively participate, please let me know (Voice 202-260-4465; FAX 202-260-5419; Internet: wohlleben.paul@epamail.epa.gov) and I will refer you to the appropriate Officer or Committee Chairperson.

I am looking forward to a productive and challenging new year for AFFIRM. I hope you share my excitement.


Paul Wohlleben





Editor's Notes

As you can see, we have made some changes to the AFFIRMation. Page one will contain a feature article and information on the upcoming Seminar Series. Page two is reserved for the President's Corner and Editor's Notes. Page three will contain articles on Re-engineering, Emerging Issues, Committee Updates, and other information relevant to AFFIRM and the Federal IRM community. If you have questions or suggestions concerning the newsletter's format or content, please contact either Ava Arnone at 703-222-1464 or Joe Lentini at 202-260-2394.
Re-engineering

It Ain't What It Used To Be
by Robert J. Golas, Informix Software, Inc.

The information super highway - Internet, the Web, Home Page. My how things have changed in just the last year! There were changes in technology, changes in how we view and use this technology, and changes in how we perform our day-to-day business functions. Hammer and Champy would undoubtedly say this is reengineering.

Well, reengineering is happening in AFFIRM. In Hammer and Champy's book, Reengineering the Corporation, the inside of the front cover states, "...the authors introduce the notion of . . . concentrating on and rethinking end-to-end activities that create value for customers." Under the new leadership of Paul Wohlleben, EPA's Director of IRM, AFFIRM wants to create value for their customers, their membership. To do this, Paul identified five AFFIRM objectives for this year involving the reengineering of AFFIRM operations in the areas of our membership; newsletter; finances; formation of an Emerging Issues Forum; and increasing electronic AFFIRM board and membership communications. We will reengineer each of these areas to add value to the membership

Paul quickly started the reengineering efforts by standardizing on Lotus Notes as the communications medium among AFFIRM board members--special thanks to Lotus. Although each area requiring change has a board member in charge of reengineering efforts, Paul appointed Bob Golas of Informix Software as AFFIRM's Reengineer. His function is to "gently nudge" us to help keep the reengineering efforts moving forward.

"We really want to open up AFFIRM's business to all members," Paul said. To make Paul's goal our reality, pass your ideas for improving AFFIRM business operations or for making AFFIRM more responsive to its members to Bob Golas. Bob's telephone number is (703) 714-0604, his FAX is (703) 714-0699, and his Internet electronic mail address is - bobg@informix.com.




Emerging Issues

Affirm Creates Emerging Issues Forum

AFFIRM's new Emerging Issues Forum will address new issues of interest to IRM professionals. The Forum will focus on new conceptual management issues with broad application to the IRM profession (e.g., the role and value of a Chief Information Officer). Marv Gordon, Northrop-Grumman, and Mark Day, Director of EPA's IRM Planning Division, co-chair the Forum and expect to address two such issues each year. AFFIRM members are encouraged to participate in the Forum.

Last year, AFFIRM created an ad-hoc group to develop a conceptual understanding of the relationship of IRM to the Government Performance and Results Act. That effort is summarized in a resource paper entitled "The Connection: Linking IRM and Mission Performance" and is available by calling 202-260-8711. You can also order this document by sending your request via the Internet to affirm.info@epamail.epa.gov. The Forum plans to make all future papers available through this telephone number and Internet address.



Program Committee News

In an effort to meet the demanding information needs of its members, AFFIRM's program committee is committed to presenting programs addressing the policy issues of greatest interest to our membership. These programs are held monthly from September to June.

Our new year was launched September 14 with a dynamic discussion of telecom reform and its impact on Government programs. Mark your 1995 calendar for October 19, a panel discussion focusing on CIOs in the public and private sectors; November 16; and December 14. The 1996 program dates include January 18, February 15, March 21, April 18, May 16, and June 20. The AFFIRMation will provide information on these programs at least one month prior to their presentation.