Last Updated January 28, 2013

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1. What is the IRDR used for?
2. Why do the question numbers change between IRDR cycles, and how can I tell which 2011 question matches which 2009 question?
3. How does the IR Corrective Action Plan process work?
4. Why doesn’t DIR provide a web portal (database) containing all information requested from the agencies?
5. How can I obtain previous reports/submissions?

1. What is the IRDR used for?

   The agency IR deployment review primarily benefits the agency, by providing a structured, periodic process for assessing the status of all types of information technology used throughout the agency. The IRDR provides a sound basis for planning the agency’s future use of technology in order to optimally support its mission while meeting statewide technology standards. Statewide IRDR reporting is used by DIR and the Quality Assurance Team for several purposes, including assessing compliance with statewide technology standards and assessing alignment with the state strategic plan for information resources management.

2. Why do the question numbers change between IRDR cycles, and how can I tell which 2011 question matches which 2009 question?

   There are a number of factors involved in setting the content of the IRDR from one cycle to the next, including the dynamic nature of IT and DIR’s ongoing reporting streamlining initiative. Some items are added, removed, and changed in each cycle. We have not found a way to preserve question identifiers across cycles while also maintaining a logical organization and numbering scheme. However, a document, 2011 IRDR Question Map (XLS, 128KB), has been prepared which identifies the 2009 IRDR question number corresponding to each 2011 IRDR question number.

3. How does the IR Corrective Action Plan process work?

   DIR has streamlined the IR Corrective Action Plan process, with most of the reporting built into the IR Deployment Review. Here is a summary of the process:

   • Agencies conduct their IRDRs by December 1 of the odd-numbered year. Part 2 is a thorough review of the status of compliance with the state’s technology-related statutes and rules.
   • For each compliance item, four additional questions appear in the IRDR collection tool whenever the “Not in compliance” answer is selected: implementation status, estimated implementation date, brief description of steps to be taken, and optional comment.
   • DIR reviews agency IRDR responses during the even-numbered yerar and notifies those agencies found to lack compliance in one or more areas of the need to submit an IR-CAP.
   • When the IRM receives the request for an IR-CAP, a small spreadsheet will be included with data from the agency’s IRDR for each “not in compliance” item (status, implementation date, brief description, optional comment). The IRM will be asked to review the spreadsheet and update it as appropriate. For instance, the status of an item may have changed to “in compliance” since the IRDR was submitted.
   • Upon return to DIR, the updated spreadsheet becomes the agency’s IR-CAP. DIR will notify the IRM of the approval of the IR-CAP. If DIR requires clarification on an item in the IR-CAP, we will contact the IRM to work it out so the plan can be approved.

      

4. Why doesn’t DIR provide a web portal (database) containing all information requested from the agencies?

   DIR is working in this direction, beginning with a recent establishment of a database architecture for managing multi-cycle IRDR data. Our efforts to improve usefulness of the IRDR process include making cross-agency data permanently available to the IRMs.

5. How can I obtain previous reports/submissions?

Please email your request for previous IRDRs or IR Corrective Action Plans to irdr@dir.texas.gov.

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