State CIOs should invest in business architecture, NASCIO report says

State chief information officers need to better understand and use business architecture, the method for designing and analyzing organizational structures, processes and technologies, according to a report published Thursday by the National Association of State CIOs.

The report argues that as CIOs play a more pivotal role in government transformation efforts, through IT modernization and emerging technologies, business architecture can help them better manage the day-to-day operations required of each agency to better achieve the mission of protecting and serving citizens.

The group’s latest publication represents the first part of association’s 2025 series on enterprise architecture, the framework that helps agencies align their business, information, processes and technology into a seamless workflow.

“We are making the point that the discipline of enterprise architecture is a strategic enabling discipline for the continued emerging role of the state CIO,” Eric Sweden, program director of enterprise business and architecture at NASCIO, said in a press release.

The report calls on CIOs to define the internal- and external-facing services designed to improve citizens’ experiences and integrate them across multiple agencies, laying the foundation for a “citizen-centric” approach to digital governance.

For instance, Oklahoma’s Office of Management of Enterprise Services recently deployed an AI tool that automatically flags mistakes in procurement submission forms. The tool helps agencies across the state better steward taxpayer dollars, speeds up the procurement process and reduces time spent on menial tasks, allowing employees to focus on larger projects that serve citizens.

By identifying opportunities for reusing and sharing resources between agencies, the NASCIO report argues, state CIOs can foster collaboration rather than forming information-sharing silos, and strengthen business architecture statewide.

The report urges state CIOs to communicate the importance of investing time and money into building these structured frameworks to identify gaps in digital services, assess agency capabilities and improve project management.

“Transformation is not a one-time effort, it’s an on-going journey,” the report states. “Business architecture provides a structured framework to assess current capabilities, identify gaps, and prioritize investments.”