State of New Jersey: Redefining data for the people Project partner
State of New Jersey: Redefining data for the people Poonam Soans, Chief Data Officer of the State of New Jersey, explores how she is overseeing a data-driven revolution to better serve its citizens
Written by
Dale Benton
Produced by
Craig Daniels
3
W
hen we think of a Chief Data Officer, a role which has become more commonplace
in recent years, our minds go towards customer data and the private sector. After all, when we think of technology in industry, the headlines gravitate towards tales of how technology is transforming the likes of the insurance space or the retail sector. But what do we think of technology, and indeed data, in the public sector? And when we do think of the public sector and how it captures, uses and presents data. Who do we think it’s for and who decides how it is presented? For the State of New Jersey, Poonam Soans, Chief Data Officer, is tasked with answering those questions on a day-today basis. Naturally, as a state body, strategic decisions are made through mandates that come directly from the Governor, but it is up to the likes of Soans to help implement these mandates and deliver real value and impact to the people who live in the state by driving
and divisions, I continued to see where
game-changing innovation.
the gaps in communication between
So, who is Soans? Having started her
teams were and had more opportunity
career as an entry level programmer for
to do something about it.” In 2010 a new
the state, she worked her way up through
mandate came from the Governor that
the ranks gaining experience and exper-
would change both her own perception of
tise along the way. “I saw close up the
data and the state’s too. “In 2010 we were
struggles that programmers face. As I
legislated by the Governor to set up a
moved up through various departments
Transparency site for the State of New
Jersey, lawmakers from both parties had
conversation was in its infancy. Fast
been seeking a web site to enhance the
forward 11 years and the citizens have a
transparency of state finances since
whole new level of understanding and
2008” Soans explains. “This was primarily
expectation as to what they want to see
for the public, so they could see exactly
and access. “In 2012, we experienced
where their tax dollars were being spent.”
Superstorm Sandy which destroyed a
Data transparency, as we speak in
lot of homes, so we stood up the Sandy
2021, is not a new or particularly novel
Transparency Portal to provide public
concept but at the time the transparency
access to all State contracts for the 5
Poonam Soans Chief Data Officer & Director of Application Development Poonam Soans is the Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Director of Application Development for the great state of New Jersey. She studied Business Administration with Computer Science and has been in Information Technology for over 19 years. Poonam is a company veteran who understands the culture and history of the organization. As Director, she oversees the development and maintenance of all existing and new systems of the division in order to produce effective software solutions. She directs the administrative requirements of application development including yearly budgetary spending plans based upon organizational objectives, priorities and operational requirements. In her CDO role, she ensures her office is getting the most from what could be its most valuable asset. She is ultimately responsible for areas such as data quality, data governance, information strategy, data science, and business analytics. She works to enhance Open Government, Transparency and Performance Management Initiatives using cloud computing and other technologies. New endeavours and challenges are her biggest motivators!
An experienced data professional, Soans is an active public speaker having been Invited to speak at over 13 major events over the last few years including: CDO & Data Leaders' Global Summit 2021, New Jersey Digital Government Summit 2018 and 2021, CDO National Virtual Summit 2021 and MITCDOIQ Symposium 2020. Soans has also been recognised by CDO Magazine as a Global Data Power Women 2021 These women are shaping the landscape of business and pioneering the field of data and analytics. They are leveraging their talents to get real world results, to answer tough business questions and to provide true value to the enterprise, their customers and key stakeholders.
allocation and expenditure of federal
Rein when I was offered this job that I’m
disaster relief funds, including contract
happy to be in a position where I can
vendor information. In addition, the portal
make a difference, to have a seat at the
lists the available federal funding streams
table,” she says. Coupled with her other
and funding criteria and tracks the federal
position, that of Director of Application
funding allotment of disaster relief funds
Development, Soans has played a key
in New Jersey. This was set up on our
part in this data-led conversation for
already existing open data portal which
the best part of a decade. “I work for the
now tells you where the funds came in
Office of Information Technology, and
and where they were distributed. The
data powers our software applications.
public is very interested in knowing where
Everything we do is around building appli-
the last dollar went. I think transparency
cations,” she says. “These roles go hand
has changed a lot and their expectations
in hand because applications are built
have changed also and so we have to
with good data on it.”
ensure we can deliver on that.” Following her work on the transpar-
The role of the Chief Data Officer has grown immensely in both the public and
ency site, and through the development
private sector, but as Soans herself
and implementation of an open data
admits; the understanding of data and its
portal which allows all state agencies to
worth hasn’t always been what it is now.
publish their data in one easily acces-
So how does an organization define the
sible portal for citizens, Soans took on
role itself? As CDO, she is tasked with
her latest role as Chief Data Officer
establishing procedures, best practices,
in 2019. “I told my CTO – Christopher
standards and metadata requirements 7
“It all starts with having a great team,” she enthuses. “I’m very fortunate that I have great people working with me who understand my enthusiasm and my get-it-done attitude” — P O O N A M S O A N S , C H I E F D ATA O F F I C E R & D I R E C T O R O F A P P L I C AT I O N D E V E L O P M E N T, S TAT E O F N E W J E R S E Y
all around data. This is a far cry from the
data.’ We need to know what each column
days of numerous agencies sending
means and what exactly the definition
multiple forms of data in several formats
of it is, because if the public then comes
ranging from excel spreadsheets, pdf
back to us and says, ‘What is this column?
documents to rich text formats (RTF).
What does it mean?’ we can go back to
As the demand for data for citizens
them and say, ‘This is what it means and
grew, Soans knew that this was not the
really make it easy for them.”
best way forward for the state. “I set
The goal sounds simple on paper: make
down some standards around the way
changes where necessary to improve
we wanted data to be presented,” she
the overall service. The reality of it is
explains. “That way we can parse the data
a very different prospect and Soans
out. We need the asset level and column
understands this. What she has on her
level metadata filled out completely. Do
side is her years within the organization.
not just give me data and say, ‘Here’s the
Working her way up through the ranks
has allowed her to establish key relation-
Soans speaks of an initial boom following
ships with people throughout the organ-
the Governor’s Open Data Initiative, with
ization, people who can help facilitate
agencies jumping at the gun to upload
real change. “I know the data warehouse,
datasets on to the State’s Open Data
managed hosting, server and network
Portal at Data.NJ.Gov and get the data
teams,” she says. “So, if we get a new
transparency ball well and truly moving.
project, I know right away exactly which
After those early weeks however, the
teams need to be involved, and I can set
momentum began to fade, and so Soans
the deadline based on the fact that I’ve
had to address this issue quickly. “I had to
been there, done that, so I know exactly
really take matters into my own hands and
how long a project should take.”
decide on the best process going forward
An interesting challenge when imple-
to get that data from them,” she says. “I
menting change like this is momentum,
asked my team to conduct research and
so, how do you keep momentum going?
analysis on different states in America and 9
see, for example, what the States of New York and California are doing with their Department of Transportation data. This approach allowed Soans and her team to see firsthand the power of data and more specifically how states are presenting their data in a way that breaks free of the stigma that ‘data is boring’. “There’s a problem where the agencies don’t understand what the value of uploading/publishing their data is and so I show them how the other states are displaying it and it looks great,” she adds. “So, I ask them to give us their data and
“ It may be a cliché, but if you love what you do then it isn’t work and if we all share that belief then we will be successful for the people of New Jersey” — P O O N A M S O A N S , C H I E F D ATA O F F I C E R , S TAT E O F N E W J E R S E Y
we’ll publish it. We will also send a link to embed on their website and it is a win-win.
New Jersey leverages our Socrata data platform on the state’s open data portal to enable collaboration among state agencies, improve the overall service provided
CONNECTED DATA IS
POWERFUL AND DRIVES BETTER OUTCOMES
to residents, and increase transparency for all stakeholders. tylertech.com/recovery
It’s a win for them because it makes them
a must-do resolve. Her enthusiasm and
look good for putting out some really
her drive are quite contagious. “My role
useful data, and it makes the state look
allows me to really showcase the good
good that we’re able to make the data
work that we do, and, in the end, everyone
available to our citizens in the first place.
is happy,” she says. “I’m very enthusiastic
That approach really got us a lot of buy-in
about it because I like that I can make a
with the different agencies and has
difference. There have been times where
helped pave the way forward for us.”
we have come up against agencies that
So why is there a notion that data is
are not sure of the value of their data,
boring? Soans, having worked in and
so they do not want to take the leap. We
around data for her entire career, believes
worked with them and assisted them to
that to really break away from this
upload their data, we also created visuali-
perception of boring data, people need to
zations on their data by way of pie charts,
think a little deeper about what it repre-
bar graphs, etc. And they have been
sents and how the State is helping those
extremely pleased with the results. This
citizens. Soans knows this and feels priv-
generates valuable word of mouth with
ileged to work for the state in the role that
other state agencies who then want to
she has because she believes in making
follow suit.”
real change for the people. She projects
As much as Soans is driving this data-
optimism, confidence, a will-do spirit and
led initiative, she will be the first to admit 11
that it is by no means a one
can score, the team has a better
woman show. She is surrounded
chance of winning. I really think
by incredibly dedicated people
that makes a lot of difference.”
who are as committed as she
Having a great team and a great
is and goes as far as to say that
working relationship with that
without them, the task at hand
team has proved particularly key
would be immensely difficult.
in light of the COVID pandemic.
“It all starts with having a great
With lockdown restrictions and
team,” she enthuses. “I’m very
office closures, the Office of
fortunate that I have great people Information Technology had to working with me who under-
transition from in-office working
stand my enthusiasm and my
to working from home. Soans
get-it-done attitude. I set prior-
speaks of initial problems when
ities for my team based on the
adjusting to this new dynamic,
deliverables. I also have a lot of
ensuring employees had access
support from other IT teams and
to the data and systems they
management.”
need to continue providing crit-
“I make sure that everyone on
ical services was a key early
the team plays a different role,
focus. Once the team settled
according to their strengths.
into this new way of working,
Knowing your team, their person- they continue to do all they can alities, what they can do, their
for the citizens of New Jersey.
strengths and their weaknesses.
Importantly for Soans, this time
In other words, you know who
has allowed her and her team
to approach when you are in a
to think about resilience and
rush, and you know which team
the lessons learned along the
member to go to when you want
way. “Like everyone, we were
it done right and you have the
totally caught by surprise and
luxury of time. For example, one
so once we settled down a little,
may not be the best goal scorer,
we immediately started think-
but they are great at moving the
ing about what we can take away
ball forward. You know that if you
from this,” she says. “It ranges
pass that ball to the person who
from looking at the devices and 13
equipment we use to work from home to examining some of the work we’ve done in recent years and how we could possibly improve on that, now that our way of working and thinking has been challenged by this pandemic.” This idea of examining practises and challenging the thinking goes back to an earlier point that Soans made about asking her team to look at how other states leverage their data. She feels that the key to doing the right thing by the people, and not just thinking that she is doing the right thing, is to connect with her peers in the same or similar roles across the country. She is a member of the State Chief Data Officers Network, where she meets (virtually) with fellow State CDOs and shares knowledge and experiences and most importantly, challenges, how they can be effective in their roles. “It’s a great platform where we can exchange ideas, thoughts and concerns,” she says. “We all have the same goals and
will look to implement a more robust data
are arriving at them from different angles.
governance program, all the while contin-
Everyone is simply trying to help each
uing to adopt best practices across the
other be a success.”
organisation and the agencies. While
Over the course of the last two
the benefits of these are clear, what is
years, Soans has made great strides in
the secret of her success? Poonam’s
moving the needle forward for the data-
success is rooted in the way she leads
led conversation of the State and she
and her work ethic. She is expected
acknowledges that there is still a long
to make big decisions, and that is not
way to go. Over the next 12 months she
always easy, especially when there is a
lot of money on the line. This is why it is so important for her to spend time doing
are excited to emulate. “I will do all it takes, everything I can
her research, listening to the concerns
within my power, and with the assistance
of client agencies, and then using that
of my teams to serve New Jersey. It may
information to reach a decision. “We are
be a cliché, but if you love what you do
a team, and we all represent the state of
then it isn’t work and if we all share that
New Jersey. As a leader, one needs to
belief then we will be successful for the
have the foresight and the gumption to
people of New Jersey.”
take risks.” Learning from her example can help anyone become a leader people 15