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Glossary

Activity Plan
Short-term planning document that describes practice activities for the current quarter. Activities are organized by program phase and can reference individual project plans that describe individual tasks, sub-tasks and milestones. The Activity Plan is updated monthly.

Annual Select
The decision-making process that considers all new, ongoing, and operational IT projects for inclusion in HUD's IT investment portfolio. The select process applies uniform portfolio selection criteria.

Application Architecture
Describes the automated systems that support HUD's business areas.

Blueprint
Describes the future state of information technology at HUD. Blueprints are developed at multiple levels of detail and are used to streamline information technology across the enterprise and within program areas and other lines of business (see Target Architecture). More...

Business Architecture
The Business Architecture describes the work HUD performs in achieving its mission. This includes internal operations as well as functions performed in the direct delivery of services.

Community of Practice
A group of individuals who communicate because they share work practices, interests or aims. Communication within a community of practice is facilitated though regular systems of interchange such as e-mail, meetings, and working sessions. This process of collaboration raises the level of knowledge within the community of practice, and raises the level of related resources and services across the enterprise.

Current Architecture
A dynamically updated representation of the "as-is" business, data and IT environment.

Current IT Environment
see Current Architecture

Data Architecture
A description of information generated and/or used by the Department to support HUD programs or manage internal operations.

Data Control Board
The Steering body for HUD's Enterprise Data Management practice and review body for data architecture components of HUD's EA.

Domain
A group of related technologies organized around common IT infrastructure services or information management functions.

Domain Architecture
A description of architectural principles, implementation guidelines and standards for a specific domain. Domain architectures are developed for technical domains, information requirements, and core business functions, and are reconciled by the EA Team to develop HUD's target architecture.

Domain Team
A team of subject matter experts that is formed to develop domain architecture work products. Domain teams are comprised of subject matter experts (SMEs) that are assigned from within the Department and from external agencies and organizations. Subject matter experts include technical operations staff, program office staff, and business process and information experts.

EA Model
An adaptation of the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) developed by the Federal CIO Council, HUD's EA model is comprised of five architectural layers: Stakeholder, Business, Data, Application and Technology. More...

EA Practice
A framework of policy and process to define, implement and leverage HUD's enterprise architecture for IT planning and investment. Established by the OCIO, HUD's EA practice facilitates the definition and approval of the enterprise architecture, and the execution, monitoring and control of the principles, guidelines and standards defined by the EA.

EA States
A set of three instances of EA development and documentation, i.e. current architecture, target architecture, and interim target architecture.

EA Team
A dedicated team established in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, the EA Team facilitates the development and implementation of the Department's enterprise architecture. The EA Team is led by the Chief Architect and is comprised of Business Architects, Data Architects, Application Architects and Technology Architects.

EAMS (Enterprise Architecture Management System)
A web-based repository used to store and access architectural information and the relationships between architectural elements. More...

EAMS Baseline
An official, static version of the current architecture that is established each year prior to the Annual Select.

EAMS Target
An official, static version of the target architecture that is established each year prior to the Annual Select.

Enterprise Architecture (EA)
A strategic asset base that defines the Department's business, the information necessary to operate the business, the technologies necessary to support business operations, and the transitional processes necessary for implementing new technologies in response to the changing business needs.

Enterprise Data Management
A practice to define an organizational structure and a framework for governance to support the management of the Department's data resources as a strategic enterprise asset. HUD's EDM practice defines and establishes principles, standards and guidelines for data content, and for all elements of the data management lifecycle.

Future State IT Environment
See Target Architecture.

Gap Analysis
A structured process to define the differences between the current architecture and target architecture. Results provide valuable input to the prioritization of IT projects and the definition of the interim target architecture.

IT Capital Planning Process
A Select-Control-Evaluate process model to prioritize, review and improve IT investments. This process is also referred to as Information Technology Investment Management (ITIM).

ITIM
See IT Capital Planning Process

ITIPS (Information Technology Investment Portfolio)
An automated tool available to all Federal organizations designed specifically to support the intent of capital planning and information technology investment legislation and guidance, as well as comply with OMB budget reporting requirements. ITIPS supports the Information Technology (IT) Capital Planning Process and tracks the planning, acquisition, and operations of automated information systems and Information Technology (IT) investments.

Information Technology (IT)
A collection of hardware, software, and services operated by an organization to process information to accomplish a business function.

IT Project
A defined set of activities and resources surrounding or supporting the use of information technology to address HUD's strategic and programmatic objectives, and to support managerial and administrative functions. An IT project should be described in a project plan, with articulated goals and performance objectives; cost, schedule, and technical baselines; and a clear discussion of project risks, likely impacts, and risk management and mitigation measures.

Interim Target Architecture
A representation of one instance of progression towards the target architecture. Official interim targets are established annually subsequent to the Annual Select and are updated following Quarterly Control review actions.

Quarterly Control
The management of IT projects that are not yet operational, including the on-going monitoring of project performance against cost, schedule and technical baselines, and the continuous identification, management and mitigation of project risk. Lessons learned from the control phase are fed back into the selection phase to further refine and improve the formulation and maintenance of the HUD IT Investment Portfolio.

Resource Plan
Long-term planning document (2 year period) that estimates resource requirements to meet EA practice goals and objectives. The Resource Plan is updated quarterly.

Sequencing Plan
Long-term planning document that describes practice goals and objectives for a multi-year period (2-3 years). The Sequencing Plan is updated quarterly.

Stakeholder Layer
A description of internal and external entities that participate in business processes.

Tactical Practice Management
A framework for organizing and prioritizing projects and activities. Ensures that key tasks that contribute to EA practice success are completed within the planned timeframe.

Target Architecture
A dynamically updated representation of the "to-be" business, data, and IT environment achieved at a future time.

Technology Architecture
A description of functional requirements for components that comprise HUD's technical infrastructure, e.g. platforms, telecommunications.


Technology Investment Board Executive Committee (TIBEC)
Chaired by the Secretary, co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary, and comprised of HUD Assistant Secretaries and Principals, the TIBEC makes management decisions regarding the effective use of HUD information technology investments and resources, including systems development, infrastructure, maintenance and IT consulting.

Benefits
Simplifies IT investment decisions
Accelerates system implementation
Reduces system diversity