At OMMA, Success Meets at the Intersection of Technology and Strategy

Aaron Martin, Chief Technology Officer, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Office of Management and Enterprise Services

Aaron Martin, Chief Technology Officer, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Office of Management and Enterprise Services

It can be tempting for organizations to throw technology at a challenge and hope it pans out. However, when taxpayer dollars are on the line, it’s crucial for state entities to choose technology solutions that are truly justified, align with state goals and laws, and contribute to better services for citizens.

Around this time last year, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) divested from a mature organization to become a fully independent agency while simultaneously pioneering an all-new regulatory environment at a scale unseen elsewhere in the country. OMMA is as close as you can get to a startup in the public sector, and we are keenly aware that we’re building the foundation for an organization that will outlive us all. To be truly effective, our decisions and solutions must guide our young agency in the right direction from the get-go.

Unlike the private sector, where profit margins are paramount, the public sector is driven by safety, efficiency and effective resource allocation. Every technological endeavor needs to focus on how it can free up resources, speed up processes or improve safety for the citizens we serve. For an IT leader in medical marijuana regulation, these challenges are magnified given the industry's sensitivity and ever-evolving regulatory landscape. To that end, success for us isn't just about deploying the latest technology but ensuring said technology aligns with our strategic goals.

“Unlike the private sector, where profit margins are paramount, the public sector is driven by safety, efficiency and effective resource allocation.”

In my experience, most IT initiatives go awry when leaders don’t know the business processes and the service workflows that could be impacted when implementing new technology tools. Something I’ve found useful to ensuring we utilize the right solutions in the right places is understanding the agency value chain. This business concept ultimately tells you how you get work, how you process it and what the outcome needs to be.

The value chain accomplishes two things: First, it succinctly identifies where you should be investing resources to maximize service delivery. Second, it can help alleviate IT pain points and prevent problems from becoming crises. This concept is especially important when operating in a brand-new, dynamic regulatory environment. We can’t control what goes on outside the organization, but we can control our priorities and focus. We can solve any problem with technology, but are we solving the right problem? And does the expense provide a positive return on investment?

At OMMA, every strategic choice – be it in technology or process optimization – must support our mission, cater to our environment and fortify our commitment to public service. It's essentially building a resilient bridge between our present challenges and our vision for the future, ensuring that each brick, byte and decision is a step in the right direction.

At the core, it's not just about the technology we adopt or the regulatory challenges we face; it's about aligning every strategic initiative, from top to bottom, with purposeful action. The harmony between strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations is what sets successful organizations apart. Recognize that a vision needs good execution – and to achieve that, every technology tool in place and every individual in the organization needs to be attuned to the same frequency. It’s this alignment of purpose and technology that will ensure an organization’s excellence in public service.