The Evidence Act requires changes in how federal agencies manage and use information, leading to a more strategic use of data.

The Department of Education (ED) oversees a large body of data spread across multiple systems and principal offices. A designated High Impact Service Provider, ED manages a $1.3 trillion loan portfolio and a grant portfolio totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. To meet the new federal requirements, ED's new Chief Data Officer (CDO) sought to understand where investments and updates would need to be made.

ED turned to AEM for support based on strategic leadership in data governance and data management within both the government and the private sector. AEM was tasked with helping to understand the data landscape at the agency, ranging from the culture around data to the people and processes supporting the entire data lifecycle.

Working with the CDO, AEM designed a custom maturity model to help ED understand how current practice compares to industry best practices. AEM administered the data maturity assessment within each of the 15 principal offices at both the leadership and operational levels. After collating, interpreting, and analyzing the data, AEM delivered a baseline measure for the agency and each of its offices.

ED’s data maturity assessment was foundational to their first-ever agency-wide data strategy. It framed their foundational objectives; the agency is now tackling issues such as data literacy, analytics, and human capital. As such, the assessment insights and approach will inform ED’s investment decisions for years to come.