This document presents a methodology for fusion center directors and managers that facilitates technology planning and provides a practical perspective on the value of technology in accomplishing the fusion center's mission.
The general purpose of the fusion center is to provide an aggregation, analysis, and dissemination point for classified and unclassified data relevant to "all-crime" and "all-hazards" intelligence approaches. Technology plays an important role in advancing a fusion center's ability to share information among a variety of partners across the public and private sectors. The first step in the development of a responsive technology strategy is to define the business architecture of the fusion center. The mission and critical success factors for the fusion center should also be defined; and the operational priorities should be established. Reference sources for these domains of a fusion center are outlined. The fusion center technology needs should then be developed to meet the needs of the highest operational priorities within identified functional areas. The Fusion Center Technology Guide presents a four-stage methodology for developing a comprehensive technology strategy and implementation plan. Key segments include the development of future enterprise architecture, the coordinated assessment of the current technology environment, the development of a set of strategic imperatives and a portfolio of strategic technology initiatives, and the integration of the portfolio into an implementation strategy and plan. This methodology can support the development of a technology, strategy, and implementation plan that can be used either by fusion centers that are in a start-up situation or those that are already equipped with technology services. 3 figures