Addressed to the new administration and the Congress, this summary report on Federal Government information management and technology issues begins by describing the environment in which information technology has been managed. Arguing that effective government depends directly on effective automation to support programs and initiatives, the report then identifies four areas that need improvement: (1) strategic planning that ties agencies' technology to their missions; (2) systems development projects that provide technical capability; (3) automated information system security that protects sensitive information; and (4) technical personnel who oversee complex automated systems. A list of related publications from the General Accounting Office is included. (EW)