Technological Advances Shaping the Future of Public Sector

By CIOReview | Friday, January 7, 2022

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“Smart city and smart region initiatives are springing up around the country, intending to build digitally connected surroundings that will assist local and regional governments in providing more effective programs and services.”

Fremont, CA: Governments that want to serve their residents in the digital age must keep up with the expectations of their tech-savvy voters. Governments must use new technology to react to citizen demand for 24-hour digital information services and deliver additional services and activities that benefit constituents. While technology can assist governments and government agencies become more effective, updating technology takes time.

Here are three significant technology developments causing local, state, and federal government organizations and departments to reconsider how they do business and redefine how they serve their constituents.

Automated Workflows Saves Time and Increase Efficiency

Government bureaucracy is more often associated with red tape and mountains of paperwork than with efficient operations. The administrative overhead necessary to run local, state, and federal departments and agencies are extensively documented. According to a Governing Exchange poll, government employees and officials spend excessive time on meetings, paperwork, email, data gathering, and reporting - at the expense of planning future activities and new, innovative projects. However, this old-fashioned mentality is beginning to change. Over the last year, there has been a shift toward government agencies embracing automation, saving thousands of hours formerly spent on data processing and data entering.

Collaborative Work Management Propel Programs and Services

Governments, departments, and organizations must work differently to meet and surpass the expectations of today’s tech-savvy population. Work is becoming more collaborative: Departments must collaborate on projects and activities to effectively serve citizens. Collaboration across different government bodies may even be required to improve programs and services or foster innovation. Governments that can share the resources, budget money, or information required to quickly, effectively, and securely tackle large challenges can better serve their constituents. Organizations can benefit from a shared platform that facilitates safe sharing and breaks down current silos to facilitate collaboration between departments and agencies, or even across federal and local government.

The Internet of Things Connects “Smart Cities”

The internet of things (IoT) and other “smart” technologies are another technology that governments are investigating and embracing. Smart city and smart region initiatives are springing up around the country, intending to build digitally connected surroundings that will assist local and regional governments in providing more effective programs and services. Initial initiatives could include connected “smart meters” that allow public utilities to assist citizens in saving energy or water, as well as road sensors that collect data on traffic patterns to offer the information required to support infrastructure development. Connected, smart items can assist local governments in cutting costs, increasing efficiency, and eventually improving the quality of life for their residents.