In a new data decade, constituent experience reigns

Over the years, humans have predicted fantastical feats would be achieved by 2020, from robot servants to public space travel. Now that 2020 is here, some of the accomplishments are different—but still grand. In the decade ahead, transformational technologies that better meet constituent needs will define the missions of local government leaders. Advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and multi-cloud operations will expand community experiences and digital government possibilities.

It’s a new era for data: a time to catalyze streamlined IT, flexible consumption and operations, multi-cloud options and an evolution of the network edge. Sustainable innovation and modernization will bolster how we live, work and play. As CIOs and IT leaders prepare their departments for new ways to serve their constituents, here are the biggest technology changes that are impacting them—and important considerations for each.

Multi-cloud strategy evolves

The importance of cloud strategy is reflected in the Public Technology Institute’s City and County Technology and Workforce Trends survey, which reflects that cloud services remain a top technology priority for government CIOs over the next two years. But when it comes to the understanding of cloud and its value, IT leaders are in a much different place now than they were five years ago. They have come to realize that cloud is not a destination but rather an operating model.

As local government cloud strategies mature, a multi-cloud approach that encompasses a combination of solutions hosted on premises, in public clouds and at the edge will become more critical. Considering a multi-cloud strategy offers increased security, as well as greater flexibility, transparency and scalability.

To make the most effective cloud investments, local governments should plan ahead and think about their IT infrastructure holistically. Leaders should consider the various workloads they manage and keep their constituents—and the services made available to them—at the forefront of decision-making. For example, a workload that deals with a resident’s personally identifiable information will require heightened security; an application designed to share traffic information with the public has fewer security concerns, but requires a high level of scalability. To move forward with their cloud strategy, local-government IT leaders need the ability to plan on a workload-by-workload basis. This requires the flexibility of multi-cloud.

To read the full article, visit American City & County.