How can new technology create meaning in big data?

GovLoop’s 4th Annual Government Innovators Virtual Summit is less than a month away! In anticipation of our all-day event, each week we’ll share snippets of information that will be elaborated on throughout the trainings. The free summit will be on April 22nd, starting at 10 AM ET — be sure to check out the schedule and register so you can attend up to 5 trainings (and earn up to 5 CPE credits), download over 200+ resources and network with your government peers.

Big data is a term that has been thrown around the government, industry and media increasingly over the past couple years. But what even is big data? It is simply any overbearingly large amount of internal or external information. It has been a common challenge for agencies to comb through and organize such large amounts of data, let alone fine actionable insights. In the “How Government Can Deal with Big Data” training, expert speakers will discuss why and how government workers can make sense of large amounts of numbers.

The 1970s and early 1980s saw the beginning of modern technology and computing. Relational database management systems (RDBMS) were developed to store large amounts of information such as manufacturing data, financial records, and personnel data. The government has utilized this traditional model to sort through extracted information. However, the system is dated and is no longer cost-effective. It takes too much time to integrate the database with all of the different platforms being utilized across departments.

GovLoop’s upcoming training will focus on current needs within the government and public. How can new technology create meaning in big data without costing the government valuable time and money? One of MarkLogic’s big data experts, Kevin Morgan, along with Professor Stephen Goldsmith, Daniel Paul Professor of the Practice of Government, Director of the Innovations, American Government Program, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, will give insight into how new technologies can help ease frustration with the process of using big data then creating meaningful policy.

Another speaker, Anthony Fung, the current Deputy Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia, will share how state agencies used big data to better inform their policy decisions.  Data-driven initiatives generated engagement and personalized services for the public while remaining cost-effective.  This training will highlight the steps towards advancing the goals in your department or agency through big data development.

The training will also brainstorm solutions that will manage a wide variety of data, ensure the security of the data, find the needed information faster, and can be accessed from any laptop, cloud or server through cost-effective hardware.

“How Government Can Deal with Big Data” is a part of GovLoop’s Government Innovators Virtual Summit, an all-day virtual event that consists of five different trainings, networking opportunities, and resources to help you get better at your job. Don’t forget to register for free so you don’t miss out on hearing from experts such as Tim Nolan on how they address the ever-evolving environment, specifically technology advances. You’ll earn one continuing professional education (CPE) credit in computer science for attending this session – so make sure to register here!