In the quest to modernize and deploy enterprise platforms aimed at enhancing customer experience, governments face a paradox. While modernization increases service availability and improves department-specific operations, it often results in a fragmented data ecosystem post-implementation. This fragmentation poses challenges to achieving truly integrated and seamless services for citizens.
The Digital Transformation Paradox
As a CIO, I’ve led a wide array of digital modernization efforts, encompassing everything from Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to Licensing, Permitting, and Inspection (LPI) systems to 311 Case Management systems to Infrastructure/Asset Management systems. Given the absence of a universal government technology platform, along with the hurdles of budgeting and procurement processes, governments frequently find themselves deploying these systems in a staggered manner to meet their varied technological needs.
This approach inherently constrains the ability to achieve comprehensive data integration across the government service ecosystem. Consequently, while these modernization efforts are often undertaken with the expectation of accompanying data modernization, this expectation frequently proves to be more illusory than real — a mirage that is all too tempting to believe.
The Challenge of Integrated Service Delivery
Significant strides in specific functional areas have undoubtedly been made through modernization efforts. However, citizens often face fragmented experiences as they navigate services spanning multiple departments and systems. Consider the resident applying for a permit and simultaneously reporting a pothole, who must engage with two distinct systems. This scenario typifies the disjointed interactions resulting from the piecemeal modernization of systems without mandated integration with related systems. Consequently, this approach fosters a lack of data coordination, leading to operational inefficiencies.
Departments often operate as siloed entities, akin to separate companies under one corporate umbrella, preventing a holistic understanding of a citizen’s full spectrum of service needs. Achieving a comprehensive 360-degree view of citizens and their interactions with various services is highly desirable but remains elusive due to the structural, policy, and regulatory complexities inherent in government settings. These barriers often inadvertently sabotage efforts to realize fully integrated service delivery.
Toward a More Connected Government
Adopting Integration as a Service (IaaS) platforms and Cloud Data Warehouses is key to breaking down the data silos that have long hindered a comprehensive understanding of the citizen’s journey. Yet, effective integration requires a holistic view of the government’s technology ecosystem. It’s crucial to identify the primary systems containing citizen data and assess how they interact within broader modernization initiatives. Typically, integrations focus on specific processes within an application or a suite of similar applications, but to truly serve the citizen’s needs, these efforts must expand to encompass the entire scope of citizen interactions across government services.
Learning from the Private Sector: A Model for Government
Though government operations inherently differ from those of private companies, the adoption of data-centric strategies — mirroring those employed by successful online retailers — holds the potential to radically transform public service delivery. By achieving a comprehensive, 360-degree view of citizens, governments can lay the groundwork for utilizing advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). This approach not only enables the personalization of services but also empowers governments to proactively anticipate and meet future needs of their citizens.
Conclusion: Reimagining Government Service Delivery
Adopting a unified data strategy enables governments not only to enhance service access but to embark on a journey toward truly personalized and efficient public service, revolutionizing the resident experience.
Scott Mastellon, former Suffolk County (NY) CIO and current Managing Director of Public Sector at SVAM International Inc., is a distinguished technology leader with over two decades in the experience in government. Renowned for driving digital transformation and operational efficiency in the public sector, his strategic leadership was crucial during Suffolk County’s critical moments, notably amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Leveraging his rich experience as a government CIO, Scott now brings innovative technology solutions to public sector organizations at SVAM, focusing on cybersecurity, RPA and AI, and data modernization.
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