Lessons From State and Local Experts

Three state and local experts share lessons they’ll carry forward into 2025.

Collaboration Leads to More Knowledge

State and local agencies rely heavily on federal Census Bureau data to gain insights into their communities. But those insights, in fact, emerge from a collaborative process, said Mallory Bateman, Director of Demographic Research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. “The local partners do play a really important role [in data], both behind the scenes and then once it comes out,” she said. Transparent data collection and dissemination through federal/local collaborations help constituents trust in — and engage with — the data.

You Can’t Ignore Generational Preferences

Scot Barker, Chief Innovation Officer for Burlington, Vermont, observed that most members of Gen Z aren’t going to city hall to request public services. For them, a digital-first approach is needed. But what about the people who prefer an in-person experience? You must have the right tools for everyone. “You can’t leave all those people behind, but you can’t also ignore the next generation who wants to engage in a different way,” Barker said.

Government Is Both Similar To and Different From the Private Sector

“[The public sector] doesn’t, obviously, move at the same pace that it does on the private side. It takes time to get things done,” said Michael Gregg, Chief Information Security Officer for North Dakota. “But the key to it, in many ways, is exactly the same.” He called it a “unity of effort.”

Collecting Data Is Just the Beginning

Data must be understandable and actionable, said Barker. No matter what the agency’s goals are, data can’t just be a confusing set of numbers on a page. Whether it’s intended for the public or to be distributed among agencies, he urged data professionals to ask, “How can I clean it up and make it usable?”

Know Who the Experts Are

One of the challenges in working with Census data is that it takes expertise just to know what you’re looking at. The good news, said Bateman, is that there are experts who take that data and turn it into great products that just might meet your needs. “There are a lot of existing resources people can turn to so that they don’t have to recreate the wheel,” she said. “You want to work smarter, not harder.”

Buy-In Comes From Building Relationships

To establish larger-scale, cohesive efforts, Gregg said that officials must foster personal connections with other agencies and entities, as well as with elected officials. That’s “because much of what you want to do, you don’t have control to do it,” he explained. Relationships with other people and agencies will help.

Storytelling Is Important

Bateman emphasized moving away from a “baseball statistics” approach. She encouraged data communicators to know their audiences and what they can naturally understand and interpret. “If you’re going for a public audience, keep it simple. Keep it straightforward. Don’t try to mix too many things together,” she said.

Make Sure You’re Improving Constituent Experiences

Sometimes, internal improvements make things easier for agency employees. But if they don’t also make things better for the public, that moves away from the mission, not toward it. “We’re not here for us — we’re here for them,” said Barker.

Have a Bigger Vision

“Get a small win and then another small win and then another” to advance a larger project, said Greg. As you recognize and celebrate those small achievements, your work shows momentum, “and it’s easier and easier to get people on board” for what comes next.

This article appeared in our guide, “Going Places: Priorities for State and Local Tech.” To learn more about how state and local governments are using technology to meet their goals, download it here:

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