In local government, leaders are focused on two main things- saving money and engaging citizens. Although that is always the main focus, it is easier said than done. So how do you actually do this? Innovation. Innovative technology is enabling government leaders to make more strategic, data-driven decisions and work smarter, not harder, even with their limited resources. Admittedly, with the current budget challenges and increasing security concerns, it is important agencies at all levels maintain a balance between technological advancement/innovation and security.
State and local government Chief Information Officers are charged with maintaining this balance and lucky for us, there are some government innovators leading the charge and establishing best practices. One of these is Rosa Akhtarkhavari, Chief Information Officer, Orlando, Florida. As a way to spark innovation at her agency, Akhtarkhavari established “innovation teams.” These teams are given a current challenge facing the city, resources, and time to come up with a realistic plan. What is great about the teams is the mix of people (different departments, different backgrounds and most importantly, different ages) lead to an open and creative conversation.
In a recent interview with Government Technology, Akhtarkhavari also shared that mobility and Big Data are two technology trends that she sees as only getting bigger. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone given the amount of blogs, discussions, and events surrounding mobile and Big Data. And when it comes to government, analytics/predictive analysis is a huge focus (public safety being the main driver).
Rosa Akhtarkhavari is one of several state/local CIOs participating in Cisco’s Virtual Government IT Forum. Other leaders include:
- Ken Desforges, Director Information Systems, Diamond Bar, California
- Rob Mancini, Chief Technology Officer, Washington, D.C.
- Tom McQuillan, Chief Information Officer, Prince William County, Virginia
- Brent Nair, Chief Information Officer, Memphis, Tennessee
- Sarjoo Shah, Chief Information Officer, Eligibility & Insurance, State of Oklahoma
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Dianah Neff, Chief Information Officer, Monterey County, California
This Virtual Government IT Forum is the first in a series of online discussions between state and local government visionaries. These visionaries are peer nominated government technology thought leaders and represent state and local governments of varying sizes. They will be discussing how they’ve tackled some of the toughest challenges facing state and local government and brainstorm about the future role of technology in government. Specifically, they will dive into these hot topics:
- The Future Of IT: Exploring Innovative Trends And The Evolving Role Of A CIO
- Improving Strategic Decision Making Through Business Intelligence And Data Analytics
- Mobilizing Your Workforce And Increasing Communication Channels
- Risk Management, Education, Solutions: Best Practices In Cyber Security
- Moving To The Cloud And Overcoming Public-Sector Security Risks
Register to join the discussion and hear strategies to improve service to your constituents. It’s taking place Wednesday, June 12 at 2PM ET. You can learn more and register here.
Want more information on citizen engagement? Be sure to check out the Citizen Engagement Resources Hub.
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