What Happened?
Both local government leaders and technology experts agree that public agencies are ready to adopt the latest technologies to connect with residents and deliver services more effectively.
Ready
A recent survey from Vision Internet found local government IT and communications professionals nationwide are aware of a growing responsibility for agencies to keep pace with new technologies that provide information and access to services anywhere, anytime on multiple devices. Because these solutions are already being deployed by most citizens and private sector organizations, local governments are tasked with communicating and collaborating with the public through these new solutions.
According to the survey:
- More than 94 percent of those surveyed believe local governments have the responsibility to keep pace with new tech
- 77 percent view their agency website as essential to overall communications and public service strategies
- Social media and content management systems are the top two investment strategies for 2015
Unfortunately, more than half of respondents said their agency does not provide citizen-facing services via mobile devices. About 98 percent arguing citizen convenience is the top benefit of mobile citizen services followed closely by expanded communications reach and time/human resource savings.
Get Set
Open data platforms and mobility solutions fall under the Internet of Things (IoT) that can provide state and local governments with access to key, real-time data to support tactical decision-making and strategic management. Smart Cities cannot be successfully deployed with these insights, and therefore require a more connected governing body to be properly developed.
A new report from IDC Government Insights explains the vital role IoT resources play in government projects by providing a significant return on investment in the form of accurate data collection, ease of communication and real-time information sharing support. Furthermore, governments that leverage IoT report social and environmental returns from departments able to meet specific targets and policy goals that directly serve the public.
Some of the ways IoT solutions have improved government services include:
- Reduced traffic congestion
- Faster emergency response times
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- More effective delivery of services to residents
One main barrier to IoT adoption in government agencies is a lack of education and awareness. It is encouraged that local governments identify specific problems they would like to see solved through IoT investment and launch pilot projects to become more familiar with the type of solutions available and how to deploy them efficiently. Local agencies should also collaborate with IT experts in the private sector and academic institutions to find cost-effective strategies for innovation.
Go
One effectively way to experiment with the latest technologies to solve civic problems is challenge the IT sector to develop a unique solution. Many cities are hosting hackathons that bring together developers to brainstorm strategies and tools to help government agencies solve problems or improve performance. These events can be short- or long-term in nature, connecting local governments to innovative ideas while spurring economic growth in the local tech sector.
The Cognicity Challenge, for example, assembled 12 smart city technologies-based startups to test their new technologies in real world settings. The challenge provides the tech startups with a 12-week residency in London where participants can develop smart cities technology to support interoperable systems for more connected cities in the future. The final technologies presented will be categorized based on the type of solution being offered such as:
- Automated building management
- Integrated resource management
- Connected home
- Virtual design and construction
- Sustainable buildings
- Integrated transportation
And these technologies are not likely to go out of style. New research predicts the smart cities market will be worth $1,134.84 billion worldwide by 2019, up from $411.31 billion in 2014, at a compound annual rate of 22.5 percent. The main goal of these solutions will be to address the challenges of urbanization through sustainable development. Smart city technologies are expected to evolve into a combination of infrastructures, social capital and digital technologies to keep communities connected and always adapting.
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