Back in the day, I was asked about what strategic areas do you think Information Technology should focus on, in order to improve and shape its future. I managed to identify 6 key areas, 5 of which I will share with the group:
Security – Users want access to systems and data, anytime, anywhere on any device, so why not give them that to help make them more productive? As with any organisation we have to protect the data, network and device. Security is not the backbone of an ICT strategy, it is the strategy. It is crucial that any organisation embraces a holistic view to security by focusing on systems, data and infrastructure as a single conjoined issue. By taking this approach organisations are better able to understand how to protect the data anywhere on the network, cloud or mobile device.
Digital Relationships with Social Media - Social media is now a fundamental part of everyday life. Statistical research has revealed that more than 95 percent of Facebook users log into their account every day. The same number for Twitter is 60 percent and for LinkedIn is 30 percent. Social media makes it easier for organisations to understand, connect and deliver to their target audience in more relevant and personalised ways. Most service providers in the private sector (e.g . utilities, telecoms companies, etc) have embraced this a long time ago and recognised that this is how a proportion of its customers want to interact, quickly and dynamically, and have set up small but active teams to handle customer issues through these channels and keep the public informed of company news. Local government, in the main, has spectacularly managed so far to miss the boat.
Big Data Analytics – Organisation need to be smarter, by leveraging their biggest asset; data. Organisations are looking to expand on their established operational master data management (MDM) to a more analytical MDM approach. The primary goal of big data analytics is to help organisations make better informed business decisions by enabling users to analyse large volumes of transactional data as well as other data sources processed using business intelligence programs. By pulling data from across the infrastructure and using analytic disciplines such as predictive analytics and data mining to provide business intelligence outputs, will enable local authorities to understand their customers and constituents and the environments in which they operate.
Communication – The relationship between customer and supplier has always been a challenge. As I have always said ‘hard times mean hard decisions’, and this is never truer than a relationship between a council and a software vendor. Suppliers need to understand that when a local authority’s moves to a solutions, then the suppliers are not only providing the hardware and software, they are actually buying in to the council’s vision. They are becoming part of the local community and local economy. Honest, open communication is critical, as with any relationship communication and trust are the backbone to success.
Transformation - yes this old chestnut, but it’s still a measure for any public sectors success. It’s not just acceptable for councils to publish data out onto a website. The need to self-serve has become a marker of success for any local authority. With over 40% of web transactions involving a spatial component, organisations are slowly embracing the change and reaping the rewards of financial saving and service efficiencies. Transactional services, responsive websites, spatial interactions, all provide a real opportunity for organisational success – if done right!
What areas do you think your organisation needs to improve?