Federal, state and local governments are all facing a similar dilemma - they have to find a way to improve and expand service capabilities while operating in a more efficient way. Because governments operate with the help of tax dollars that many executive leaders look to minimize, agencies and organizations are generally tasked with trying to get as much done as possible while spending as little as possible. Emerging technologies, particularly cloud computing, mobile devices and social solutions, are enabling many entities to function more efficiently. Business process management software can help government organizations get the most out of those technologies, leading to major operational gains.
Using emerging technologies in government
Implementing cloud computing, mobile devices and social functionality in government settings does come with some risk. The security implications of these solutions are considerable and require careful consideration as organizations develop their IT strategies. However, the fiscal and operational gains provided by these solutions are so great that it is irresponsible to ignore them completely. This is evidenced in the federal government's significant efforts to develop a framework for cloud use in multiple agencies and departments. At the same time, efforts to consolidate data center systems point to the government's growing reliance on third-party services.
Another potential problem with emerging technologies being used in government exists on the operational level. Implementing new technologies can be an overwhelming and difficult process. This is especially true as organizations try to manage their back-office systems when they depend heavily on cloud, mobile and social systems. While these technologies often thrive when supported by third-party services, those solutions have to work well in conjunction with premise-based systems. Otherwise, workers can easily be bogged down in tedious processes getting data to the right place and using a combination of applications to do something that should be integrated into a single process.
Using BPM
By implementing a government bpm solutionorganizations can integrate their various cloud, mobile and social systems and get them to interact with one another automatically. This has a dramatic impact on end users, giving them access to the information they need without forcing them to deal with all of the organizational and managerial consequences of working in a technologically diverse environment. In government, this often means allowing individuals to get the job done more efficiently, leading to productivity gains while driving down costs.
Ben Farrell
Director of Corporate Communications
