State and Local Government Technology Trends for 2023
State and local governments across the country are adopting digital solutions at an accelerated rate as legacy communications and constituent management tools are becoming increasingly inconvenient, cumbersome, and obsolete.
Public and Government Service Delivery Continues to Evolve
When the Covid-19 pandemic erupted in the United States, governments at every level scrambled to deliver essential services to their communities. Application and payment processes moved online, homegrown or legacy systems were modified or replaced, and silos between departments were broken down in pursuit of faster, stronger support for constituents.
Although everyday life in the US is now post-quarantine, traditional reservations and barriers surrounding digital government have continued to erode. State and local leaders are embracing new technology in an effort to improve constituent relations and make government services more accessible.
Digital Solutions Are Making it Easier to Connect with Citizens
State and local governments have recognized that the channels constituents use to communicate have outgrown what their infrastructure can support.
Websites, social media, email newsletters, and push notifications are all tactics that elected officials and governments are using to connect to constituents. Investing in a unified, multichannel constituent experience can build community trust, increase customer satisfaction, and help agencies deliver the right message to the right people.
2023 State and Local Government Technology Trends
Below, we have identified five technology trends that public sector leaders should consider as they evaluate the digital needs of their citizens and staff in the new year.
Technology for making connections
Younger generations are consistently the first to adopt new technology for sharing and receiving information. Thanks in part to the necessities of the pandemic, older generations have begun to embrace the idea of digital transformations in government as well. Local and state governments can capitalize on this trend by enhancing their communications strategies. From social media and e-newsletters, to push notifications and user-friendly websites, a robust digital communications strategy can help agencies reach a broad array of constituents.
Citizens at the center
Alternatively, some areas of the public sector will focus on building a centralized user experience for its citizens. To that end, more local and state governments will look to implement identity and access management (IAM) programs, which give users a single portal to access all government services. Internally, this also benefits staff by giving them data on what services or programs citizens use the most across all their offerings.
Government automation
Automating certain government processes can improve the constituent experience while simultaneously reducing the burden on public sector employees. Constituent relationship management (CRM) platforms like those offered by Indigov improve engagement and reduce response time by sorting, batching, providing automated workflows, and tracking constituent communications. These platforms can also generate performance reports, provide data on trending topics, and help in the creation of targeted communications.
Stronger security
With all the sensitive data maintained by government agencies, cybersecurity will remain a key area of interest. State and local offices will begin to follow the path laid out by federal agencies, which have adopted “zero trust” frameworks. These systems do not rely on barriers, such as firewalls, to maintain security. Instead, they assume any barrier can be hacked (that’s the zero trust part) and require users to be authenticated, authorized, and validated before providing access to applications and data.
App and IT modernization
Retiring legacy systems and moving to more agile, cloud-based IT infrastructure will remain a priority. Modernized IT systems give agencies the ability to scale and adapt more quickly. The same holds true for apps, as agencies realize that those running on outdated programming cannot be easily maintained or updated.
Stay on Top of the Trends
As local and state governments determine the next move in their digital transformations, govtech firms like Indigov can help them reach their goals. Whether an agency wants to better manage their constituent communications, improve their website, or develop an in-depth database of citizen demographics, Indigov has a product or solution that addresses those needs.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help.