Hi everyone,
I'm not going to take too much time writing this diary as I believe an open forum here is the best way to approach this diary.
However, in light of the current fiscal cliff dilemma and the overall problem the U.S. is facing with the deficit and debt, I believe there's not enough talk on solutions that may present themselves to be workable long-term and possibly permanent as we look to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government.
I for one believe IT should be an important tool in helping resolve the long-term problems with the debt and deficit, if not immediately with the fiscal cliff situation. As someone associated in the profession of business analysis, I can point out that in private and public sectors, new IT implementation and solutions can be a great benefit to an enterprise or organization if it steps up to the plate and takes a chance.
In the teachings of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK guide), detail has to be made in analyzing an organization's operations at all levels. This doesn't mean people are being laid off or that cutbacks are being applied. This really has to do with improving operations in an IT sense. In turn, any IT solutions, at least the modern ones, can really improve companies and organizations by one or more of the following:
*Profitability
*Productivity in the workplace
*Better communication internally (within the organization) and externally (outside the organization
*Stronger data analysis and reporting for decision makers to make more effective choices and decisions and at a faster rate
*A greater sense of knowledge
*More hiring
*Better overall control in organizing operations
*Reduction in unnecessary costs
IT really is a non-partisan tool. As a number of us utilize Google just about everyday, we see the greatness in being able to find and locate information in such a fast way, even though there are those that criticize the company for its user security and transparency.
The question is, will the government, whether state, local or federal step up? Is it a lack of funds or is it a lack of will and awareness of those that run the agencies that make a difference in our lives and the world?
Here are some examples and insight of IT in a government sense:
Barack Obama at AARP on Electronic Medical Records:
White House Forum on Transforming Federal Information Technology (IT) Management:
Deloitte on "Better Government Through Information Management"
http://www.deloitte.com/...
Governments today face increasing pressure for transparency and accountability. Citizens want to know exactly how their taxes are being spent and what the government is doing to create value for the community. Information management (IM) can help governments improve their decision-making and operating efficiency. It can also help them deliver the accurate, in-depth insights that today’s citizens demand.
Improved information management can provide the insights necessary to support improved decision-making and long-term planning. It can also boost service quality and efficiency, enabling the government to serve the public more effectively. Citizens, employees and policy-makers now have a wealth of information at their fingertips. Through custom queries and reports, they can quickly zero in on the data they need, without resorting to manual processing and analysis – or getting bounced around from one agency to the next. This ground-breaking effort has taken government transparency to a new level and has been widely recognized as a standard for other states to follow.
Anyway, I'll leave this discussion up to you guys:
What do you think about IT in government? Does it have a vital role to play?
Does IT need to be improved in your own local or state government?
Any agencies or organizations in government you want reformed in an IT sense?
Should government utilize IT more in how it communicates with citizens or is it a matter of just simply electing leaders that care?