Reinventing Civic Services with Intelligent Automation
The expectations have changed for government services.
A now digital savvy populace expects the same real-time convenience and personalized user experiences as those enjoyed in their daily transactions with customer friendly consumer brands. Constrained by system silos (both data and operationally), tight budgets, entrenched workflows, and oft conflicting demands to be more secure and yet more transparent, today’s government agencies are racing to modernize in both process and infrastructure. For forward thinking agencies, the roadmap is ambitious but daunting:
Convenient and intuitive citizen and business services delivered across all digital devices
Seamless and immediate agency-wide access to actionable data with insightful visualizations
Modern, mature, secure digital tools to service core agency mandates and revenue streams
Intelligent automation facilitating streamlined operational workflows and budget savings
Substantial and sustainable economic growth fueled by business & citizen centric customer experiences designed to reduce red tape, improve civic engagement and increase operational efficiencies.
As citizen demands grow for modernized government services, political will and budget priorities are similarly aligning to drive innovation forward at a rapid pace. While this is undoubtedly good news for agencies striving to modernize, the other side of the coin is accompanying expectations for ambitious deadlines, rapid return on technology investments, and an emergent need for elegant new solutions to the long-entrenched problems of siloed data, legacy systems and change resistant workforces.
The good news is several forward-thinking jurisdictions have boldly stepped forward onto a new path to government service innovation. In doing so, their noteworthy achievements can now serve as a roadmap to emulate for those jurisdictions similarly invested in driving revenue growth through responsive governance.
Digital Cities & Counties
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Douglas County, Colorado
Three regionally and culturally distinct communities that nevertheless share common ground as three of the most celebrated ‘Digital Cities & Counties’ in America.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5 consecutive top five finishes as a national Digital Cities Survey winner, including the No. 2 ranking in both 2016 and 2013 for cities with a population of 500,000 or more.•
A dedicated Office of Open Data and Digital Transformation tasked with fostering information transparency and citizen centered services, fueled by Philadelphia’s $124 million capital funds investment in infrastructure improvement including the replacement of legacy systems.
An e-procurement system which has increased the number of bidders by 31% while reducing processing time by 15%.
One of five U.S. cities awarded a Smart Cities Council Readiness Challenge Grant in 2017.
The successful launch of Project eCLIPSE (Electronic Commercial Licensing, Inspection and Permit Services Enterprise), a new database system that offers nearly every L&I service online, including: permitting, plan review, license application, and renewal and payment options.
“We have been building a coalition of city, community, business and educational institutions. They are all enthused and ready to help with smart city projects focused on the built environment, telecommunications and basic public services. We know the technology behind us is important for our citizens and businesses alike, and the expertise that the Smart Cities Council brings will help us realize those opportunities.” Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia, PA
Albuquerque, New Mexico
7 consecutive top ten finishes as a national Digital Cities Survey winner, including the No. 2 ranking in 2017 for cities with a population of 500,000 or more.
A dedicated Department of Technology and Innovation to facilitate the agency’s ‘GAAS’ platform of Government-As-A-Service.
Commitment to facilitate every citizen service online and via mobile with 50 online services and over 30 mobile apps deployed.
ABQ Data, an open data initiative launched in partnership with Bloomberg’s ‘What Works Cities’ to foster paperless, data-driven workflows across all agency systems.
Implementation of POSSE PLS, a leading edge Permitting and Licensing System, designed to automate internal workflows and citizen interactions across a breadth of Building Safety, Urban Design & Development, Code Enforcement, AGIS, Development Review, Special Event Permitting and Business Registration services.
“We are committed to being smart in using technology and creating conditions for innovation. Internally, we were clear about improving obsolete business systems that were creating a drag on service delivery, and we bolstered a culture centered on improving connections between residents and City Hall. Externally, we demonstrated to residents that digital advancement was not simply about pursuing the latest fad, but about improving their quality of life.” Richard Berry, Former Mayor, Albuquerque Peter Ambs, Former CIO, Albuquerque
Douglas County, Colorado
7 top five finishes as a national Digital Counties Survey winner, including the No. 1 ranking in 2017 for counties with a population between 250,000-499,999.
Awarded the prestigious Center for Digital Government’s Government Experience Award for innovation in 2018 for the County Assessor’s website & online services to improve the citizen experience through improved data transparency.
Created a county-wide training program to instill Lean/Agile thinking in every department, team and employee. Implementation of ITIL/ITSM best practices as a result of this training have resulted in several dozen process improvement and cost saving measures.
Launched the Douglas County Innovation League, created a roadwork notification application, supported county-level open data sharing, and collaborated with the Auckland University of Technology on an artificial intelligence pilot.
Implemented the POSSE enterprise platform, winner of 18 International Awards including the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of ground-breaking software, to streamline data and internal workflows across Building, Engineering, and Planning agencies.
“POSSE affords me the ability to be efficient. Whatever we need, POSSE has been able to provide as far as process management. It’s such a solid, configurable product and they are so open to inventing new things with us.” Terence Quinn Community Development Director Douglas County, CO
