To better understand the challenges agencies face regarding their business systems — and how new technologies and strategies could help deliver better outcomes for constituents — the Center for Digital Government* (CDG) launched a study of the business application modernization landscape.
The research included:
- A survey of more than 150 public-sector decision-makers
- Interviews with 15 state and local agency leaders
- Roundtable discussions with CDG senior fellows
- A modernization-focused Government Technology webinar with Euna Solutions, a business application specialist and co-sponsor of the research.
The results of this research underscore the value of modernizing with a suite of modular, cloud-based business applications designed for state and local government. Agencies can individually procure and implement these stackable solutions, easily integrating them into their existing workflows to bring value to their constituents.
ASSESSING LEGACY CHALLENGES
CDG’s research found widespread exasperation with outdated business applications and legacy processes that squander vital public resources.
The CDG modernization survey reflected a desire for change. When asked about their primary business software modernization objectives for the next year or two, respondents favored reducing manual processes (44 percent), improving customer service (33 percent) and enhancing reporting capabilities (28 percent).
In interviews, public-sector leaders said the biggest challenges with their current business systems were lack of integration, challenges with implementation and poor collaboration. Many of these leaders were blunt about the limitations and frustrations of their current systems.
“We can put a lot of lipstick on it, but you still know what it is,” said the city manager of one suburban jurisdiction.
“Our case management system looks like a 1980s green-screen mainframe,” said a contract purchasing administrator for a small state.
Frustratingly, constituents doing business with government can encounter a whole spectrum of technology — from advanced digital self-service options to antiquated IT that’s decades out of date. As one deputy state auditor said, “There’s a lot of variability in the sophistication of the organization, from billions of dollars all the way down to a couple thousand dollars for a cemetery district where the only IT is a grandma’s computer.”
These outdated systems have real impact — not just on service delivery but on employee productivity and satisfaction. “I actually lost a program manager because she was getting sick of having to do all the admin stuff,” said a conservation district director.
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*Note: The Center for Digital Government is part of e.Republic, Government Technology's parent company.