Early one morning, during my state tenure, I watched the departmental file and e-mail server disappear in the company of some state security officers. Its contents were at the center of an investigation into how and why a lucrative tax credit was passed in my state. This was a first for me. Previously, I hadRead… Read more »
Back in 2004, I was involved in the creation of my department’s website which coincided with the actual launch of the department. We were lucky because our department began at a time when websites were becoming common in government, and our director knew how important that website would be for our customers. Not everyone wasRead… Read more »
Ownership. It’s a beautiful word in government. “Ownership” exudes control over technology in a sector where control is often hard to come by. There are always new laws, new elected officials, new mandates and new needs. While technology is often purchased to address these needs, sometimes the technology isn’t able to be controlled by theRead… Read more »
I will confess that I did not used to be a fan of sharing IT. But, that was a different time and it was before we had so many options and the experience of some pioneers to show us the way. Now, I believe it can be a key to governmental survival and, it mayRead… Read more »
Last time, I wrote about the quest for finding the real “total” in total cost of ownership (TCO). As you consider the “cost” of TCO, I would like to offer some thoughts that might be useful as you evaluate document management projects and cost proposals. Failed deployments During my time at my housing agency, itRead… Read more »
IT purchasing decisions in government have gotten complicated over the last five years. There are more factors that need to be considered than ever. To me, that’s perfectly fine as long as we evaluate the factors correctly. After all, we are asked to invest significant public dollars in our choices, and I want that listRead… Read more »
NOTE: Below is my personal view of the report. The only people entitled to offer a definitive opinion about vendor placement are the authors of the report themselves. My opinion is not a substitute for speaking to the analysts directly using the inquiry time available to paid subscribers to Gartner’s advisory services. As an ITRead… Read more »
Many government customers buy document management software because of its use as a compliance tool. In my agency, we had some serious rules around the use of community development and affordable housing funds and we needed to keep our documents for 35 years and yet still have access to them for annual reviews. And thatRead… Read more »
I remember when I settled on my document management software choice. The happiness I felt in finding a solution that could solve our problems was replaced by fear. It was the biggest single investment in technology that my agency had ever made and the decision was left up to me. What if I picked theRead… Read more »
One of my favorite jobs was working in the National Main Street Program. I love Main Streets and the program focused on making communities inviting and to help communities serve their residents and visitors better. The idea was that people get an impression about your community or your business, by the atmosphere that they experienceRead… Read more »