Posts By Amy DeWolf

Building a More Efficient Government with GIS Technology

Many public organizations are using GIS technology to become more efficient and better manage their various facilities. One great case study is how the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) developed a smartphone app to report repair issues in real-time. LAUSD is the second largest public school district in the US and manages facilities thatRead… Read more »

Big Data and Government R&D – Turning Overload into Information

In March 2012, the Obama Administration launched the “Big Data Research and Development Initiative” to capitalize on the fast-growing volume of data in today’s world. By investing over $200 million in research and development, federal agencies hoped to extract more information and better analysis to make smarter decisions that drive growth and efficiency. As aRead… Read more »

Increasing Public Sector Efficiency

For government organizations facing budget cuts, limited IT resources, and rising citizen expectations, efficiency is the name of the game. Many are turning to the cloud as a way to deliver technology capabilities more quickly and cost-effectively. In fact, cloud computing is expected to account for roughly 20% of the overall global IT market, excludingRead… Read more »

508 Compliance- Best Practices and Lessons Learned

In 1998, congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. The goals of these regulations, known as Section 508, are to eliminate barriers in information technology, open new opportunities for people with disabilities, increase collaboration, and encourage development ofRead… Read more »

Imagery Sharing- NOAA’s Land Cover Atlas

For several years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has used Esri’s ArcGIS technology to process, analyze, and fuse different types of geospatial imagery to integrate information and help conservation efforts. One great example of their effort is the Land Cover Atlas, which is produced every five years using data extracted from the CoastalRead… Read more »

508 Compliance- What you can learn from the Department of Veterans Affairs

On January 24, the Office of the President issued the memo: Strategic Plan for Improving Management of Section 508. As government becomes more digital, transparent and reliant on technology to share information with the public, it is important that electronic information be made available to all people, regardless of disability. Currently, how this is managedRead… Read more »

GIS technology & Mapping for the Non-GIS Professionals

As much as we may try, we can’t all be GIS professionals or expert mappers. But that doesn’t mean GIS technology should be ignored by the non-GIS professionals. Maps can and should play an integral role in helping us do our job better. One of the most significant benefits of GIS technology is improved communicationRead… Read more »

Meeting Citizens Where They Already Are- How to Improve Customer Service

If the average citizen is mobile and social, shouldn’t government services be as well to better serve them? This is the question government agencies have been working to address over the last few years. With initiatives like the Digital Government Strategy, which aims to provide citizens with high-quality digital information anywhere, anytime, and on anyRead… Read more »