WASHINGTON—The nation’s governors are looking to improve the use of information technology (IT) to help address challenges their states are facing, according to an issue brief released today by the National Governors Association (NGA). Top IT Actions to Save States Money and Boost Efficiency, and the accompanying white paper focus on actions states can take to improve their use of technology with little or no investment in new information technology systems.
Improving the use of IT can enable new models of service delivery. Those new ways of doing things will make possible faster and more efficient decision making, decrease the overlap between agencies and jurisdictions and ultimately improve service delivery to citizens.
“States have an opportunity to make better decisions across policy areas by systematically collecting data,” said Michigan Gov. Snyder “In Michigan we’ve focused our efforts on metrics and measures so that taxpayers know how their hard earned money is being spent and what areas we need to be focused on to improve. The Michigan Dashboard website allows the public to track Michigan’s progress in economic growth, education, public health and safety, values for taxpayer dollars in government and overall quality of life.”
Top IT Actions to Save States Money and Boost Efficiency provides recommendations for states to improve their use of technology. The recommendations include quick actions that require little upfront funding and can be implemented without significant policy changes, as well as suggestions for actions that will require more initial funding and policy change but will lead to lasting reform and improvement.
As governors look for ways to improve the use of technology, they can:
- Consolidate services and manage IT assets more efficiently;
- Use IT to better manage government revenue and resources;
- Update IT procurement procedures and requirements; and
- Go mobile and go wireless.
This report was developed with input from NGA Corporate Fellows. The Corporate Fellows Program, established in 1988, promotes the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the private sector and governors on public policy issues affecting business and states.
To learn more, please visit www.nga.org/cms/center/ehsw.
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