Public Sector Technology

Is it adapting quickly enough?

The tech age has undoubtedly enhanced our daily lives in terms of shopping, dining, banking and entertainment, but has it made strong enough strides when it comes to public sector realms like health, education, social care and law? On the whole, the answer is no, and here’s why: the public sector has long operated under an expert-based model where top-level thinkers run the show. That creates a strong barrier between the provider and the user. And, oftentimes, that model is just plain stubborn.

Big White Hall Founder Jen Hyatt suggests that one way tech innovators can work to improve the public sector is to get rid of delivery-based expert models and shift towards engagement-based social models. That is, innovators need to consider better engaging users to break down barriers between servicers and servicees. Successful public sector tech models integrate community-focused tools such as commentary, recommendations, public record aggregation, ratings, social media and — most importantly — dialogue.

For example, imagine an app that allows law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and security professionals to instantly locate and talk to each other. This solves a previously stubborn challenge: first responders used to have to go waste time going through multiple channels to connect with other sectors and jurisdictions, but now they have these resources at their fingertips.

This app actually exists, and it’s called BlueLine Grid.

How about a tool that allows people to track, analyze and understand crime through storytelling? A tool like this could effectively help community members, including journalists and government advocacy groups, make the best possible decisions based on open data. This software exists, too, and it’s called DataMade. These companies moth made Government Technology’s top 100 public sector tech companies for 2015.

The World Economic Forum suggests that companies that integrate social purpose — not just embrace social responsibility — have a stronger financial output overall. It also concluded that China’s devotion to integrating corporate social responsibility into their governmental structures is one way the country has continued to forge out a place as a leader in the global marketplace. So it could be successfully argued that refocusing on public sector tech is a smart move for all, from problem-solving startups to well-established software services.

Changes in the Public Sector Tech Market

Pioneering public sector CIOs like Dustin Haisler are integrating technologies most commonly used in the private market — like QR Codes, crowdsourcing and gamification software — to address critical needs in the realms of education, health care, law and social care. Haisler developed research suggesting that the tech landscape will change rapidly to favor tools such as crowdsourcing and collaboration software — i.e. moving away from expert-based models and favoring instead engagement-based ones — in the public sector tech market.

Government Technology’s new GovTech 100 list highlights “the top 100 companies focused on government customers.” This is a valuable tool for public-realm CIOs who want to explore new ways public tech companies are innovating (and succeeding at it). The 2015 list proves that, with over $1 billion in private capital investments, the digital government market is a hot one. GovTech argues that these companies used open data sources — such utility usage analytics and property tax rates — so as to improve government productivity and, in turn, enhance citizen engagement.

Originally published at prototype1.io on March 17, 2016.