Government Technology

Part of the problem might be attributable to cultural barriers and the illusion that some bureaucrats hold that this is "their" data vs "all of our" data.

Road reports are based on the last known and reported condition.

"Every step of the way you should anticipate getting pushback from whoever’s been there the longest," Rawlings-Blake said recently at the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in Washington, D.C. "Making all the data as real time as possible doesn’t sit well with some people."

Assessing whether or not economic development subsidies are paying off requires examining a range of information, including lists of companies receiving money and payroll data to evaluate whether they’ve kept commitments.

Public leaders need to recognize where their governments and agencies fit within the larger job market — especially within the information-technology field — and begin to think and act innovatively to help ensure that their initiatives and services not only operate but do so securely and in ways that fit with what constituents expect.

"We’re excited to offer Butte a new and improved way to connect with the courthouse and engage with local government," Chief Executive Matt Vincent said in a news release Tuesday.

The matter might be resolved after court battles, although Nugent said he would be pleased to let another city take the lead in that regard: "I’d cheer for it to happen in other communities."

Agencies should encourage data analysis in talent management, measuring results, budgeting, status reporting and project scoping. Data analysis should be embedded into the government culture.

"The American Community Survey provides a wide range of important statistics about our community," said Mary Craigle Census and Economic Information Center (CEIC) Bureau Chief at the Montana Department of Commerce.

In South Bend, Kathryn Roos, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff, reports that, after the City Voice agile project, many other departments now want to learn and undertake agile projects of their own.