Common Data Management Problems in Local Government
From resident information to staff productivity and budget and finances, local government agencies utilize a wealth of data in their day-to-day operations. While data plays a vital role in an agency’s ability to provide services – from better identifying resident needs to effectively utilizing available resources to meet those needs – its usage and management can provide an array of challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most common data management problems in local government, as well as ways to overcome them.
On-site servers are a common method of data storage in local government agencies, but are more prone to cyber attacks in comparison with cloud-based options.
Data Silos and Fragmentation
One of the biggest challenges with data management in local government is the tendency of most agencies to work in data silos. By nature, many departments operate independently of each other, and as such, maintain their own databases and systems. With each department maintaining their own data set, it is difficult for local government leaders to access a unified data set that lends the big picture needed to make informed decisions about policy and resource allocation. A lack of data integration hampers collaboration, leads to redundancy, and inhibits a comprehensive understanding of the community's needs and challenges.
Lack of Data Governance and Standards
Data silos prevent local government leaders from easily accessing a unified data set to leverage data-driven decision making. When each department maintains their own data set, local governments also tend to experience issues with standards for formatting and using data. A robust data governance framework is essential to establish clear guidelines and standards for data management within local government agencies. Without proper governance, there can be inconsistencies in data collection, storage, and usage practices, leading to inaccuracies, inefficiencies, and potential legal issues. Establishing a unified data governance strategy can be challenging, particularly when there are multiple stakeholders and departments involved, but essential to good data management.
Outdated Technology Infrastructure
Many local government agencies are burdened with outdated technology infrastructure that struggles to cope with the increasing volume and complexity of data. Legacy systems often lack the necessary integration capabilities and may be prone to security vulnerabilities, making them ill-equipped to handle modern data management demands.
Data Security and Privacy Concerns
Data security and privacy are paramount in the public sector, where sensitive personal information about citizens is routinely collected and stored. Local government agencies face the constant threat of data breaches, hacking attempts, and other cyberattacks. Protecting data from unauthorized access while ensuring compliance with relevant privacy regulations can be a daunting task, especially for agencies with limited resources and expertise in cybersecurity.
The Importance of Safeguarding Citizen Data
More than 30% of the government data breaches between 2019 and 2022 affected city and town governments. In the same time period, the frequency of cyberattacks against government agencies declined – but the number of records affected per breach increased. When you consider that the average cost per breached record is about $164, ensuring the security of citizen data is paramount to municipal governments.
But data breaches aren’t just costly in terms of dollars. Breaches and mismanagement of personal citizen data can also result in citizens losing trust in their local government – and that’s a loss that is often much harder to recoup.
The Benefits of the Cloud for Local Government Data Management
Many small- to medium-sized municipalities still rely on on-site servers to store their data. While this has some advantages – it doesn’t require the internet to access, and it provides municipalities complete control over their data – it does have some drawbacks. Apart from requiring frequent server updates and manually backing up the data, on-site servers are also more prone to cyber attacks in comparison with cloud-based options.
Cloud-based software, such as a citizen relationship management (CRM) solution, offers many benefits for local government agencies. With automated back-ups and more intense security features, your citizen’s data is protected more than with on-site server options. In addition to data security, cloud-based software also makes it easy to share information across departments, better facilitating cross-collaboration and standardized data governance.
Comcate’s Cloud-Based Municipal CRM
Data can be a powerful tool for local government agencies, but overcoming the challenges in managing it across multiple departments can prove difficult. Thankfully, there are modern tools available to help. With a citizen relationship management (CRM) solution, municipal governments can not only consolidate, standardize and protect citizen data, but they can better leverage that data to make informed decisions about where to best implement resources and policies.
Comcate’s CRM software for local government offers:
Consolidated Data Management: Rather than having each department operate independently with little communication, collaboration or sharing of data, CRM software allows those departments engaged in processing work orders to all operate within the same system, allowing for not only consolidation of data but the ability to streamline workflows and processes.
GIS Integration: Much of the data collected by local government agencies has a spatial or location-based attribute. With GIS integration, users can access a shared, standardized data set then create their own map layer for visualizing data subsets.
AWS GovCloud Hosting: With secure facilities, a robust network, power redundancies and around-the-clock monitoring, you can rest easy knowing your citizen’s data is safe.
By embracing innovative solutions, local government leaders can pave the way for a more efficient, responsive, secure and citizen-centric local government in the years to come. Interested in learning more? Fill out the form below to meet with one of our consultants!
Schedule a Meeting with Comcate Today!
Learn how Comcate can help make government delivery simple, and offer a modern digital experience to help you increase transparency, efficiency, and performance across your departments. If you have any questions about implementing our software, please fill out the form below or call us directly at (415) 632-1248.
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