Society for innovation, technology and modernisation

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The Covid-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to public services. It is more apparent than ever before that effective technology and actionable data are crucial to keeping essential services functioning and delivering assistance where and when it is needed.

Guest blog post from SplunkFrom the beginning of the crisis, we’ve worked to help our customers, particularly those on the front lines. Empowering these personnel to make confident decisions and take decisive action at the speed the crisis warrants is our primary mission.There’s no simple playbook for beating this pandemic and getting to a new normal. We will need an innovative, data-led process that will challenge every country, region, municipality and industry. We’re going to have to rethink how we work, socialize and provide essential services.The first step, especially as we await more effective treatments and an eventual vaccine, is widely available and efficient testing. Splunk is proud that it is able to be a part of that solution, in coalition with Adobe, Accenture,Oracle and others via the Covid-19 Testing and Data Response Platform.We look forward to doing our part to support the public/private collaboration that aims to protect public health and bolster the global economy.While the world is working to stop the spread, improve testing, establish effective treatments and protect the most vulnerable populations, data serves as a critical resource. It presents an opportunity to slow the spread of the virus and help maintain and provide essential infrastructure and services.In the past, Splunk for Good has worked with various partners to lend a hand in times of disaster, and our response to the Covid-19 situation builds upon that foundation.3 This includes stimulating and delivering innovative ideas to help solve new challenges, like our team in the UK and Europe did at the #EUvsVirus hackathon.Consistent and reliable data can be difficult to identify and harness. However, given our deep experience in delivering data-driven solutions to customers worldwide, we can help identify, ingest and correlate the relevant data quickly to deliver compelling visualizations through customizable dashboards.Many people are working remotely, and this may continue for some time. Collaboration tools are essential for productivity at any time, from essential workers to knowledge workers, to case managers and helpdesk and support personnel. When all infrastructure is geared toward delivery of critical services, it’s important to ensure that systems can be recovered quickly in the case of any outage, interruption or cyberattack.While Splunk’s data platform can help address the full spectrum of these challenges, ensuring long-term strategic agility, we have also produced some short-term solutions to help organizations overcome immediate problems. For example, as public sector workers turn to remote working, access to secure collaboration tools is critical so that government entities can continue to deliver citizen services. For organizations that need immediate assistance, Splunk has introduced Remote Work Insights.This free new solution can help organizations gain quick, actionable insights – monitor key performance indicators, identify emerging issues and perform deep root-cause analysis, all in one platform. Additional and up-to-date information on these and other resources are available on the Covid-19 Response section of our website.As Covid-19 continues to affect the global community, Splunk is focused on supporting our customers, stakeholders and ecosystem through a time of great uncertainty. We know how critical our platform is to our customers’ operations, and we’re committed to ensuring that you are able to fulfill your organization’s mission and achieve meaningful outcomes.This is an advertorial in issue 19 of In our View. Read the whole issue here: https://socitm.net/download/higher-marks-for-homeworking-issue-19/Join Splunk at 11.00 on Thursday 11 June during President’s Week 2020. Register here: https://socitm.net/events/virtual-presidents-conference-2020/ [post_title] => Data is the way forward for the current crisis and beyond [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => data-is-the-way-forward-for-the-current-crisis-and-beyond [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-04 10:05:10 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-04 10:05:10 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://socitm.net/?p=100013211 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )[1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 100013182 [post_author] => 1104 [post_date] => 2020-06-03 08:39:53 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-06-03 08:39:53 [post_content] => In an updated extract from his new report for Socitm, Jos Creese explores the opportunities and risks of three leading technologiesThe top three technology priorities for 2020 will be artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, according to international research with public sector ICT and digital leaders in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.Until now, most AI applications in the public sector have been focused on improving workflows and in automating front-end citizen experiences, such as using Alexa (or similar devices) and chatbots in customer service settings. Robotic process automation (RPA) is also being used to simplify and reconfigure transaction processes, making them automated, less error-prone and more efficient.In 2020, we will see the emergence of more sophisticated integration of AI with back office systems, more automated decision making and machine learning to anticipate individual customer needs, using natural language processing, augmented reality and other emerging technologies.In the private sector, it has been suggested that AI will drive productivity and automation, but there is no strong evidence of this emerging from our research. ICT and digital leaders will also need to consider governance and ethics around AI use, especially in using personal data to manage the relationship between the state and its citizens.

Things to be wary of

IoT is taking off rapidly, especially in urban areas, with local authorities using sensors in a wide range of transport systems management scenarios. There is also a range of exciting possibilities in telehealth and social care, helping people to stay in their homes for longer and providing remote support when needed.For the public sector, the next decade will see IoT used in a wider range of applications, such as asset management and control, equipment monitoring and logistical planning. It will be used in new security access controls as well as optimisation of resources, tracking under or overuse, with centralised monitoring and reporting.ICT and digital leaders will need to consider how to configure IoT infrastructures in such a way that it does not become a legacy management problem or a security risk. The concern is that IoT could grow organically and unchecked, appearing in more and more devices and systems, without control or adherence to standards, and create new unexpected costs.

Head to the clouds

Cloud continues to offer a fundamental technology shift for the public sector, with most organisations surveyed expecting increased cloud usage in 2020. This trend will continue,replacing more traditional ICT outsourcing models, including a continued although gradual hybrid transition from ‘on-premise’/‘private cloud’ to ‘public cloud’.Cloud will also stimulate changes in how public services are designed, delivered and governed, particularly in areas such as shared services, partnering with the private sector and mobile and flexible working for staff. Organisational change will need to embrace the full potential of cloud solutions and internal ICT teams will need to become a trusted broker of cloud solutions.This analysis was completed before the coronavirus pandemic, which has inevitably skewed short-term digital priorities towards collaboration, remote working and automation. Issues such as delegated decision-making, digital signatures, collaboration tools, cloud dependency and data handling have been propelled to the front of the queue.None of this invalidates the predictions in the report. Indeed, coronavirus provides the opportunity to take a broader look at digital and IT mastery for the future.Full report: https://socitm.net/download/public-sector-global-technology-trends-2020/Socitm’s coronavirus resources: https://socitm.net/coronavirus [post_title] => AI, IoT and cloud top global public sector’s technology list [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => ai-iot-and-cloud-top-global-public-sectors-technology-list [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-06-03 08:39:53 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-06-03 08:39:53 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://socitm.net/?p=100013182 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )[2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 100013177 [post_author] => 1104 [post_date] => 2020-06-01 07:25:45 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-06-01 07:25:45 [post_content] =>

As we all adapt to new ways of working, it is important to offer employees the tools and flexibility to effectively complete their roles without impacting customer services.

Guest blog post from Dell TechnologiesIn this article Dell Technologies shares 10 tips from a decade-long experience of supporting remote working with our team members.

1. Put employees first Identify user types in your organisation and create profiles based on their technology and application needs. You can then tailor hardware and software to help them to be more connected and more productive.
2. Conduct a technology audit Consider whether the technology currently deployed meets the needs of users. Are the devices being used remotely secure and do they allow collaboration across teams?
3. Consider simplifying IT consumption Offering users access to self-service models for technology delivery may save money and ensure a more streamlined way to provide IT. You can also extend this through factory-direct delivery with systems and apps pre-installed and configured.
4. Security must be at the core of your strategy Robust policies and technology solutions need to be at the heart of any approach to protect your organisation and employees from security attacks. Think about the people, processes and technologies that need to come together to support your security strategy.
5. Promote secure collaboration Focus on tools for collaboration and communication that can be used anywhere, anytime and on any device to make it easy for your people to share and collaborate.
6. Policies need to be defined and adopted across an organisation Consider how your organisation aligns remote working to your business strategy and processes. This will ensure workforce flexibility is the foundation for how people work.
7. Enabling leaders Business leaders need to be equipped with listening skills to support remote workers and to ensure they feel connected with the business. Actively seeking feedback from your people on what’s working and what isn’t will help your organisation address issues and focus training where it’s needed.
8. Communicate, communicate, communicate Consider how to communicate effectively with remote employees. Collaboration cafés and virtual round tables are examples of ways to stay connected, share feedback and build community and well-being.
9. Review office space design and suitability Consider how all employees will use office spaces to meet business needs and ensure that spaces are created for collaborative working.
10. Consider how your office population will connect with your remote workers Ensure all employees have the tools to communicate irrespective of location. Think about how this might change conference room spaces and technology and how people will collaborate regardless of their physical location.

This is an advertorial in issue 19 of In our View. Read the whole issue here: https://socitm.net/download/higher-marks-for-homeworking-issue-19/Join Dell Technologies at 11.00 on Monday 8 June during President's Week 2020. Register here: https://socitm.net/events/virtual-presidents-conference-2020/ [post_title] => Navigating the new normal: 10 tips for connecting council employees [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => navigating-the-new-normal-10-tips-for-connecting-council-employees [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-05-29 14:28:09 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-05-29 14:28:09 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://socitm.net/?p=100013177 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )[3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 100013186 [post_author] => 887 [post_date] => 2020-05-29 11:35:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2020-05-29 11:35:24 [post_content] => With coronavirus having forced millions of people to work from home, this issue of In Our View explores how local public services can best support their newly-remote workers. We gather tips from sectors that have already embraced high levels of homeworking and explore the numbers behind the issue. Socitm President Sandra Taylor and former President Geoff Connell talk about how they have provided the technology their colleagues need to work at home and Graham Catlin discusses how we can reset, reform and recover following the pandemic. [post_title] => Higher marks for homeworking (issue 19) [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => higher-marks-for-homeworking-issue-19 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2020-05-29 11:35:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2020-05-29 11:35:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://socitm.net/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=100013186 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => wpdmpro [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ))