Best of the Tyler Tech Podcast 2021
November 29, 2021 by Editorial Team, Tyler Technologies
At the end of 2020, Tyler Tech Podcast host Jeff Harrell noted, “we have big plans for 2021.” While this year continued to throw new curveballs at public sector practitioners, the podcast kept pace, highlighting the people, places, and technology making a difference in communities across the nation. Podcasts this year touched on engaging citizens through storytelling, social media best practices, improving criminal investigations, staying cyber diligent at home, creative uses of school transportation technology, and much more. The following are just a few of our favorites from the year.
- 5 Key Public Sector Themes for 2021
As the coronavirus pandemic continued to inform policy and accelerate technology adoption, key themes in the industry became apparent. These themes of reopening and recovery, equity, civic engagement, data analytics, the cloud, and cybersecurity formed Tyler’s own editorial plan for the year. In this episode, Meredith Trimble, Tyler Technologies’ editorial content manager, discusses how Tyler’s clients innovated in each of these areas in scalable ways, even during the most challenging circumstances.
Find inspiration in the stories illustrating the year’s top public sector themes.
- 5 Reasons to Use American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Data Infrastructure
Tyler Kleykamp, director of the State Data Officers Network and fellow at Georgetown’s Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, joined the podcast to discuss specific reasons why governments should use federal relief funds now to support data infrastructure. This unique moment of opportunity can help governments integrate across different systems to improve operations and service delivery. Setting up an informed and equitable recovery, for example, is possible with such investment. Acting now also helps governments get short-term wins that can be scaled into other aspects of their work, from improving traffic safety to making licensing requirements less burdensome.
Hear Tyler Kleykamp discuss why setting up critical data infrastructure now makes smart business sense for governments.
- 5 Ways to Not Waste Stimulus Funds With Mark Funkhouser
“One of the real big problems in government, in local government, is to take one-time money and spend it on an ongoing thing,” Mark Funkhouser, former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, said in this engaging episode. This thought lead right to his first tip for governments on how not to waste stimulus funds: “Don’t misapply a temporary windfall.” Funkhouser’s other key tips included investing in projects that may have significant upfront cost but will reduce future operating expenses, thinking beyond jurisdictional borders to pool resources for larger impact, and investing in cybersecurity to decrease risk.
Get all five tips along with the former Mayor’s insight into the how and why behind them.
- Transporting Students With Special Needs
The first in the captivating School Transportation Series, this episode features Dr. Linda Bluth of the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services, and past-president, National Association for Pupil Transportation. “It’s not about what you can’t do; it’s about how are you going to do it,” notes Bluth during the conversation. Bluth details for listeners how alternative modes of transportation are important as districts consider the needs of students, parents, drivers, and communities at large. She also provides expert tips on how to articulate the benefits of alternative modes of transportation to stakeholders including parents.
Learn from Dr. Linda Booth’s expert insight on alternative modes of transportation and other lessons from her 33 years in special needs transportation.
- Connecticut’s Data-Driven Approach to Back to School
Pauline Zaldonis, a key member of the Connecticut Open Data team, joined the podcast to discuss data-driven work in the state of Connecticut. Zaldonis covers the basics of her state’s Open Data Portal as well as the success of cross-agency partnerships continuing to empower residents with the important public health information they need. Zaldonis also explains how Connecticut’s unique School Learning Model Indicators Dashboard used aggregated COVID-19 data to inform successful pandemic teaching and learning approaches throughout the state.
Get the full story about how state agencies in Connecticut worked together to provide timely data to the public and then incorporated that data into decision-making processes.
- Benefits of the Cloud in the Public Sector
Why is everyone talking about the cloud? The coronavirus pandemic accelerated new technology adoption as well as moves to the cloud for many public sector agencies, and even Tyler itself, which accelerated cloud development for some of its products. In this episode, Russell Gainford, Tyler’s vice president, cloud strategy & operations, provides an insider look at Tyler’s own cloud journey as well as specific reasons why public sector leaders should care about the cloud and how they can ensure their jurisdiction’s security, agility, and sustainability through cloud-enabled solutions.
Understand what the cloud is, what it means for the public sector, and what it solves for government agencies.