The Perils of Outdated Technology

Antiquated technology can cripple your operations. Just look around you. How often do you see people pulling out flip phones? Almost never, right? There’s a reason for that: technology has improved. With a smart phone, you can pay bills, browse the internet, and play games, among dozens of other functions. Holding on to a flip phone would hold you back – in your ability to perform tasks and in your overall efficiency.

The Public Sector Gap

Outdated technology is a key reason why local and state government agencies are lagging behind their private-sector counterparts in terms of efficient operations and improved outcomes. According to the Center for Digital Government, 33% of state IT systems are considered legacy systems. This means roughly one-third of business-critical state IT systems were implemented prior to 2001 and are currently unable to meet user demands.

With state and local governments slated to spend more than $107 billion on IT expenses in 2019, it’s important for agencies to make the right decision when it comes to upgrading technology. After all, budgets are tight and the public-sector workforce is shifting. In addition, cyberattack sophistication advances every day.

Smart Digital Strategy

A tech investment must be part of a long-term digital strategy that seeks to break down silos and make key connections with:

• Operations
• Data
• Partners
• The public

These connections harness data through modern technology to share across boundaries, automate processes, streamline operations, and improve communities. They transform government to be more efficient and capable in a context of reduced resources, while ensuring sustainable success and system security in the digital era.

From Challenge to Opportunity

To overcome prevalent resource, workforce, and security challenges, governments must invest in a modern foundational tech infrastructure. Tyler’s newest white paper, Why Technology Matters in the Public Sector: Is Outdated Software Crippling Your Organization?, explores these challenges in the context of planning a successful technology transition. The paper offers a deep dive on how to move away from the status quo to fully realize the promise of modern technology.

New technology increases a government’s return on investment by streamlining operations and lowering costs. It transforms government and can help create sustainable, healthy, vibrant, and safe communities. At a higher level, modern technology is the catalyst for innovation, so those best positioned to do so can innovate to solve society’s greatest issues.