The Power of Data: Building Resilient and Responsive Systems
February 26, 2025 by Justin Bruce
Our lives are an expanding ocean of data thanks to the Internet and the countless platforms built on it. The challenge is knowing how to find what we need and which sources to trust. Government technology leaders know that data underlies everything else they do. Quality, timely data improves decision-making, strengthens resilience, and fosters transparency. Making that data accessible to as much of the organization and community as possible empowers residents, increases efficiency, and grows satisfaction and trust.
As we approach Open Data Day, an annual celebration of open data worldwide, I wanted to share my perspective on data and government.
Data and Three Tenets of Government
Three tenets place data at the foundation of government and the public sector. They are:
- Productivity: Access to reliable data means government workers can spend less time hunting for information and more time helping their communities. Good data also clarifies whether processes and services are delivering the expected results ... or not.
- Decision-Making: With data available, analytics and insights empower governments to make informed decisions. Whether a city is identifying infrastructure needs to drive business development, or a state is mapping the likely impact of future storms, access to the correct data is key.
- Service Delivery: When data is flowing, it helps agencies provide the best possible outcomes for residents. Particularly during hardship, efficiently connecting people to what they need reduces stress and can even save lives.
Data and Resilience in Action
Agencies nationwide are doing fantastic work, delivering modern data solutions to their communities. Some are preparing to move to cloud-based solutions. Some are extending their early cloud-based data successes by adding new systems or expanding access methods to current ones. Whether by automating data, increasing reporting, or replacing paper-based solutions, agencies meet the challenge daily. You can learn more about several of our clients who won the 2024 Tyler Excellence Award in the Data & Transparency category.
Every (Data) Journey Begins With a Single Step
Improving data and data access is a complex process. It requires thorough planning and some patience. Conducting a data inventory is always a good first step. What data is available? What format is it in? Are there redundancies, errors, or gaps? Identifying and preparing data is time-consuming but vital to every step that follows. Agencies may be surprised by what they discover and need to adjust the details or timetable of subsequent phases of their projects.
About the Author: Justin Bruce is a director of client services at Tyler Technologies.