2024 Highlights: Elevating the Resident Experience
Tyler Tech Podcast Episode 111, Transcript
The Tyler Tech Podcast explores a wide range of complex, timely, and important issues facing communities and the public sector. Expect approachable tech talk mixed with insights from subject matter experts and a bit of fun. Each episode highlights the people, places, and technology making a difference. Give the podcast a listen today and subscribe.
Show Notes:
In this special episode of the Tyler Tech Podcast, we’re revisiting highlights from 2024 to explore how public sector technology is transforming the resident experience. From streamlining payments to enhancing transportation systems, fostering accessibility, and leveraging artificial intelligence, these discussions reveal how governments are breaking down barriers and improving community services.
Morgan Jines, Tyler’s vice president of payments, explains how integrated payment systems meet evolving constituent expectations and create seamless experiences.
Ted Thien, vice president and general manager of transportation software, discusses how families now demand Uber-like transparency and efficiency in K-12 transportation.
Elliot Flautt, director of state data solutions, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is empowering governments to anticipate resident needs and deliver proactive services.
Kathy Wolf, senior director of user experience, and Mike Teeters, senior product manager, emphasize the importance of accessibility and inclusive design in fostering stronger, more connected communities.
Finally, Kristine Lim, product manager in Tyler’s Data & Insights Division, highlights how AI simplifies access to government data and enhances transparency.
Join us for an insightful look at how governments are leveraging technology to build more inclusive, efficient, and resident-centered services.
This episode also celebrates inspiring stories from public sector organizations making a tangible difference in their communities through impactful technology. These examples of innovation highlight the possibilities when purpose-driven solutions meet government needs. For Tyler clients, applications are now open for the Tyler Excellence Awards, which honor organizations driving meaningful change with forward-thinking approaches.
Submit your application here. You can also read more about excellence in the public sector below:
And learn more about the topics discussed in this episode with these resources:
Listen to other episodes of the Tyler Tech Podcast.
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Transcript:
Kathy Wolf: Understanding the people that are using your software. What are their intents? What are their desires? What are their frustrations? What might be their environmental constraints? Understanding that full gamut of how they interact with technology allows us to build not only accessible but inclusive applications.
Josh Henderson: From Tyler Technologies, it’s the Tyler Tech Podcast, where we explore the trends, technologies, and people shaping public sector innovation today.
I’m your host, Josh Henderson, part of the corporate marketing team here at Tyler. We’re glad to have you with us.
Each episode, we bring you thought provoking conversations on the tools and strategies driving our communities forward.
If you enjoy our podcast, please consider subscribing, giving us a five-star rating, and sharing the show with others.
And in this special episode, we’re reflecting on some of the most impactful conversations from 2024, all centered around the resident experience in the public sector.
From streamlining payments to improving transportation, enhancing accessibility, and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), we’ll explore how governments are using technology to better serve their communities.
We’ll hear from Morgan Jines, Tyler’s vice president of payments, who shares how integrated payment systems meet evolving constituent expectations.
Then Ted Thien, vice president and general manager of transportation software at Tyler, discusses how families now expect Uber-like transparency and efficiency in K-12 transportation.
Elliot Flautt, Tyler’s director of state data solutions, explores how AI is transforming service delivery and enabling governments to anticipate resident needs.
Kathy Wolf, Tyler’s senior director of user experience, and Mike Teeters, senior product manager at Tyler, discuss the critical role of accessibility and inclusive design in building stronger communities.
And finally, Kristine Lim, product manager in Tyler’s Data & Insights Division, highlights how AI simplifies access to government data and enhances transparency.
These conversations showcase the innovative ways governments are enhancing the resident experience and breaking down barriers to access.
Let’s begin with Morgan Jines, vice president of payments at Tyler, as she explains how constituent-driven demands are shaping the future of government payment systems.
We hope you enjoy the episode.
Many local governments still use multiple payment vendors across different departments. This lack of integration with existing software, payment and financial management system, it’s often cited as a key challenge.
How can technology empower governments to effectively overcome these integration hurdles and still deliver a seamless payer experience?
Morgan Jines: One problem with having disparate systems becomes the complexity of having data in different places. And so, you have different sources of truth and not a single source of truth, and that really creates a challenge for accounting and auditing. If they’re having to go to multiple places to feed data to their auditors or they’re having to manage all of that data to search for payments, to search for transactions, it creates a lot of time that they have to work through for both their internal processes as well as if they’re trying to help a citizen or constituent that has come in and asked a question.
And so, having — whether it’s an ERP system or a tax system — whatever system of record that is, having all of those be fed through one single source of truth is incredibly important to be able to remove those disparate systems and just improve not just the accuracy of the data but the timeliness as well. Most of this is constituent driven. And so, as we see different demographics come along that start to have homes and start to pay utility bills or buy business permits, they have different expectations for how they pay. So, one of the first ones that I think of is digital wallets.
And then being able to make that payment directly from their phone or with Apple Pay. And so, that certainly is one aspect of it, and I think the other one is just ease of use. So, if the same individual needs to pay both their animal license, business license, their taxes, they wouldn’t want to have to go to two or three different places to do that.
They would be looking for one portal or one place within their phone that they could go and take care of all these things at once. Maybe they even want to manage payment plans for an aging parent. So, I would say constituents are really driving that, then the technology and the ways that we can pay are continuing to grow. And so being able to adopt those different payment methods is certainly driving a lot of the government demands to be able to offer that to their citizens and constituents as well.
Josh Henderson: As Morgan highlights in episode 103 of the podcast, the evolving needs of constituents are shaping how governments approach digital payment systems, prioritizing integration and ease of use. But seamless digital services aren’t limited to payments — expectations for transparency and efficiency are extending to other essential areas like student transportation.
Up next, from episode 101, Ted Thien explains how these expectations are transforming K-12 transportation systems and creating new challenges for districts.
Parents today, they’re expecting an Uber-like or a ride share experience when it comes to their children’s transportation. So, can you explain what this means and how it’s impacting the K-12 transportation sector?
Ted Thien: It’s really interesting to see what’s happened here, in the last couple of years.
And what we’re seeing is that the parents, when they’re putting their children on the school buses, they want to have that same experience that they would be having in an Uber ride. They want to see where the vehicle is, how far away it is from the stop. They want to know the driver’s name, what kind of vehicle they’re driving.
They also want to know when it’s gotten to their destination. They want to want to be able to track it the whole way. And that’s a relatively new phenomenon. And then in order to have these applications, like an Uber-like application or in Tyler’s case, that would be our My Ride K-12 application, which is providing that visibility into that student’s ride.
That means a couple of things, we would call it the dispatch logs, but it’s really that vehicle to driver to route association has to be kept up to date perfectly every morning. If you think about the Uber problem, you know, so I’ve got basically one driver in one vehicle picking up one person, taking them to one place. Maybe it’s two or three riders, but most of the time it’s one rider.
Pretty easy problem to solve from a logistics point of view. In K-12 transportation, we have school districts with 20,000, 30,000, or 40,000 riders riding hundreds of buses with thousands of stops taking kids to hundreds of places every day. That’s a much harder problem to solve, and it’s more difficult to make sure that all of the pieces and all of the data reflecting that are perfect every day.
Josh Henderson: Ted’s insights underscore how technology is responding to rising demands for transparency in services like student transportation. Beyond daily interactions, technology’s potential goes even further. Artificial intelligence is enabling governments to anticipate needs and proactively serve their communities.
In episode 108, Elliot Flautt discusses how AI is transforming public sector operations and enhancing resident engagement.
How do you see AI shaping these areas to improve outcomes and engagement for residents?
Elliot Flautt: I think this is really where we’ve started to see a little bit of opportunities start to come to life. And there’s so much more potential that we’re going to see in the coming years.
Artificial intelligence offers the public sector, at a variety of different levels of jurisdiction, the opportunity to move from a reactive to more of a proactive stance. So, we can actually start to help use AI to help governments — anticipate needs — which may be something as simple as identifying neighborhoods that are likely to need more resources, whether those are through a one-time service or addressing traffic congestion. These AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can also make information and services more accessible around the clock. This is something that is available 24/7/365 because a chatbot doesn’t need to sleep.
We may have times where we have individuals who are available to answer questions and have escalations. But if somebody is working third shift and needs to have an answer to a question around paying a fine or fee at three o’clock in the morning or four o’clock in the morning when they get off work, we want to be able to work with our government partners to make sure that information is available to them when our public and the residents actually need it.
This is really something that is going to help break down barriers for residents, who may even have time or mobility constraints.
AI really enables the capacity for more personalized services.
For instance, residents can actually receive more tailored updates because we’re training information, not people’s information, but more aggregate information on how to give people who are doing certain types of tasks — serve that information up to them in in a way that’s going to be easier. And by building these connections we feel that artificial intelligence can actually foster a more engaged and informed resident base for a lot of our customers.
Josh Henderson: Stay tuned. We’ll be right back with more of the Tyler Tech Podcast.
Jade Champion: Hey, Tyler Tech Podcast listeners. I’m Jade Champion, and I’m here with your host, Josh Henderson, to share some truly inspiring stories from the public sector.
Josh Henderson: That’s right, Jade. We’re celebrating remarkable public sector organizations, transforming their communities with impactful technology and forward-thinking solutions.
Jade Champion: These organizations are achieving extraordinary results from improving operational efficiency and enhancing resident engagement to ensuring equitable access to essential services.
Josh Henderson: The stories we see each year are incredible — like agencies turning data into actionable insights or fostering trust through simpler, more transparent processes.
Jade Champion: And let’s not forget the organizations leveraging cloud technology to expand access, boost security, and deliver better digital services to residents and businesses.
Josh Henderson: The spirit of innovation and excellence is what drives the Tyler Excellence Awards, which honor organizations making an impact through technology.
Jade Champion: For the Tyler clients out there who are creating positive change, applications are now open to be recognized at Connect 2025 in San Antonio next May.
Josh Henderson: And whether you’re a Tyler client or not, be sure to check out our episode show notes for resources that celebrate inspiring stories from across the public sector.
Jade Champion: These stories are proof of what’s possible when technology meets purpose.
Josh Henderson: That’s the kind of excellence worth celebrating.
Jade Champion: Now let’s get back to the Tyler Tech Podcast.
Josh Henderson: As Elliott describes, AI enables governments to anticipate needs and deliver more proactive services.
But as digital solutions evolve, ensuring these technologies remain inclusive and accessible to all is critical. In episode 107, Kathy Wolf and Mike Teeters dive into the principles of accessibility and inclusive design, sharing how these approaches foster stronger, more connected communities, and provide long term benefits for both governments and residents.
As somebody who focuses on accessibility and inclusive design in the software space, what would you say are the most important principles behind accessibility and inclusive design, and why is it critical for local governments to prioritize these in the digital services?
Kathy Wolf: I think the first thing we have to do is talk a little bit about what is inclusive design.
The goal of inclusive design is ensuring everyone can participate fully and benefit from the services that digital device, entity, or environment provides — regardless of their abilities, their age, their background, or really any other characteristics you might attribute to them. Digital accessibility refers to the inclusive practice of removing barriers that would prevent someone from interacting with or accessing websites, digital tools, and technologies, much like the services Tyler provides. So, with those two concepts firmly in mind, I feel the single most important attribute required for accessible and inclusive design is empathy.
The same holds true for my passion, user-centered design. So, understanding the people that are using your software, what are their intents, what are their desires, what are their frustrations, what might be their environmental constraints, understanding that full gamut of how they interact with technology allows us to build not only accessible but inclusive applications.
It’s critical for local governments to embrace this because what we’re seeing, and it’s very powerful, is this big transition from brick and mortar — where I walk into the DMV to get my registration or my driver’s license — to digital services, which is incredibly powerful because our reach is broadened. But what it also does is we have to be mindful that in providing that reach, that breadth that digital entities provide, that we’re not throwing up those barriers.
Josh Henderson: How does investing in digital accessibility today help build stronger, more inclusive communities in the long term, and what are the tangible benefits for both governments and residents?
Mike Teeters: One thing that comes to mind immediately is collaboration. So, by collaborating with constituents, government decision-makers really can increase their level of confidence that programs and services that they’re responsible for delivering are reaching and supporting the desired recipients.
And so, again, there’s sort of this harmony, if you will, that you get through that collaboration process.
It can be very challenging at times when you lay out kind of program goals and how you want to measure them. So, again, having that collaboration and really involving your residents in the program development can be very key. A second point here would be that investments around accessibility, inclusion, and other kinds of attributes, they really enable government to leverage community partners. And what I mean by that is, typically, a lot of the services that we’re offering through government complement or work with nongovernmental organizations. And so, what we see is that there’s this overall community building and broader network effects that can apply.
Again, there’s sort of a virtuous cycle here because, obviously, by being better at getting people pointed to the right types of services that they need, reinforces some of the value and benefits of what government delivers. And so, a lot of times that’s kind of key for those programs.
And then thirdly, I think what we’re seeing is that I would encourage folks to keep in mind, matching the right service to a constituent is what we’re ultimately targeting at the end of the day. And so, my needs, your needs, other needs, especially folks that benefit from improved accessibility, benefit from broader inclusion.
By designing with those constituents in mind, it increases the likelihood that you’re going to have success getting those services to the right people and ultimately increase their satisfaction.
So, I think long term, a lot of times it can be a journey of many, many steps. With that in mind, you can ultimately make a lot of progress in terms of improving the overall satisfaction that people have, and I think positive program outcomes when it comes to service delivery.
So, again, lots of potential there and ultimately, the potential for some really great benefits when it comes to both what residents would like to see and what government is trying to deliver.
Josh Henderson: Kathy and Mike’s insights emphasize the power of accessibility and inclusive design to create stronger, more connected communities.
By prioritizing empathy and collaboration, governments can ensure their services meet the needs of all residents.
Building on this, Kristine Lim explores how artificial intelligence is helping simplify government processes, enhance transparency, and make public services more efficient and responsive.
In episode 109, she shares the transformative potential of AI in delivering better outcomes for residents.
What potential does AI have to improve the efficiency, the responsiveness, or accessibility, of public services?
Kristine Lim: We have an incredible opportunity with AI, but we need to be able to be careful and plan carefully. So, AI can help improve responsiveness by answering those frequently asked questions or help people navigate those complicated government processes even after business hours. So, we’ve built something called Tyler’s Resident Assistant that does things like this. And in talking to our customers, we’ve heard stories of how they’re able to make game-changing decisions because instead of showing up Monday morning having to go through all of these emails and calls, the Resident Assistant was able to handle — over the weekend — those conversations where people couldn’t call during business hours or who struggled with using the websites.
So, it really decreased the amount of work on their plate to also make them more responsive to the other things that they needed to address.
I’d say AI really simplifies access to government data too. So, if you can imagine open data portals being easier to use and data visualizations being clearer and more engaging. AI, I think, really helps people find and understand the information that they’re looking for.
So, this is something that we think is obviously a game changer for thinking about transparency in government.
Josh Henderson: I hope you’ve enjoyed these conversations with Morgan Jines, Ted Thien, Elliot Flautt, Kathy Wolf, Mike Teeters, and Kristine Lim.
If you’d like to hear the full interviews, you can find links to those episodes and additional resources in the show notes.
Improving the resident experience in the public sector isn’t just about implementing new technology. It’s about creating solutions that enhance accessibility, efficiency, and engagement for everyone in our communities.
At Tyler Technologies, we’re proud to partner with organizations working to achieve these goals, helping to break down barriers and build more connected and equitable communities.
If you’d like to dive deeper into any of the topics covered in this episode, feel free to reach out to us at podcast@tylertech.com. Our subject matter experts are ready to connect with you and explore solutions that meet the needs of the public sector. We’d also love to hear your thoughts on how we can continue to improve the Tyler Tech Podcast.
Please take a moment to fill out our audience survey linked in the show notes, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
And just a quick note, starting in February, we’ll be releasing new episodes every other Tuesday, starting on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025. Until then, for Tyler Technologies, I’m Josh Henderson. Thanks for listening to the Tyler Tech Podcast.