How Big Data is Shaping Government Agencies for the Future

Y2014-10-03O-Naou’ve probably heard the statistic that every two years we double the amount of information created. So, at this rate, by 2020 it is estimated that we will produce 44 trillion gigabytes of data each year. This data that we exponentially create is what’s called “big data”, and even government agencies are finding ways to take advantage of the information collected for the good of their constituents.

For most small cities, like the ones Black Mountain Software services, the use of big data to improve systems and process seems like a futuristic concept. But larger and very progressive cities are finding big use for this big data, using it to improve planning, decision-making and reputation management. That’s why, even though many of our clients are not quite ready for big data, we are already thinking of ways to store, manage, and inquiry big data in an easy and cost-effective way so we will be ready when our cities are!

How Big Data Is Being Used by Government Agencies

Enhancing the informational experience.

Cities are analyzing the information process as to how it enhances the overall user experience using big data. They are taking a look at the information they produce to determine if it is presented in the most simplistic way possible, and determining if the tools are as useable and intuitive as possible.  For example, are their utility bills easy to read and pay online, and how difficult is it for a user to navigate to the correct department page on their website?

All of these questions are answered using big data. By taking a look at their online analytics and performance matrixes, they can see where in the process users dropped off, which web pages were most popular (and make them easy to find), and what tools and resources were commonly navigated. This creates a new standard for performance and allows agencies to analyze and create benchmarks for the user experience.

Integrating, storing and unify internal and public record data.

It is common for government entities to use a variety of tools and software to conduct various parts of their data activities. Now, more than ever, there is ease to storing those thousands of gigabits of information, and a means to merging information into a single inquiry or system.

By finding a primary system of record for their big data and merging data into a single system, government agencies avoid duplication of records, transcription errors, and cost of backing up multiple systems with the same data. Mapping out the flow of information and finding a software provider that intercepts those points of data with in a single platform is helping cities reduce the amount of data they are paying to accumulate and store.

Making it easier to meet or exceed data standards.

Government data and information standards have always been a significant concern among agencies. The ease storage (often through a cloud-based services) and simplification of data management now provides new opportunities for agencies to raise the bar in the kind of information that is recorded, stored and analyzed.

Compiling historical information and predicting outcomes.

More data allows government agencies to do things and predict patterns they couldn’t in the past. Today, big data is being used for fraud detection, cyber security and criminal activity prevention. But that’s not all: big data can make predictions about utility usage, traffic activity, and population growth by looking at historical data and identifying patterns in real time.  These predictions can often be automated with the right software and systems in place, using big data to guide the processes.

So, what affect does big data have on the future of city government? A lot! Information from big data gives agencies the power to enhance the user experience, store more data, streamline processes and map out historical information.

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