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3 steps toward becoming transparent

June 14, 2013

Becoming transparent is about more than providing public access to information, there are certain levels to open government operations. Between transparency and open government is the ability to ensure that not only is important data provided to the public, but the context of that information is understood. Simply uploading charts of budget data isn't enough, the public has to understand where that money actual?ly went, and where it came from. This requires a system that supports both access, and learning.

In order to improve open and transparent government operations, state, county and local councils need to invest in solutions that provide comprehensive solutions for meeting manag?ement, legislative management and more. Additionally, local offices may need to take several other steps to ensure complete adherence with open government laws.

Invest in data warehousing
As local governments go digital, they need a place to store all of the data they collect with meeting management software. Investing in high-quality data centers that offer the support needed to achieve transparency goals will play a major role in providing a reliable and secure public data portals and improving open data efforts.

Follow established guidelines
Many state and local governments have already implemented strong transparency strategies and those starting down that road shouldn't be afraid to follow those same guidelines in order to expedite their own efforts. From adopting federal standard practices to acquiring the help of open government experts, local offices can ensure they get it right the first time and start offering public access to critical information sooner.

Make sure the public is aware
Open government means nothing if the public isn't aware they have access to the data. Simply creating an online portal isn't enough, a local office needs to advertise it and ensure that the public knows how to access it either through training or public service announcements.

By investing in the right meeting management solutions and following these steps, any state, county and local government can embrace the ideals of transparency and make sure they are investing their time and effort wisely. Providing the data means nothing if the public isn't engaged, and it requires care to reach out to the community to achieve true success with open government.