E-Business

Gartner Highlights Top 10 Strategic Technologies for Government in 2016

Published

8 years ago

June 29, 2016

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After nearly a decade of “doing more with less,” government CIOs remain under pressure to further optimize IT and business costs while leading digital innovation in the public sector, according to Gartner, Inc.

Government CIOs face organizational and cultural challenges that are barriers to harnessing the synergistic potential of social, mobile, data analytics, cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) to drive transformational change.

Rick Howard, research vice president at Gartner, said legacy silos of systems, data and processes reinforce “business as usual” practices and behaviours that limit government participation in broader partner ecosystems capable of supporting fully digital end-to-end citizen services.

“In the digital service economy, government must make strategic investments in IT or risk perpetuating suboptimal business and service models that are financially unsustainable in the long term,” said Mr. Howard.

“Government CIOs who are too slow to adopt the technology innovations that are transforming private sector service industries will increase business risk and cost, while compromising the mission of their organizations.”

Spending by national, federal and local governments worldwide on technology products and services is forecast to grow slightly by 0.3 percent to $430.1 billion in 2016, growing to $476.1 billion by 2020. This is a turnaround after a 5.2 percent decrease in 2015.

To enable government transformation initiatives, Gartner has identified the top 10 strategic technologies in 2016 and provides recommendations to CIOs and IT leaders regarding adoption and benefits. It is not a list of what government CIOs spend the most time or money on, rather it is a list of strategic technologies that Gartner recommends they should have a plan for in 2016.

1)     Digital Workplace
The government workforce is increasingly populated with digitally literate employees, from frontline workers to top-level executives. The digital workplace is a business strategy to boost employee engagement and agility through a more consumerized work environment. The digital workplace promotes collaborative work styles; supports decentralized, mobile work environments; and embraces employees’ personal choice of technologies.
2)     Multichannel Citizen Engagement
Delivering an effective citizen experience requires a holistic approach to the citizen: (1) using data to capture and understand the needs and desires of the citizen; (2) leveraging effective social media and communications to actively engage citizens; (3) allowing the citizen to engage on his or her own terms; (4) understanding the citizen’s preferred engagement channels; (5) affording seamless transitions among channels; and (6) ultimately delivering a more satisfying set of citizen interactions. Adopting a citizen-centric information management strategy with multichannel citizen engagement opportunities will deliver quantifiable benefits.
3)     Open Any Data
Open any data in government results from “open by default” or “open by preference” governance policies and information management practices. These make license-free data available in machine-readable formats to anyone who has the right to access it without any requirement for identification or registration. Open data is published as collected at the source (“raw”) at the lowest granularity, as determined by privacy, security or data quality considerations. Open data is accessible with open APIs and is not subject to any trademark or copyright.
4)     Citizen e-ID
As government becomes more digitalized, digital identity will need to become more reliable in order to serve as the core for all digital transactions. Citizen electronic identification (e-ID) refers to the orchestrated set of processes and technologies managed by governments to provide a secure domain to enable citizens to access these core resources or services. Governments should require online authentication and identity proofing, because in-person verification methods are becoming outdated for offering citizens integrated and seamless access to resources and services. This “no wrong door” business model must be able to associate each citizen with one unique and persistent identifier within the bounds of what is culturally acceptable and legally permissible.
5)     Analytics Everywhere
Analytics is the collection and analysis of data to provide the insight that can guide actions to increase organizational efficiency or program effectiveness. The pervasive use of analytics at all stages of business activity and service delivery — analytics everywhere — allows leading government agencies to shift from the dashboard reporting of lagging indicators to autonomous business processes and business intelligence (BI) capabilities that help humans make better context-based decisions in real time.
6)     Smart Machines
In practice, smart machines are a diverse combination of digital technologies that do what we once thought only people could do. While capabilities are evolving rapidly, it already includes deep neural networks, autonomous vehicles, virtual assistants and smart advisors that interact intelligently with people and other machines. Government IT leaders must explore smart machines as enhancements to existing business practices, and possibly as foundations for new public services or ways of accomplishing business goals altogether.
7)     Internet of Things
The IoT is the network of physical objects (fixed or mobile) that contains embedded technology to communicate, monitor, sense or interact with multiple environments. The IoT architecture operates in an ecosystem that includes things, communication, applications and data analysis, and is a critical enabler for digital business applications in all private-sector and public-sector industries. The business use cases and adoption rate by government agencies vary according to service domain or program mission. Government business models are emerging that take advantage of the IoT; for example, pay-for-use or subscription-based taxation models, smart waste bin collection on city streets, and the remote monitoring of elderly patients in assisted-living settings.
8)     Digital Government Platforms
Governments face constant pressure to improve service delivery and save costs. Digital platforms reduce effort and facilitate user-centric design. These platforms deliver services such as payments, identity management and verification, reusable application services and notifications (for example, SMS and email) that are commonly used across multiple domains. Globally, governments are taking a platform approach to simplify processes, improve citizen interaction and reduce expenditure.
9)     Software-Defined Architecture
Software-defined architecture (SDA) inserts an intermediary between the requester and the provider of a service so that the service can change more dynamically — in other words, it is the IT equivalent of changing the tires while the car is moving. Adding a layer of software to abstract and virtualize networks, infrastructure or security has proved to be a useful way of deploying and utilizing infrastructure. Applying the same technique to software architecture improves the manageability and agility of the code so that the organization can respond to the fluidity requirements of digital government and the IoT. Some government organizations have begun implementing software-designed infrastructure (SDI), but most are still operating in traditional data centers.
10)   Risk-Based Security
The cybersecurity threat environment is constantly evolving, but it represents only one dimension of a complex, multifaceted set of threats and risks. Government CIOs must adopt a threat-aware, risk-based security approach that allows governments to make knowledgeable and informed decisions about risks in a holistic fashion, allowing for a wiser allocation of resources; more sound decisions about risks and their impacts on government missions, operations, assets and people; and engagement of senior leadership in risk-based decisions.
Four new trends emerged in 2016 with the potential to significantly benefit government performance within the next three to five years. Analytics everywhere, smart machines, software-defined architecture and risk-based security will each challenge governance, human resources management, sourcing and financing practices.
“Many of these technology trends change business models in ways that need to be reflected in more modern policies, especially those related to privacy or regulation,” said Mr. Howard. “CIOs will need to be front and center in providing advice to policymaking bodies and working with industry experts who can consult on options and impacts.

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E-Business

FG to Fnalise National Intellectual Property Policy Soon– NCC Boss

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1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Comms Week

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Dr John Asein, director-general, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has said that the federal government is taking steps to finalise its National Intellectual Property (IP) Policy and Strategy for the country.

Asein disclosed this on Friday while commemorating the 2024 World Intellectual Property Day with the theme “IP and the SDGs: Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity’’ in Abuja.

The that the Day is observed every April 26 to celebrate the importance of intellectual property (IP) rights to encourage innovation and creativity.

The director-general was represented by Mr Emeka Ogbonna, director of Legal.

NCC boss said the policy would serve as a blueprint for a more efficient modern and responsive legal and administrative framework for the country to leverage on its creative and innovative potential.

He said that the day underscored the power of innovation and creativity in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and shaping a sustainable and inclusive future for humanity.

According to him, the SDGs represent a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by the year 2030.

“IP rights play a pivotal role in fostering innovation, creativity, and technological advancements. They provide the framework that encourages men and women to develop new solutions that address global challenges.

“It is the lynchpin for incentivising the use of creative and innovative ideas to solve many of the challenges that confront humanity.

“This year’s World IP Day reminds us that intellectual property can be a powerful tool for social, economic, and environmental development.

“It encourages individuals, businesses, and governments to leverage IP rights to drive innovation, create jobs, and build resilient communities.

“By aligning our intellectual property policies and strategies with the objectives of the SDGs, we can accelerate their achievement,’’ NCC boss said.

He said in the spirit of the “Renewed Hope Agenda’’ of the present administration, government had also shown appreciable commitment to the creative industry as a major sector of the economy.

“As one of the agencies responsible for the wholesome development of the creative sector, the Nigerian Copyright Commission will continue to provide the needed institutional, legal and administrative support for the protection, promotion, regulation and enforcement of copyright.

“The commission will pay particular attention to using the copyright system to advance Goal 1 (No poverty); Goal 4 (Quality education); Goal 5 (Gender equality).

“And Goal 8 (Decent and economic growth); Goal 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure) and Goal 17 (Partnerships to achieve the goals).

“We are aware that the goals would have to be adapted to fit the peculiar needs of intellectual property which is an intangible asset.’ ’he added.

The director-general, who said that the commission focused on the 17 SDGs to address emerging challenges, called on authors, innovators, users, IP experts and other stakeholders to reflect on the vulnerability of the nation’s fragile knowledge and creative ecosystem.

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E-Business

NITDA, ICF Train 100 Schoolgirls in ICT Skills

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1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Illmi Children’s Fund (ICF) have trained 100 schoolgirls in digital and Information and Communication Technology skills training.

Mrs. Maryam Augie-Abdulmumin, ICF Executive Director, confirmed this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

The graduation followed the training of the schoolgirls in ICF and NITDA’s DIGITGALS 2.0 programme, a collaborative initiative aimed to equip adolescent girls in Abuja with critical digital and ICT skills.

Augie-Abdukmumin said the DIGITGALS 2.0 centred around essential digital literacy, programming fundamentals, digital marketing and communication skills, and cybersecurity awareness.

She added that the girls were equipped with the confidence to compete and excel in a globalised digital economy. The graduation was in commemoration of the 2024 International Girls in ICT Day celebration on April 25.

DIGITGALS 2.0 is in its second phase and empowered 100 senior secondary school girls selected from five government schools in the Federal Capital Territory.

The girls aged between 15 and 18 years were equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the digital world and address the growing demand for ICT skills in the 21st century.

Augie-Abdulmumin reiterated the importance of bridging the digital gap in the country starting with the girl-child.

“This graduation ceremony on International Day of Girls in ICT is a powerful symbol of our commitment to closing the digital gender gap.

This programme made possible through our partnership with NITDA, and signifies a crucial step towards bridging the digital gender gap.

It also fostering a future where women are active leaders in the tech industry. This is also an opportunity for these girls to take charge of their own future,”.

Mr Kashifu Abdullahi, the Director-General of NITDA, commended the collaborative efforts of ICF in making the DIGITGALS 2.0 a reality.

According to him, building a diverse and inclusive digital workforce is critical for Nigeria’s success.

“We are proud to collaborate with ICF on DIGITGALS 2.0 to empower these young women to become active participants in the tech industry. This programme showcases the importance of collaborative efforts in bridging the digital gender gap.

These girls have been equipped with essential digital skills, and ICF and NITDA are confident they will become active contributors to Nigeria’s thriving tech landscape,”.

ICF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children, from underprivileged backgrounds, through education, healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship initiatives.

NITDA is a public service institution established in 2007. It functions as the ICT policy implementing arm of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.

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E-Business

Confronting the Google Monolith: Survival Strategies for Online Businesses

Published

3 days ago

April 25, 2024

Comms Week

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By Reuben Kalu.

In the vast expanse of the digital realm, Google looms large, an omnipresent force shaping the way we navigate, search, and conduct business online.

From its humble beginnings as a search engine to its current status as a multifaceted tech behemoth, Google has entrenched itself deeply into the fabric of the internet.

Its influence is undeniable, its reach unparalleled, and its ubiquity seemingly inescapable. But can you truly run an online business without Google?

The answer, in today’s digital landscape, is a resounding no. You have no choice.

Google’s dominance extends across multiple facets of the online world, making it virtually impossible for businesses to thrive without engaging with its ecosystem.

From search engine optimization (SEO) to online advertising, email services to analytics, Google’s suite of products and services permeates every aspect of the online business landscape.

Attempting to operate without Google is akin to swimming against a relentless tide, fighting an uphill battle fraught with obstacles and limitations.

At the heart of Google’s influence lies its search engine, the gateway through which billions of internet users navigate the vast expanse of online content. .

Google’s search algorithms wield immense power, determining which websites rank prominently in search results and which languish in obscurity.

For businesses seeking to attract organic traffic and expand their online presence, optimizing for Google’s search algorithms is not merely advisable—it’s imperative.

But Google’s influence extends far beyond search. Consider Google Ads, the company’s advertising platform that enables businesses to reach targeted audiences through paid search, display, and video advertising.

With billions of searches conducted on Google each day, Google Ads provides unparalleled reach and visibility, allowing businesses to target potential customers with pinpoint accuracy.

Attempting to compete in the online advertising arena without leveraging Google Ads is akin to entering a battle unarmed—a futile endeavor destined for failure.

Moreover, Google’s suite of productivity tools, including Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Workspace, has become indispensable for businesses seeking to streamline their operations and enhance collaboration.

With seamless integration across devices and platforms, Google’s productivity tools offer unparalleled convenience and efficiency, empowering businesses to work smarter, not harder.

Attempting to eschew Google’s productivity suite in favor of alternative solutions is not only impractical but also unwise, depriving businesses of the tools they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

Furthermore, Google Analytics stands as the gold standard for web analytics, providing businesses with invaluable insights into their online performance and audience behavior.

From tracking website traffic and user engagement to analyzing conversion metrics and customer demographics, Google Analytics offers a comprehensive toolkit for optimizing online marketing strategies and driving business growth.

Attempting to gauge online performance without leveraging Google Analytics is akin to flying blind, devoid of the critical data needed to make informed decisions and drive meaningful results.

But perhaps the most formidable aspect of Google’s influence lies in its role as a gatekeeper of information and access.

With billions of users relying on Google’s platforms and services each day, the company wields immense control over the flow of online traffic and the dissemination of information.

For businesses seeking to connect with customers and expand their reach, Google’s dominance presents both a tremendous opportunity and a formidable challenge.

Attempting to circumvent Google’s influence and establish an online presence independent of its ecosystem is a Herculean task, fraught with uncertainty and risk.

In essence, attempting to run an online business without engaging with Google is akin to swimming against a relentless tide, fighting an uphill battle fraught with obstacles and limitations.

While alternative platforms and solutions exist, none possess the ubiquity, reach, and influence of Google’s ecosystem.

To thrive in today’s digital landscape, businesses must embrace Google’s dominance and leverage its suite of products and services to their advantage. You have no choice.

In conclusion, Google’s pervasive influence permeates every aspect of the online business landscape, making it virtually impossible to escape its grasp.

From search engine optimization to online advertising, productivity tools to web analytics, Google’s ecosystem encompasses a vast array of products and services that have become indispensable for businesses seeking to succeed in the digital age.

While alternative solutions may exist, none possess the ubiquity, reach, and influence of Google’s ecosystem.

To thrive in today’s digital landscape, businesses must embrace Google’s dominance and leverage its suite of products and services to their advantage.

You have no choice.

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