to streamline the Digital Transformation process , CIOs should begin by reviewing technical debt . The accumulation of legacy systems over time often leaves IT departments to deal with multiple , siloed software solutions that are clunky , at best , and in many instances are unnecessary all together .

Keeping the lights on ( KTLO ) operations are often associated with legacy applications that provide a poor employee experience and can impede fulfillment of department goals . Once technical debt is identified , CIOs can find modern solutions that best fits the needs of their department .

2 . Use the cloud to your advantage

After you have taken stock of your department ’ s current technology investments , look for services that were created internally that could be replaced with a cloud offering .

The main reason to move to the cloud is to offload the work that could be done more affordably by a cloud services provider . Even heavily regulated industries like financial services and healthcare are turning to the cloud for cost-savings and

shifting their employees to more Value Add , core mission work .

Cloud can be one of the biggest gamechangers for often overworked and underfunded government departments . As with all systems overhauls , it can be difficult to get leadership on the same page . However , the cost savings and efficiency boost afforded by cloud could be the swaying factor .

3 . Data-driven decisions are key

Data and analytics capabilities are one of the top priorities for public sector CIOs . Especially during times of crisis , such as the COVID-19 pandemic , the need for advanced and accurate analytics is mission-critical .

Data aggregation and analysis , with inclusion of both structured and unstructured data across silos , provides leaders with a more complete picture . CIOs should have as much information available as possible before making decisions about what the key problems are and where to prioritize . Data affords CIOs with the visibility to identify pain points and confirm areas of their department that are running efficiently . In today ’ s data-driven age , there is no excuse for decision makers who aren ’ t informed by data in one form or another .

4 . Invest in AI , you won ’ t regret it

Once the data has been identified it can be used to deliver insights . However , government department data sets can often be large and complex as they straddle

www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO 45