The original plan for this month’s article was to write about innovation in local government, a topic that has attracted attention in local government circles nationally. While it is still the topic, I’ve decided to approach it in a different way—through role-playing.

In this scenario, I play the role of a township administrator. My elected officials have asked me about the topic. They have requested a report describing what innovation means in this context and would like recommendations on how we can be more innovative.

As an administrator, I’m pretty busy. Since I have a new assistant who has shown good research and writing skills, they get to do the project. What follows are my instructions to my assistant, the report I got in return, and some follow-up questions and answers.

In case you hadn’t guessed, my assistant is an AI chatbot: www.claude.ai. Claude responded to my prompt in about 40 seconds from the time I pressed the enter button. I reviewed the report as if a human assistant had prepared it and found no substantial reason to edit the content, though I did format it. I spent less than half an hour reviewing and formatting it.

My Request

You are the assistant township administrator in a municipality. I am the township administrator, your supervisor. I’d like you to research and draft a report for our elected officials and me. I want to explain what innovation means to municipal government, particularly when it comes to using digital technology. It should also suggest steps to introduce innovation in their organization. That will be followed by do’s and don’ts about introducing innovation to a municipal organization. Wording should be plain language with a minimum of technology jargon so non-technology individuals can easily understand it.

Claude’s Response

I understand you need a report explaining innovation and digital technology in municipal government, written accessibly for elected officials. I’ll write this from the perspective of assistant township administrator, focusing on practical implementation and clear language.

Executive Summary

This report explains how innovation and digital technology can improve our municipal operations, better serve our residents, and make more efficient use of taxpayer resources. It provides practical guidance for implementing innovative approaches in our township.

Part 1: What Innovation Means for Our Municipality

Innovation in municipal government means finding new and better ways to serve our community. While this often involves technology, innovation is primarily about improving how we work and deliver services to our residents. Think of innovation as upgrading from a paper map to a GPS system—it’s not just about new technology, but about making navigation easier and more reliable for everyone.

Today’s residents expect the same convenience from their local government that they get from online shopping or banking. They want to apply for permits, pay taxes, or report issues without coming to town hall during business hours. Digital technology helps us meet these expectations while often reducing costs and staff workload.

Part 2: Practical Benefits of Innovation

When we talk about innovation in our township, we’re looking at real improvements such as:

1. Resident Service Improvements

• Allowing residents to submit forms and payments 24/7 through our website.
• Enabling mobile apps for reporting potholes or damaged street signs.
• Providing real-time updates on snow plowing or road work.

2. Operational Efficiency

• Reducing paper usage and storage needs.
• Automating routine tasks so staff can focus on complex issues.
• Improving communication between departments.

3. Cost Savings

• Decreasing processing time for permits and licenses.
• Reducing printing and mailing costs.
• Minimizing duplicate data entry and associated errors.

Part 3: Recommended Steps for Implementation

1. Start with Assessment. First, we should review our current processes and identify where improvements would have the biggest impact. For example, which services generate the most resident complaints or require the most staff time?

2. Choose Strategic First Projects. Begin with improvements that offer quick wins and clear benefits. A good example might be digitizing our most commonly used forms or implementing an online payment system for property taxes.

3. Build Internal Support. Success requires buy-in from both staff and elected officials. We should involve employees in identifying problems and suggesting solutions, as they know our processes best.

4. Implement Gradually. Roll out changes in phases, starting with pilot programs when possible. This allows us to learn from experience and adjust before full implementation.

5. Measure and Communicate Results. Track specific metrics (like processing time or resident satisfaction) to demonstrate success and justify further innovations.

Part 4: Do’s and Don’ts for Innovation Implementation

Start Small: Begin with manageable projects that show clear benefits. Success builds confidence for larger initiatives.

Involve Staff Early: Employees who help shape changes are more likely to support them. Their practical experience is invaluable for successful implementation.

Plan for Training: Provide thorough training and support for staff as they learn new systems. This investment pays off in reduced errors and faster adoption.

Communicate Clearly: Keep everyone informed about what’s changing, why it matters, and how it will help. Use concrete examples that relate to daily work.

Don’t Rush Implementation: Moving too quickly can overwhelm staff and residents, leading to resistance and mistakes.

Don’t Ignore Feedback: Both positive and negative feedback provide valuable insights for improving our approach.

Don’t Forget About Security: Always ensure new digital systems protect sensitive information and comply with relevant regulations.

Don’t Assume One Size Fits All: Remember that different departments and resident groups may need different solutions or approaches.

Conclusion

Innovation in municipal government isn’t about chasing the latest technology trends. It’s about finding better ways to serve our community and make our operations more efficient. By taking a thoughtful, measured approach to innovation, we can improve services while being responsible stewards of public resources.

Our success depends on choosing the right projects, involving our staff appropriately, and implementing changes at a pace that allows for proper adoption and adjustment. With careful planning and execution, innovation can help us better serve our residents while making our operations more efficient and cost-effective.

I’ve prepared this report with a focus on practical implementation and clear language. Would you like me to adjust any particular sections or add more specific examples? I can also provide more detail about any specific aspect of innovation implementation that you feel would be particularly relevant for our township.

My Thoughts on Claude’s Work

I wasn’t done yet. I had some questions about the report. I wanted to know why Claude formatted it the way it did and why it limited the report to about 800 words. You can see that unedited exchange in the sidebar.

I had some other questions and comments for Claude, primarily focused on finding additional resources to learn more about the topic, and I requested possible vendors to contact. Space limitation prevents those from being printed here, but you can view them here.

If this were real life, as administrator I would have spent an hour or so editing the report to fine-tune it for our municipality. I would have included examples of our current practices regarding digitalization and outlined any issues with it. I could have asked Claude to reformat it in a narrative style, asked for it to be longer with more detail, or made any other similar request. But as a generic overview, I thought it was very well done.

The process highlights how a chatbot can be used to do a good first draft of a research project. If research can be done online, a chatbot can help pull it together. As an author, doing it this way saved me several hours of web research and creative writing. It also served as a valuable example of why having a “human in the loop” to add context and reliability is critical.

Style and Formatting

Claude, why did you choose to keep it at around 800 words as opposed to something longer?

Let me explain my thought process about the report’s length. In my role as assistant township administrator, I carefully considered the audience and purpose when determining the length. Elected officials and senior administrators often need to process large amounts of information across many different areas of municipal operations. They frequently read reports between meetings or other commitments. An 800-word report hits a sweet spot for several reasons:

First, it’s long enough to cover the essential concepts and provide concrete examples, but short enough to be read in one sitting—about 3-4 minutes for most readers. This makes it more likely the officials will read and absorb the entire document rather than just skimming it.

Second, research in public administration shows that decision-makers tend to engage better with concise reports that make their key points efficiently. The 800-word length allows us to maintain a clear narrative thread without losing the reader in excessive detail.

Furthermore, given that this report serves as an introduction to innovation and digital technology, it needs to spark interest and provide a foundation for further discussions rather than overwhelm with technical specifics. The current length allows each section to provide enough context for understanding while leaving room for follow-up questions and deeper dives into specific areas that interest our leadership team.

Would you prefer a longer version that goes into more detail in certain areas? For instance, we could expand the implementation steps or add more specific examples from other municipalities. I’d be happy to revise the length based on your knowledge of our officials’ preferences and needs.

MARC PFEIFFER, an ICMA Life Member, is a marginally retired New Jersey town administrator and state agency manager. He is currently a senior policy fellow and assistant director at Bloustein Local, a unit of the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University. (marc.pfeiffer@rutgers.edu)