In recent years, with the rise of high-tech personal phones and the expansion of computer-based technologies in the workplace, you have almost certainly heard the term “cloud computing” thrown around. Knowing about the possibilities and advances in cloud computing technology can open doors to citizen engagement and process improvement projects that could not be achieved in years past. The following list offers resources that outline some of the powers of “the cloud.”

• In the article “Cloud Computing,” ICMA outlines how managers across the profession are using cloud computing in their communities.
• Read through “Cloud Computing Enables Collaboration—Even Across an Ocean” to see just how governments in Australia and New Guinea are using the cloud to tackle problems with taxation after a volcano drastically reshaped a city’s population.
• Learn about Manchester, NJ’s experience  with cloud-service-implementation in the case study “Manchester Embraces the Cloud with FastTrackGov® Web-Based Citizen Request Tracking Software.”
• Answers to this user-generated question helped to guide the County of San Mateo, California to make a cost-based decision on whether to host its data on the cloud.

Take some time to think about all that you have learned in reviewing these resources. Can you improve your community with cloud-based technologies? Share your thoughts and stories about cloud-based projects in the comments section below; and be sure to check out the technology and e-government topic pages.

Aloha,

James Davidson

James Davidson is an intern for ICMA’s Knowledge Network. You can reach him for questions and comments at jdavidson@icma.org.