Innovations in technology are happening at lightening speed, making it difficult to stay on top of trends in the industry. For local government executives, the need to manage technologies strategicially and invest infrastructure dollars wisely are why ICMA now offers technology services. In offering these new services, ICMA is committed to:
- The awareness that IT departments can no longer just focus on the infrastructure of technology, but must lead innovations in their local governments in order to meet the expectations of citizens
- The need to demonstrate strong return on investment and performance gains against costs
- A focus on achievement of business objectives, concentrating on the need for detailed strategic planning and strong project management
- Implementation of high standards for project management and control, including careful project planning, consistent monitoring and reporting of progress, and prompt issue identification and resolution
- Open, frequent, and candid communication with stakeholders at all levels.
Our Services
ICMA Local Government Technology Services currently provides Technology Assessment Services and Strategic IT Plan Development.
Technology Assessment Services. ICMA recognizes that new technology initiatives provide real benefits only if people are committed to using the new systems. Our Technology Assessment Services involve interviewing local government staff and conducting focus groups to assess what needs exist within the local government organization and whether employees have bought into the need for new technology. Our focus is to ensure the successful implementation of new technology systems well before implementation ever begins.
Strategic IT Plan Development. Our Strategic IT Plan Development begins with a comprehensive review of the current technology systems in place in the local government organization. In addition to a conducting complete inventory of legacy systems and equipment, ICMA will also look at how employees use technology, what information citizens want from their local government, and what resources (staff, funds, etc.) are available to support technology. We then conduct research on what other comparable local governments are doing with technology across the country. We share these findings with local government executives and then proceed to work closely with our clients to develop a Strategic IT Plan that addresses their needs and position the greater community for the future.
Our Experience
Michael Cannon, ICMA’s Chief Information Officer, leads ICMA's Local Government Technology Services Program. Michael has a wealth of local government experience having previously served as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the City of Rockville, Maryland, prior to his appointment at ICMA. While at the City of Rockville, he led the development and implementation of two comprehensive five year IT strategic plans, FY2001-2005 and FY2012-2016. Other significant accomplishments included managing the conversion and implementation of the City’s ERP system from a mainframe-based to a Web-based system using CGI-AMS Advantage. Cannon also oversaw the development of a 200+ layer GIS system, which was part of a local government consortium comprised of over 10 local government entities. He spearheaded the development of a public-facing interactive web-based GIS interactive map system, and created an open data initiative making open data from GIS layers available to the public in an electronic format.
LEARN MORE
ICMA exists to serve those who work to advance excellence in local governance and improve quality of life. Our priority is to help jurisdictions determine what technology makes sense for their community, and advise them on how best to implement a system for maximum benefit to their citizens.
To learn more, contact Michael Cannnon, Chief Information Officer, at mcannon@icma.org or 202-962-3577.
Related Services
For customer service technology, see ICMA's 311/CRM Technical Assistance Services.
