Local governments have an especially important role to play in collecting, maintaining and managing data on their communities. At the 2013 ICMA Annual Conference, Tuesday’s keynote address and several education sessions will help managers get a handle on what they need to know and what questions they should be asking to stay informed.

Do you know what questions to ask your IT staff and how to take advantage of the efficiencies new technology affords efforts to deliver high-quality service to your residents? Are you confused by all the media coverage of big data, open data and apps?

One of the best ways to launch a successful Social Media program is to ensure that the program aligns with your organization’s overall mission and strategic objectives. Having the SM team review a management tool such as a balanced scorecard or six sigma initiative is a critical success factor. I have seen many organizations lack this alignment, and this in turn leads to inadequate ROI and a pullback from using SM applications.

A few weeks ago, GovLoop asked, "Have any government social media activities led to really obvious results?"...

  We all know by now that it's important to make ourselves discoverable on the Internet. And we're smart enough to understand that one "like" or "retweet" does not necessarily translate into profit. But how do we maximize our online potential? Some of the answers might surprise you.