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.

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.