Steven Towns
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Deputy chief content officer for e.Republic, publisher of Government Technology, Governing and Emergency Management.
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Articles by Steven Towns
Your Government Sales Questions Answered – e.Republic Government Market Insights
Since we launched e.Republic’s 10 Laws of Government Sales and Marketing webcast series earlier this year, you’ve asked us hundreds of questions about engaging and building relationships with public sector customers. Our fifth 10 Laws episode was dedicated to providing answers that will help you succeed in this unique and expansive market.
3 Ways to Strengthen Your Government Contracting Strategy
States and localities spend more than $3 billion annually on goods and services. And the bulk of this purchasing flows through contracts. Therefore, it’s critical for companies selling into the public-sector market to understand how the contracting process works and how their target customers prefer to buy. The latest installment of e.Republic’s 10 Laws of Government Sales and Marketing webcast series tackled this crucial issue.
Understanding How Government Buying Decisions are Made
Here’s a closer look at how you can better understand the people behind government buying decisions so you can tailor your approach to each member of that audience.
CIOs tackle modernization, boost security spending and worry about workforce
State and local IT leaders are coping with badly outdated infrastructure, but they’re still pushing to roll out new digital services. They’re getting more resources for cyber protection, and attempting to share those resources across jurisdictions more often. And they’re battling massive workforce challenges.
CIOs tackle modernization, boost security spending and worry about workforce
State and local IT leaders are coping with badly outdated infrastructure, but they’re still pushing to roll out new digital services. They’re getting more resources for cyber protection, and attempting to share those resources across jurisdictions more often. And they’re battling massive workforce challenges.
4 Tips for Building Trust with Government Clients – e.Republic Government and Education Market Insights
Want more government sales? Remember these tips for building trust. How do you build trust with public sector buyers? Do your homework; don’t over promise; and step up when the chips are down. That’s some of the advice from two prominent former government CIOs who spoke Tuesday on an e.Republic webcast about what makes companies successful in selling to the public sector.
Delaware CIO James Collins on the Promise of Blockchain and Its Value Proposition
Looking to the near future, Collins also discussed the state's plan to launch a one-stop business portal.
Delaware CIO James Collins on the Promise of Blockchain and Its Value Proposition
Looking to the near future, Collins also discussed the state's plan to launch a one-stop business portal.
Former DoD CIO Teri Takai to Lead Center for Digital Government
Teri Takai, former CIO for the U.S. Department of Defense and two of the nation’s largest states, will lead the Center for Digital Government (CDG)*, e.Republic’s national research and advisory institute on IT policy and best practices for state and local governments. Takai brings unique skills and experience to her new role as CDG’s executive director.
Georgia and Washington Plot Cybersecurity Strategy
The potential for a cyberattack targeting government data is on most decision-makers' radars, but that doesn't always translate to funding for a comprehensive cyberstrategy. At the NASCIO Mid-Year Conference last month, state IT leaders talked to Government Technology about the importance of executive support and the need to involve the proper stakeholders in the discussion.
Georgia and Washington Plot Cybersecurity Strategy
The potential for a cyberattack targeting government data is on most decision-makers' radars, but that doesn't always translate to funding for a comprehensive cyberstrategy. At the NASCIO Mid-Year Conference last month, state IT leaders talked to Government Technology about the importance of executive support and the need to involve the proper stakeholders in the discussion.
Wisconsin Aims to Unify the Customer Experience Online
Public-sector IT leaders realize that 50 departments and 50 different citizen-government relationships is not an acceptable way of delivering services in the Internet economy. At the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Baltimore last month, Wisconsin CIO David Cagigal talked to us about his plans to simplify the customer experience, using Arkansas' Gov2Go app as a model.
Georgia Human Services Agencies Contemplate Use of Artificial Intelligence Software
Government Technology talked to state CIOs about whether artificial intelligence can help government get smarter about service delivery during the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Baltimore. Georgia CIO Calvin Rhodes describes how the state is investigating the possibilities for public health programs, where the technology could help with more consistent messaging.
People, Not Computers, Should Be Making the Decisions
As computing capabilities continue to evolve and grow, Michigan CIO David Behen sees the potential to make government more efficient. But relying too heavily on technology, he cautions, runs the risk of losing sight of the customer. Behen talked to Government Technology earlier this month at the NASCIO Midyear Conference in Baltimore.
Can Chatbots Staff Your Call Center?
Earlier this month, state technology leaders gathered in Baltimore at the NASCIO Midyear Conference. Government Technology spoke with several state CIOs to get their thoughts on the potential cognitive computing might hold for government. Georgia Chief Technology Officer Steve Nichols says intelligent software may one day help the state provide more responsive citizen services.
Data Management: Why an Enterprise Approach Is Right for Delaware
At the NASCIO Midyear Conference earlier this month, Delaware CIO James Collins talked to Government Technology about the state's progress relative to open data, fueled by an executive order from Gov. Jack Markell earlier this year. Previous efforts to consolidate IT are also helping to position the state for more data sharing and analytics projects in the years ahead.
Big Bang, Agile or a Mix of Both?
BALTIMORE — While some in government point to instances where major system deployments are best completed using traditional waterfall development practices, the approach has its critics. Technology deemed suitable at a project’s outset can be archaic by the time roll-out nears.
Collaborators in Chief Share Successes at NASCIO
BALTIMORE — Private-sector partnerships ran though the proceedings at NASCIO’s Midyear conference, held this week at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor. More than 550 attendees registered for the three-day event, in which representatives from 46 states and territories are gathered to share best practices around common challenges facing state technology agencies, like procurement, enterprise IT deployments, data privacy and consolidation.
Collaborators in Chief Share Successes at NASCIO
BALTIMORE — Private-sector partnerships ran though the proceedings at NASCIO’s Midyear conference, held this week at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor. More than 550 attendees registered for the three-day event, in which representatives from 46 states and territories are gathered to share best practices around common challenges facing state technology agencies, like procurement, enterprise IT deployments, data privacy and consolidation.
Workforce Disrupted: Major Changes Ahead for Public-Sector IT Workforces
These days, IT employees might have a background in theater instead of computer science. They’re more likely than ever to be part-timers and short-timers instead of career public servants. Some of them are even configuring networks on a phone rather than a PC. These days, IT employees might have a background in theater instead of computer science. They’re more likely than ever to be part-timers and short-timers instead of career public servants.
Investing in Banks?
The post Investing in Banks? appeared first on Active Investing. Check out Oddball Stocks for details of a book about investing in banks in the works that Nate Tobik is co-authoring. A sample chapter (about whether bank stocks are risky) is available there for download.
2015 Digital Cities: Winners Experiment with Forward-Thinking Tech Projects
The 2015 Digital Cities Survey results are in. Dozens of cities were selected by a judging panel at the Center for Digital Government as the most strategic, efficient and innovative guardians of public-sector tech in the nation. The top-ranked cities will receive an award on Nov. 5 at the annual National League of Cities conference in recognition of their achievements. The first place winners in four population categories are Philadelphia; Alexandria, Va.; Avondale, Ariz.; and Shawnee, Kan.
For Illinois CIO Hardik Bhatt, the Future is Now
Hardik Bhatt has seen the future. Now his job is to bring it to the state of Illinois. Before Gov. Bruce Rauner named him state CIO in March, Bhatt had spent five years as Cisco’s Internet of Everything expert for local government. The job gave him a front-row view of how governments across the globe are using the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) to work smarter and more efficiently. “I’ve been to 18 countries in the past five years, 30-plus cities,” he said.
How the Internet of Things is Making Los Angeles a Smarter City
The city of Los Angeles uses a combination of open data and big data to improve services and strengthen public safety. One example is a recent partnership between the city IT department, transportation department, police department, mayor’s office and the University of Southern California to analyze open data on collisions between bicyclists and cars in order to reduce fatalities.
2015 Survey Honors Most Innovative, Pioneering Digital Counties
The power of counties can be traced back to the earliest local governments formed in colonial America, where new entities took shape to pick up the excess work that cities couldn’t handle, and then later matured into arms of the state. Today, county governments have become an indispensable ingredient in keeping the nation governed, and that is why those who are best at using technology to fill the role are being recognized in the 2015 Digital Counties Survey.
Confronting Tech Developments Nimbly, Collaboratively and Head-On
It’s better to have change happen with you than to you. That was the takeaway from government innovators speaking at our annual re:public leadership retreat in November. And as we close out 2014 and look toward a busy 2015, it’s a good message to keep in mind. Keeping pace with technological change is tough for many organizations, but it’s particularly wrenching on governments, which by design — and often by temperament — aren’t inclined to make major course changes quickly.
2014 Digital Cities: Winners Focus on Innovation, Boosting Transparency and Privacy
There are thousands of cities in the U.S., but not all can be considered digital cities. In fact, only 57 cities in the nation were named as winners in the 2014 Digital Cities Survey, which acknowledges cities that recognize the value of technology, empower their tech leaders and use new ideas to make life better for everyone who lives there.
Most Schools Don’t Teach Computer Science
Would it surprise you to know that most schools don’t teach computer science—not even the basics? It should, especially given that there will be about 1 million more U.S. jobs in the tech sector in the next decade than computer science graduates to fill them, according to Code.org, a nonprofit launched last year to promote computer science in schools. Failure to teach students basic theory behind how computer technology works has several implications—none of them positive.
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