Everyone sees the bright shiny fire truck arrive on the scene to put out the fire.  Everyone sees the EMS units rushing to help.   Everyone sees the Rescue units as they respond throughout the community.  Everyone sees the flashing blue lights as law enforcement work to keep our community safe.  Everyone sees State Highway Patrol respond to wrecks.

Catawba County is very fortunate to have the many dedicated professionals and volunteers that protect us, keep our community safe and help us in times of need.  These are everyday people that are thrust into the role of hero at a moment’s notice.

As we watched the terrible tragedy in Boston unfold, it was easy to see the responders and the very professional job that they did. Their prompt actions ensured the injured received immediate treatment and that others were moved from harm’s way.

But in Catawba County and in Boston, there is a hero that nobody sees.  That is the person that takes the 911 call and makes sure that the fire truck, EMS, Rescue, and law enforcement arrives.  Known for a calm professional voice in a time of crisis, the telecommunicator is the first responder.  Let me give you a glimpse of their world.

Nobody sees the telecommunicator that hears a mother’s cry as she pleads for someone to help her dying child.  Nobody sees the telecommunicator that helps a victim move away from their attacker. Nobody sees the telecommunicator that locates an elderly person in distress.  Nobody sees the telecommunicator that doesn’t give up when they heard a moan on a cell phone. Nobody sees the telecommunicator that has just heard a gunshot on a call from a distraught young man. Nobody sees the telecommunicator and the stress that they deal with every day.

But all is not bad: Nobody sees the telecommunicator that has just helped a young father deliver his daughter in the backseat of the family car on a snowy night. Nobody sees the telecommunicator that walks a son through CPR for his dad.  Nobody sees the telecommunicator who talks a young person out of committing suicide. Nobody sees the telecommunicator that helps locate a person in danger in another state by a phone call. Nobody sees the telecommunicator that helps an elderly lady who can’t get her medicine open.  Nobody sees the telecommunicator who patiently deals with the six year old that has just had a lesson on 911 in school and decides to call. Nobody sees the telecommunicator and the enormous satisfaction that successes bring.

This week is National Telecommunicators Week and I want to personally thank all of the telecommunicators in Catawba County for the excellent service they provide to everyone in Catawba County. I would like to also say thanks to telecommunicators everywhere for the tough job that they have and for the professional manner they always use to carry it out.  They are definitely the heroes that nobody sees.

People come to Catawba County’s web site for many reasons. One is for the information and data that they find there.  The site has always been rich in information about the county and services that are provided. In recent years, as more and more people wanted data in digital format, many datasets were moved to the web so citizens could have instant access to data from their homes or anywhere.

So what are they looking at?  Listed below are the top 10 data sets that are being downloaded.

1. GIS Parcel Report: By far the most downloaded information is the GIS Parcel Report. This report contains owner information about the parcel as well as tax value, acreage, references to the Deed Book, school district, zoning and even Census tracks. The GIS Parcel Report can be found at http://gis.catawbacountync.gov/parcel/  .
2. Registered Voters in Catawba County: Given all the excitement with the 2012 election, it should be no surprise that voter information is the second most downloaded data set. This data set contains the names and addresses of registered voters in Catawba County, their party affiliation, race, gender, age, municipality, school district and other information. The Registered Voters in Catawba County can be found at http://bit.ly/ozQTMX.
3. Issued Building Permits and Building Permit Inspections: If you want to know what is being built beside you or the status of the inspections, you can go to the Permits Issued page.  This site will give you information about a single permit or of every permit issued for a certain date range. The Permit Inspections page will give you a list of all inspections in a date range and the approved or failed status.  The Issued Building Permits can be found at: http://bit.ly/nCOgC5 and the Permit Inspections can be found at: http://bit.ly/nQ2xLH
4. Cell Phone Towers in Catawba County, NC: Want to know where the cell towers are located? Check out Cell Phone Towers in Catawba County, NC. This spreadsheet will give you the latitude and longitude of towers, the height, the type of tower, and owner information. This data set can be found at:  http://bit.ly/noWD1N
5. Who’s In Jail?: The Catawba County Who’s In Jail page has been popular since it went up. On this page you can find the name and address of the person confined, the age, the charges, and court date information. The Catawba County Who’s In Jail page can be found at:   http://injail.catawbacountync.gov/WhosInJail/
6. Restaurant & Lodging Inspection Scores: Want to know the inspection score of that restaurant you are planning on going to tonight? The Restaurant & Lodging Inspection Scores dataset will give you the scores for all the restaurants in Catawba County, along with their inspection date.  Depending on the date range entered, you can get a history of inspections for the restaurant. The Restaurant & Lodging Inspection Scores can be found at: http://bit.ly/xp9rRQ
7. Cemeteries in Catawba County, NC: Do you know how many cemeteries are in Catawba County? To find out how many and where they are located, you can go to the Cemeteries in Catawba County, NC at: http://bit.ly/nXyk7v
8. Mobile Homes: Mobile homes have generated a lot of discussion in the past and there is still a lot of interest.  The Mobile Homes data set contains owner information, location information, the year built, and sales information. The Mobile Homes data set can be found at:  http://bit.ly/nb9udC
9. Apartments: Apartment downloads have almost the same interest as mobile homes and includes very similar data. The Apartments data set contains owner information, location information, structure type, number of bedrooms, and sales information. The Apartments data set can be found at:   http://bit.ly/pKMreV
10. Historic sites in Catawba County, NC: And coming in at number ten is Historic sites in Catawba County, NC.  This dataset contains 34 historic sites, their location, the year established and whether or not they are on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Historic sites in Catawba County, NC data set can be found at: http://bit.ly/oJWb3W

If you found these data sets interesting, all of the data sets can be found at: http://www.catawbacountync.gov/datasets/ .  For those of you using mobile devices, My Catawba County contains several of the top 10 data sets including access to Who’s In Jail and What’s the Score.  Want to download, My Catawba County for your mobile device?  Go to http://m.catawbacountync.gov/mycatawbacounty/ .

Every year about this time I try to predict the technology trends for local government that will influence how we do business in the coming year.  This year, I am doing something a little different.  I started with an article that covered some of the changes we have seen in the past few years that will define trends for 2012. That article can be found at http://enewsletter.catawbacountync.gov/ITC/?p=224. Using that basis, here are my predictions for 2012.

As we begin 2012 there are major shifts in technology.  These shifts determine new devices and services that will be offered and how we interact with them.  Dion Hinchcliffe has a great infographic that outlines these shifts in a recent blog, The “Big Five” IT trends of the next half decade: Mobile, social, cloud, consumerization, and big data.  A scan of the Internet echoes these themes from services like Gartner and Deloitte.  So how and will they impact Government?

User Experience

Let’s begin with the shift in user experience.  Since the 80’s the Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been used everywhere.  Program to a mouse and a keyboard and meet the standard.  Now with tablet devices and smartphones, everything has moved to touch screens. Give a two year old a tablet and they will interact with it. Touch screens are intuitive, easy to use and are now the standard.  Citizens will expect to interact with government using smart devices with touch screens.  Programming to meet these demands will be a challenge.

Mobile devices will also move into all areas of government service.  Their size and power will make them the perfect tool for providing services in the field.  The challenge here will be the software that these agencies use.  Providing a virtual machine environment to software using an old GUI will only provide a temporary solution. Software will have to be compatible with and take advantage of the touch interface of mobile devices. Vendors who cannot meet these demands will soon be replaced due to the pressure internal users will exert on the IT departments.

With mobile devices comes face to face video communication. Smartphones, tablets, and computers all have this capability and use of video communication is becoming part of the culture. Today it is primarily used to communicate with family and being incorporated into social networking tools, but as it moves into the mainstream it will become an expectation of government agencies as well.

Another user interface, just coming onto the scene, that has tremendous potential for government is surfaces. Surfaces are large interactive displays, which incorporate multi touch, voice and gesture control, facial recognition, near field communication, quick response codes and other input/output mechanisms. Surfaces could work well in libraries, public buildings like court houses, social services or public health facilities– any area that shares information with the public.  They can be built into furniture, walls, or counter tops–basically any flat surface.  Planning departments could use this technology to review and edit large digital plans. GIS could use them to edit and display maps. And, the 911 Center consoles could be completely redesigned to use surfaces, replacing the many monitors and input devices that they currently use.   Agencies or departments that use big, or multiple, displays could benefit from this new technology.

IT Delivery

The second shift is in IT delivery. Currently in government, most IT services are delivered from a data center to a PC residing on a desktop or a notebook that has a certain confined degree of mobility.  With the present proliferation of mobile devices and the costs associated with backend services, many have or will move to the cloud. 

The cloud was one of the most hyped and misunderstood technologies of 2011 and for the most part, over promised and under delivered. However, it promises unlimited potential for government if used in creative and innovative ways. We will see the cloud mature in 2012 and agencies making informed decisions on how to use it.

As agencies move into a device and O/S agnostic environment that offers a consistent user experience, the cloud will play an integral part. Some applications will be delivered better by on premise deployment, some by the cloud and yet others by a hybrid deployment of the two.  In conjunction with mobile devices, cloud technologies will offer more possibilities than ever for delivering services.

And how will these services be delivered? Most will be browser based services or app based services.  Internal applications will allow organizations to choose, to a certain extent, which browser or app to program to but applications to the public will have to address a wide range of browsers.  Programs for PCs will have to work on the obvious, Internet Explorer but also on Firefox, Chrome and Safari.  Mobile programs will have to work with Safari, Opera, Android and Symbian to cover the spectrum.  And while browser based will be used extensively, native apps will need to be the preferred method for many applications so that certain tools on the device can be used and maximum speed maintained.

Information and Communication

The third major shift is in information and communication. Let’s jump directly to email. Yes we all use email to communicate and most would say that we cannot live without it. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook states the same thing;” I can’t imagine a life without it.”  However, she continues, email  “ is probably going away.”  She is basing her observation on kids and their preference for texting.  But she is not alone, the high tech firm Atos implemented a zero email policy and their employees are using other tools. 

I am not ready to say that email will go away in 2012, but I do feel that for email to remain a viable tool for the future, it must change.  Out the hundreds of emails received every day, and that is after the spam filter has blocked more than 80% of incoming emails, only a small fraction is of value.  Emails that are important and require action are sometimes lost in the unsolicited ones. Time sorting through and deleting them, storage, and processing power all add up to an inefficient system that needs to be revamped.

So what will replace email? Instant messaging and texting have been available for years and many are now using these communications tools.  Also, tools provided by social networks like Facebook, Google and LinkedIN are gaining in popularity.  The ability to setup groups and collaborate on projects while at the same time maintaining a focused line of communication, make these tools much more efficient than email. While email will continue in 2012, other tools will become more commonplace in government organizations.

The way information and data flow through content and data management systems to web pages is also changing. Web pages are becoming the reference section instead of the place people initially go to get information. Users are now being directed to specific information through links on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  Many of the services that once resided on web pages are now being either moved or duplicated on social media sites. This trend will continue in 2012 and we will see more information moved to social media and our communications more reliant on these new tools.

Innovation and Usage

Most organizations have built their technology on an enterprise model.  This was the cheapest and most efficient way to deliver technology services to the user.  It also gave IT a lot of control over the type of equipment and applications used, and security.  In other words, standardization.  With the tidal wave of mobile devices, this model is no longer viable.  These devices have tremendous potential and employees want to use them.  They also are at a price point that employees can afford and may prefer to bring their own.

The “Bring Your Own Device” movement and the proliferation of mobile devices challenges most IT departments but this is the new norm.  Standardization now means being able to provide tools and applications that allow for the worker to complete their duties on any platform from the desktop to mobile devices. Software vendors, take note, your interfaces will need to change. Leadership, take note, replacement cycles will change to backend support costs; or from capital to operating expenditures.  This will be difficult for some organizations but the pressure from the market will keep this trend moving forward at a rapid pace.

Big Data

The last trend is the move from individual databases and business intelligence to big data.  As the public becomes savvier about using all the data available on the Internet and as organizations look to find every performance gain possible within the existing or shrinking budget, disconnected databases and siloed reports will not be sufficient. The public is going to expect that they can get data from local government in much the same way that they find it with Google, and just as fast.  They will expect transactions to be available in real time and that information about those transactions can be connected to other data sources and shared in real time.  At the same time, organizations will need to find ways to use the massive amounts of information that they collect, merge it with outside data sources, and be able to make the hard decisions that lead to better services for citizens.

In Closing

2012 will offer us many new technology challenges but in the words of a friend, “They should not be looked at as a burden to bear but rather, as an excitement to share.” We have some of the best and most exciting technology ever available. The potential for giving the most to our citizens is unlimited. And on that note, maybe the biggest challenge for 2012 will be deciding which of these great technologies fit into our organizations and will bring the most value to our citizens.

Every year about this time I try to predict the technology trends for local government that will influence how we do business in the coming year.  This year, I am doing something a little different.  I am starting with an article that covers some of the changes that we have seen in the past few years that will define trends for 2012.  This is the first of two articles for Trends 2012.

We are living in one of the most exciting times in technology. Products and services introduced in the last few years have truly changed the way we live, work and play.  We have information, entertainment and communication all at our finger tips.  Computing has become powerful and ubiquitous.

As I look over the past ten years, there are many companies that have introduced new and amazing technology.  However, I feel four companies have really changed the way we live and interact with that technology.  These are Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

I think there is little doubt that the iPhone and iPad have changed the way we use and interact with technology.  These powerful devices have defined the user experience and moved it to new levels of power and ease of use.  One only has to watch a two year old with an iPad to see how intuitive it is to use.  That and the lightness of the device have made it a choice of many from business to the home.   Steve Jobs even went on to propose that we have entered the “post-pc” era.  The initial reaction was heated and filled with resistance, but that seems to have changed as time is proving him correct and more people are using tablet devices as opposed to desktops.

And Google, what would today’s world be like if we could not “Google it”?  Google has literally become a tool that we cannot live without.  It allows us to search and find information on any topic we can imagine. But in addition to being a search engine, Google has introduced a lot of technology that has been game changers.  They were one of the first to introduce the cloud and hosted products for the office.  They are in the operating system business with Android and the major competitor for the Apple iPhone. And they are one of the few that can seriously challenge Facebook in the social media world with Google+.

That leads me to the third company, Facebook.  They have changed the way we interact with one another.  Developed as a tool for college students, people from all age groups, and backgrounds, now use it to communicate and share information.  Facebook has led and dominates the social media world.  With over 800 million users, their services are engrained into the lives of many of us.  And with every update of their software we share a little more of our lives with the world.  With Skype partnering with Facebook and Google + having built in video, we are moving to a social world online in which friends may never be in the same place. Face to face video is here.  Combine this with Timeline, and all of a sudden we are close to having our entire lives stored and available to the world in a digital format.

The fourth company is Amazon.  They have definitely changed the way we shop. Order something today; enjoy it being delivered to your door tomorrow.   They have removed the hassle of going to the mall and offer better prices.  They have also revolutionized the book market and how we buy and read books.  Their latest reader is designed to deliver all types of content right to our finger tips. And if you will note, all four of these companies are poised to deliver content to our devices.

And what about technology itself, what is changing there? Let me start with a controversial one, email.  Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook made the statement that email is probably going away. She was citing the fact that the younger generation is using other means to communicate.  However, there are also other signs that indicate this may be true or at least, email in the way we know it now may have to change.  There are several CEOs of major tech firms stating that it is inefficient and wastes precious resources in its present format. CEO Thierry Breton of Atos has banned his employees from sending internal email forcing other communication tools to surface. This is a technology that is changing.

Another technology is the cloud.  It was the rage in 2011 and it is definitely changing the way we currently do and will do business.  There are many successful players in this arena and lots of great technology services.  As I mentioned above, Google was one of the first companies to really be recognized for its cloud offering.  However, Microsoft with the most used Office products are there too.  Apples iCloud offers services that are a little different and offer more of a consumer touch. Regardless of the provider, this technology offers tremendous potential for the future.

Wireless devices are also changing our world in ways they never did before.  In 2011, the number of wireless devices in the US exceeded the entire population of the US.  These include smartphones and tablets.  They allow us to be in constant contact and access information from anywhere. Current numbers for the end of 2011 indicate sales in excess of a 100% increase over 2010.  They will definitely have a big impact in the coming years.

2011 also saw Internet Explorer (IE) fall below 50% of the browser market.  Web developers in the past could program to this standard and not worry.  However, IE is now being challenged by Firefox, Chrome, and Safari on the desktop. In the mobile world, IE is rarely used.  This market is dominated by Safari Mobile, Opera Mini, and Android browsers. This offers a challenge for providing services via the web.

The last technology that I would like to highlight is Siri.  Apple introduced Siri with the iPhone 4s in October.  While some would argue that this is just another voice recognition software, Siri is a lot more sophisticated.  Siri builds real intelligence into the voice recognition.  Siri is able to look at services on your smartphone and interact with them.  If Siri cannot find your request on the smartphone, it will look to the Internet for help.  This includes huge databases at Apple that are tied to Google and other search engines.  One of those , WolframAlpha, is a powerful search engine from the mathematics world. This is another game changing technology that will have a huge influence on how we interact with our devices.

As I stated in the beginning of this article, these are some of the companies and technologies that I see influencing government technology in 2012.  They definitely do not represent all of the fantastic products on the market but they do represent some of the ones that have significantly impacted our lives and how we deliver services.  Check out the next blog for my predictions for 2012.

It has always amazed me when a snow storm is approaching our area that everyone runs to the store to buy milk and bread. Truth be known, some of these people probably don’t even like milk but buy it anyway.  No one wants to be stuck at home with less than a week’s supply.

But while we stock up on food, very few of us think about our mobile devices that we have become so dependent on.  Cell phones are a critical part of our life today, but we rarely consider what could happen if we don’t have them.  Could we call 911 for help? Could we check on our aging parents? Are the kids safe? Could we communicate without our mobile devices?

The answer to that question is use a land line.  However, many households, and especially households with young adults, do not have land lines; they are totally dependent on mobile devices.  This is a trend that will continue and the number of people with land lines will be even less in the future.

That brings us to another point.  During the recent earthquake, people could not get through on their cell phones because the networks were jammed.  Cell phone networks get jammed because the cell sites are only designed to handle a certain number of calls at the same time. Likewise, the switches that the wireless companies use can only carry a specific number of calls at the same time. Carriers cannot afford to build networks that would accommodate everyone talking at the same time so we as users need to be mindful of that in emergencies.

So how do we make sure that we are prepared? That we have our digital milk and bread?  Here are some tips to help you cope with digital issues during inclement weather and other events that may occur:

Leave them plugged up: With the exception of tornadoes, we usually have a fair amount of warning before most weather related events occur in Catawba County. For events that you know are coming, keep your devices charged at all times in case the power goes off. Just leave them plugged up.  This may be a little inconvenient, but you’ll know that you have a full charge and several hours of talk time should the power go off.  Once the weather related event passes go back to your regular charging practices.

Purchase extra power: Having extra charging devices and supplemental power is a good idea. They are relatively inexpensive and could give you the ability to make an emergency call. For longer events, solar chargers are a good idea.  This is especially good for other activities like camping where power may be limited. A word of caution, make sure that any charging device works with your device, for example iPads require 1 amp to charge.  Most phones only require a low USB charge.

Remember other charging options: If your battery does go dead, consider using your car to charge it.  Even if you don’t completely charge it, the car will probably give you more than enough power to call for help if you need assistance.  Some weather radios with hand crank power also have USB ports that will give your phone power to call for help.

Play Angry Birds when you have power: Digital devices are a great source of entertainment and we all need that when the power goes off.  However; it is more important to be able to receive information and  have the ability to call for help during an event so conserve the power on your mobile device if the power is off.  Use as little power as possible. Turn off all unnecessary apps.  Remember it may be a while before the power comes back on; ask yourself do I need to be entertained or make sure I can get help if needed?

Are you okay? Yes, Goodbye: Everyone wants to know if their family members are okay during and after an event.  This is normal and expected.  Contact your family members to determine if everyone is okay but don’t stay on the line.  It is human nature to be relieved when everyone is okay and then to continue the conversation with small talk or maybe even plans for the weekend.  Remember the limited capacity of cell phone networks.  Someone else may be calling for help and may not be able to get through because you are still on the line.  Be mindful of others and be brief when calling to see if loved ones are okay.  They may not be as lucky as you.

A good time for texting: Cellular and data networks are separate, consider using texting instead of calling.  Texting requires much less resources than a phone call and you may get through quicker.  If family members are not familiar with texting and do not see the point, this one technology could be the difference between life and death.  Learn to use it!

Social networking becomes a tool: For the same reason as texting, use sources like Facebook and Twitter to stay informed and communicate.  They ride the data network and use far fewer resources than a phone call. Make sure that anything you post is true.  Do not post something that would cause others to panic.  It may be fun to post the first picture of damage but be very careful that you do not put yourself in danger taking a picture.  Also be thoughtful of others.  Do not post a picture of an injured person that the person or the family may see later. And one last tip, if the power is out and you are bored; refrain from uploading your vacation pictures because you have nothing else to do. The resources and the power you use may be critical in the following hours.

We may want your photos: Catawba County Government may ask you to post photos of damage in your area.  Mobile devices provide the capability to capture important information and disburse it quickly.  Smartphone technology offers some of the best cameras in the world. First rule, never put yourself in danger trying to get a photo.  Safety first! We appreciate your assistance in assessing damage, but make sure you can do it safely.  If we need photos from the field, we will ask you to send them to our photo site at http://www.catawbacountync.gov/uploadphoto.asp

Program to be informed: Program emergency resources into your mobile device now and check them regularly so that you will know how to use them when an emergency does arise.  These should include:

• Follow @CatCoEm on Twitter for official emergency information and preparedness messages.
• http://Ready.gov
• http://www.readync.org
• www.redcross.org  (Click on Preparedness Fast Facts)

Local news and weather feeds: Make sure you can get local area news website bookmarks and apps. All Charlotte area news stations have some version of mobile access. Sign up for an email or text message weather alert feature:

• The Weather Channel    https://registration.weather.com/ursa/alerts/step1
• WSOC-TV   http://cf.localwireless.com/wireless/signup.cfm?sid=37
• WBTV App http://www.wbtv.com/Global/link.asp?L=323605
• Weather Bug     http://weather.weatherbug.com/mobile/mobile-weather-alerts-registration.html
• Weather Channel: http://www.weather.com/mobile/swap/send_sms_to_phone.html

Local emergency services feeds:

• Bookmark the My Catawba County App on your smart phone to be able to get local information such as roads and shelters when activated.
• Prepare yourself to handle some family emergencies without calling 911 by putting a first aid and CPR app on your phone or bookmark a site. WebMD is an example of a free one.

Sources for shelters:

Shelter information is updated every 30 minutes from the National Shelter System

http://app.redcross.org/nss-app

There is a Shelter View App available for iPhone on iTunes.

Safe and Well: After a disaster, letting your family and friends know that you are safe and well can bring your loved ones great peace of mind. This website is designed to help make that communication easier.  Concerned family and friends can search the list of those who have registered themselves as “safe and well” by clicking on the “Search Registrants” button. The results of a successful search will display a loved one’s first name, last name and a brief message. https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php

Give alerts a special ringtone: Subscribe to the Catawba County Community Alert System and assign a different ringtone on your phone.  This will ensure that you know there is an emergency and that you should answer this call immediately.  To sign up for Catawba County Community Alert System go to http://www.catawbacountync.gov/alert/ .

Paper is sometimes good: One of the most overlooked emergency preparedness steps is important documents and financial information access. Technology can be both a friend and a foe in an emergency. If the only place you keep important phone numbers and family information is the one in your cell you may be in trouble when your cell phone dies or the power is out and you cannot get the data from your computer. Keep printed lists of all contact information including your doctors, dentist, insurance agent and banks as well as contacts outside of the area.  Include as many ways to contact a person as you have: home phone, cell phone, work phone, email, fax numbers, complete mailing address and Twitter names. The written list may be the only thing you have when you do find a way to contact someone. Do not assume you will be able to remember a telephone number or address – even ones you call frequently. Fatigue, adrenalin and stress zap our brain power and memory.

To the cloud: Copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses, medical insurance and social security cards, the cover page to your homeowner’s insurance policy or mortgage may be critical in re-establishing your family after a disaster. Consider scanning important documents for safekeeping in a password protected document site in the Cloud such as Dropbox or Google Docs. Some place accessible from an internet connection but protected so only you can get the information. Then when you meet with insurance adjusters, FEMA or Red Cross reps you will have the proof no matter what happened to your house in an event.

We haven’t had that first snow yet and the masses have not stormed the grocery stores for milk and bread.  But those days are coming and now is the perfect time to get your digital milk and bread ready for this year’s season.  Whether it be a snow storm or some other event don’t be caught off guard!

The convergence of voice, video and data is old news today, but when it happened it changed the world.  New possibilities became available for the delivery of services like phone, movies and entertainment. All this was enhanced with the flood of small mobile devices.  And now, we love being able to use our smartphone to connect to the internet, to take pictures and post to Facebook, to instantly get information about our location, to remain in constant contact with our social networks, and to have access to thousands of apps.

Now that same technology is bringing about a new convergence, a convergence with the print and paper world. Did I just say paper?  If you have been involved in technology planning, you probably have explored the paperless office so saying that technology is now converging with print and paper probably makes you shudder.  But a simple little two dimensional bar code and a smartphone with a camera have converged to become one of the most promising technologies today.

Two dimensional barcodes, known as QR Codes are showing up everywhere.  They have become the missing link between the printed world and the smartphone phenomenon.  A look at Google Trends Chart shows that QR Codes have peaked the world’s interest.  Looking further, major brands are using QR Codes in very creative ways.  GMC, Ford, and Chevy have all used QR Codes to promote their cars. The Weather Channel uses a QR Code to download apps. Best Buy uses QR Codes to directly link customers to mobile shopping. Starbucks uses QR Codes in mobile APPs to allow consumers to pay with a simple scan of a phone. Adidas Japan launches the FIFA World Cup 2010 site featuring a QR Code that takes you directly to the mobile version of the site.  Facebook  plans to give 450 million users and brands a QR Code linking to their Profile Page or Fan. Iron Man uses a QR Code in movie posters to promote the sequel.  The JFK Presidential Library and Museum uses a QR Code to promote the associated Twitter account.  ToysRus launched a new mobile campaign integrating QR Codes on signage and shelf talkers. ReMax is using on house signage.  And the list goes on.  For more companies visit QRe8.

And what does this hold for local government? It gives us a way to bring printed materials and signage to life. I have already introduced you to the QR Codes on our building hard cards in the blog What Is That Funny Little Thing On My Building Permit? This allows builders to see all the details of their construction project right on their smartphone. This is a true convergence of print and smartphone technology.

So what are some other things you may see in this convergence? Perhaps a QR Code when you enter the Commissioners meeting that will allow you to load a copy of the agenda on your Smartphone. At the library, books may have QR Codes that take you to reviews and comments about the book. You may see QR Codes appearing on business cards that will automatically load the contact information to your mobile device. You may see QR Codes being used in the park to give you information about plants and animals or operating hours. You may see QR Codes being used on literature to link you to videos. The use of QR Codes converged with all types of technology is only limited by our imagination.

Who would have thought that the technological convergence of the first decade of this century which seemed to shun paper and print would converge again to embrace these powerful tools from the past?

Over the last few years Catawba County has implemented many different ways for citizens to receive information and  interact with us.  I titled this Social Media because that term is recognized by everyone on the web.  It would be more appropriate to title it “Citizen Interaction with Catawba County” or just “Communicating” . And note that this is possible using the Web 2.0 tools that make social media so popular today.  This article will take you through the different tools and media available, as well as, provide links to the resources.

As we look at these different tools,  we hope  we  have provided ways for citizens to interact with government that goes far beyond the methods of the past and that they  find it easier to get information; communicate their thoughts, ideas, and concerns ; and conduct business with us. 

The tour starts with our newly redesigned homepage http://www.catawbacountync.gov/ . You will note larger pictures, a new “Did You Know?” section and a consolidation of links from  the previous homepage. Popular pages like Online Deed Search, Real Estate Maps, and Who’s in Jail can be found quickly under Quick Links along with several tools for citizens like Community Alert System, Online Payments, and Street Sign Repair reporting. In the upper right corner you will find a group of small icons. They represent links to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, Foursquare, RSS feeds, Blogs.  More on each of these later.  The last two represent Ask a Question and Idea Box.

Facebook was the first social media site  we began using. Originally designed to hit the 18 to 44 year old audience, it now has an audience that spans beyond that targeted group. Today it has over 2100 followers, or in Facebook terms, people who “Like This”. The Catawba County Facebook page contains feeds from a number of other sources and  can be relied upon  to have the latest information and stories.

Twitter was the next tool deployed.  The main Twitter site, CatawbaCounty receives tweets from our news articles and from a number of our blog sites. Again this is a good source for the latest information and it can be delivered to your Twitter account, your email account or a number of devices like your phone.  Catawba County has three other Twitter sites CatCoEM, Catawba911 and CatCoPurchasing.  CatCoEM is our Emergency Management feed.  It has the latest information about potential weather threats, helpful information about what to do in an emergency, and a constant flow of updates when we do have an incident. Catawba911 tweets  any traffic related incidents in the county.  This is very helpful when planning the routes for your errands. CatCoPurchasing tweets all of the bid requests making it easy for vendors to track and bid on products and services needed by the county.  They also tweet surplus property to be sold.  Follow them and you may pick up a bargain.

We all love YouTube.  Catawba County’s YouTube site has a number of great videos with some very useful information.  This ranges from information about the Commissioners meetings, to recycling, to health information and more.  Check it out!

The county also has a Flickr site. On this site you will find photos from different events across Catawba County.  Photos can be uploaded by individuals to be approved for inclusion on the site.

The county has six blog sites.  These are the eNewsletter which users can subscribe to, the Legislative Update, the Library Newsletter, Catawba County Parks, Catawba County Public Service Announcements, and my CIO Blog.  The eNewsletter contains the latest information about meetings and happening in Catawba County.  By subscribing to it, citizens  can receive information about proposed changes and events delivered right to their email. All of the blogs contain great information so let me hit upon some highlights.  Check out the Legislative Update Blog to get info on what’s happening in the legislature, Catawba County’s position on bills and the potential impact that a bill may have on you and the county. The Library Newsletter can guide you to the latest books, workshops and events. Check out the Parks Blog if for no other reason than the photos.  Blair Rayfield, the Park Manager, takes great pictures of the changing seasons.  There is also info about park hours and events. The PSA blog from Catawba County Sheriff’s Department keeps you informed about the latest scams and cons. Use this to keep you and your loved ones safe.  And finally if you are reading this, you have already found the CIO Blog.  Thank you for following.

Location based software is the new kid on the block.  Smartphones with built in GPS technology offer a world of opportunity. Information can be viewed  based on what is nearby.  Catawba County’s Foursquare site offers that type of service for government services.  Using Foursquare citizens can find information about parks, theaters, the animal shelter, historical sites and more.  Check this out for tips about nearby  locations.

I will end this blog with some Smartphone tools designed for contractors.  Catawba County is using Web 2.0 technology to make it easier for contractors to access information in the field. One of the most popular is the inspection reports.  Contractors can access these straight from their Smartphones.  Here are the links to the available services:

Android and Blackberry Storm Friendly Links

Permit Parcel Search Report

http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/u%26e/pc_cr_permitparcelsearch.asp

Permit Detail Report

http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/u%26e/pc_cr_permitdetail.asp

Contractor Search

http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/u%26e/pc_cr_contractorsearch.asp

Inspection Assignment Tracking Report

http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/u%26e/pc_cr_iat.asp

Blackberry (pre storm) and Android Friendly Link

Inspection Assignment Tracking Report

http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/u%26e/pc_mobile_iat.asp

As you can see, Catawba County   offers several ways for citizens to interact with government.  We will continue to work to make access better and easier as new tools and opportunities become available. We are always open to suggestions and welcome your ideas for improving existing services and for new services that you would like to see implemented.

The permit center is in the process of adding QR Codes to the permit hard card.  The following is an explanation about how the code works from Steve Lackey.  

By Steve Lackey

Along with the use of smartphones and other related devices, QR Codes are becoming quite popular and useful.  Called “Quick Response Codes”, they store a considerable amount of information.   The code shown here is an example of a QRCode that is a web address to a specific web site.  This one happens to be interpreted by a smartphone or device as the address to the mobile version of the Inspection Assignment Tracking report.  Using a free app to read and interpret the code, the address for this site is loaded into your browser and allows you to go to that web site.

You will begin seeing these codes on several documents and cards produced by the Permit Center.

Some examples of where you will see the code and what it can be used for are listed below

• Permit Hardcard & Permit – Address to generate the Permit Detail report showing relative permit information including inspections for that permit.
• Permit Hardcard & Permit – Address to generate a GIS map of the parcel that the permit is related to.

There are many uses for this outside of supplying web site information.  But, this is a start and again, open to ideas and suggestions for this as well.

What does 2011 hold for technology in government?  This is always hard to predict but we must continually be looking forward, researching the trends, separating the potential break through from the fads, and determining what solid technology in our past is now obsolete.  Investments must be sound to maximize the limited, available dollars.  As we move forward into 2011, these are some of the things that my research indicates will happen in local government.

The Focus Will be on Cost Saving Technologies and Strategies:  Hopefully we have seen the worst of the recession.  However; government is expected to feel the effects of it until at least 2015.  Budgets based on taxes and growth have suffered; and pressures put on fund balances through increased demands for services have decreased available funds.  This has happened across the United States leading to a reemphasized focus on cost saving technologies and strategies.

 According to Gartner, three top picks for cost savings will be Virtualization, Cloud Computing and Business Analytics.  Virtualization is an obvious way to save money, especially if your organization has not moved in that direction. The savings are significant.  We began moving to a virtual environment four years ago and now more than 95% of our servers are virtualized.  The savings over the old model is hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and at the same time, provides a far more efficient infrastructure.  Cloud computing is the new discussion heard everywhere.  The numbers being quoted as savings are impressive, but the true potential is yet to be realized. Regardless, it will definitely be a factor in the government sector, and government should plan for components of the cloud to be part of their overall operation.  Business analytics is an area that has gained importance as a result of the recession.  Government budgets are tight and leaders are looking at what really works and gives the most returns.  Business Intelligence provides quantifiable data to justify decisions. More on these three later…

Partnerships and collaborative agreements between local governments, and even, public private partnerships will become more common.  Many of the services provided by government are duplicated across jurisdictions. Through partnerships and collaborative agreements, we can take advantage of quantities of scale to obtain equipment and services at lower cost to the citizens. 

Groups like G7 which simply means Group of Seven will become more common. The G7 includes: Hardik Bhatt, CIO of Chicago; Randi Levin, CTO of Los Angeles; Bill Oates, CIO of Boston; Carole Post, Commissioner of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications in New York; Bill Schrier, CTO of Seattle; Bryan Sivak, CTO of the District of Columbia; and Chris Vein, CIO of San Francisco.  This group is using their combined strengths to carry out projects and secure services that are common to all of their organizations.

Virtualization Remains in the Spotlight:  Virtualization was the No. 1 technology in 2010 according to Gartner and will probably be the top technology again in 2011.  As stated earlier, this is a great way to reduce the cost of services.  Virtualization makes efficient use of resources by keeping server utilization high and sharing capacity.  It requires less human capital to run while providing for increased speed and stability. It is easy to add capacity and to provision additional servers and storage services.  Lastly, virtualization allows for a huge reduction in physical boxes resulting in power savings and savings of valuable square footage in the data center.

The Promise of Cloud Computing Becomes More Clear: Cloud computing has been publicized as being able to save organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars while providing superior service. As vendors rush this technology to market there are all flavors of public clouds, community clouds and private clouds. In Computerworld‘s Forecast 2011 survey, respondents said cloud computing is the most overhyped technology, but they also said its No. 2 on the list of technologies with the most promise for 2011. Both are true, cloud computing could save more than virtualization, but there are major questions that need to be answered before local governments embrace it. Some of the biggest questions deal with the legal aspects, where the applications and data will reside, the security and privacy.

Once these questions are answered the cloud’s potential is unlimited.  With the huge influx of web-based mobile applications, and the ability to connect enterprise data to tablet computers, smartphones and other mobile devices, the cloud could transform the way local government does business.  Unchained from desks and wire connected networks, workers can perform task in near real time and at the point where the service is needed.  This also means that software will have to change, and change rapidly, from LAN-connected, proprietary apps to web-based mobile apps that have the ability to interact with many systems.

Business Analytics Will be Called Upon to Justify Expenditures:  With budgets being tight in government, every service offered and every purchase approved will be under scrutiny.  Marginal, nice to have projects will have to compete with life saving services provided by government.  But how will these services be monitored? Business analytics will be called upon to provide better real-time reporting that is targeted at the core business of the department or group being monitored.  This will help determine the true return on investment or the true impact of the service.  Through better information, organizations will move from reactive to proactive decisions.

As with cloud computing, the software that is currently available for business analytics will also have to change.  Expensive proprietary software that interfaces with backend systems will not be the norm.     While business analytics are in high demand, funding is in very limited supply.  Business analytics software will have to be very affordable, easy to set up and use, and work with the mobile devices currently on the market.

Mobile Computing is Exploding: Gartner estimates that by the end of 2010, 1.2 billion people will carry handsets capable of rich, mobile commerce providing an ideal environment for the convergence of mobility and the Web. Mobile devices are powerful and offer a lot of computing power.  Couple this with the thousands of applications that are available and the abundance of bandwidth, these devices becomes like a third hand capable of delivering quality services to the user and to the citizens.

The size of these devices paired with GPS technology, location and motion data, context awareness and internet connectivity, offer local governments two distinct service advantages.  First, using these capabilities allows for the development of mobile applications for the public that can empower them to make decisions and interact with government from the field.  For example, quick response (QR) codes printed on building permits allows contractors to use smartphones to get immediate inspection results from the site or from anywhere. Location data allows real estate agents to determine, on the spot, who provides services to a particular piece of property.  Location based services like Foursquare.com allows government to give out information about nearby events like flu clinics.  The potential to deliver information to citizens on a personal basis has never been as high as it is with today’s mobile technology.

The second service advantage comes from government workers in the field using the mobile devices. It will be easy for them to submit data using the devices.  Tablets will become the norm for completing inspection reports, law enforcement reports, and collecting data like water and air quality.  They will also replace notebooks for connecting back to the network for email and related services. Again the potential is unlimited.

And will mobile continue to change and expand? There were over 30 tablets announced or delivered in 2010.  This is paired with new versions of operating systems like Android, Windows Mobile, and of course, the Apple iPad OS. As powerful as they are, smartphones and mobile devices, are still in their infancy. It should be noted that we are eons behind the mobile technology being used in Asian countries.  They are using the devices for everything including mobile payments with walk by technology. So what we are seeing today will change tomorrow.

With the Explosion in Mobile Computing Comes Security Concerns: As mobile devices become more common place, organizations will struggle to accommodate these devices while maintaining high standards for data and application security.  Security standards for these devices are still evolving and are difficult to enforce since each operating system is unique.  Vendors are rushing to get applications to the market, sometimes, sacrificing security for fast delivery. Malicious code, which has not been a problem, is probably being developed for these devices and operating systems. Adding to the frustration is the fact that these devices were designed to connect easily to everything, secure or not.  They are small and easy to carry which makes them easy to get lost or stolen.  All of this leads to huge security concerns with mobile devices.

Social Media Will Continue to Mature: Social media has become an accepted communication tool in local government.  The use of services like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn will continue to be used and will grow, but may be questioned about their role in the core business of organizations. Organizations that have tied all of these services together with automatic feeds will be in a better position moving forward.  Tools like wikis and blogs offer opportunities to crowd source and obtain opinions and feedback from citizens. Tools like presentation software, mind mapping, and simple word processing have social components allowing people to work together on projects.

In 2010, social media took an unexpected turn and became a new kind of tool.  Researchers found that they could mine the data from Facebook and Twitter and come up with valuable trends.  Unemployment trends, flu outbreaks, and purchasing habits could all be predicted using the data mined from conversations and status updates.  The Red Cross also sponsored a conference on social media and made public the tools that had been used to find and help people during recent incidents.  Local governments will find a developing public safety tool in social media.

A Collision of the Cloud, Social Media and e-Discovery is Coming:  With the proliferation of the cloud, citizen interaction with social media, and mobile devices everywhere, it is important to understand exactly how they affect structured data, preservation and data proliferation.  At this point, there is very little case law to guide organizations. Social media policies are starting to be incorporated into overall organization policies, but the cloud is so new that many of the questions have not even been asked.  Therefore, polices probably don’t exist or are just now being developed.  This is an area to watch.

Video Comes of Age:  Video is not new technology, but its role is changing from static to mobile. Services like Skype have made video conferencing essentially free and an expected form of communication. Video is being incorporated into every aspect of technology from consumer electronics, to the web to social networking, to unified communications, to internet based television.  Smartphones deliver media rich content anywhere. The iPhone delivers video conferencing, and services like UStream make it possible to send video from any source to the web.  New products like the Cisco Cius will turn your VoIP system into a video phone while giving the user a full tablet experience.  Over the next three years, Gartner believes that video will become a commonplace content type and interaction model for most users, and by 2013, more than 25 percent of the content that workers see in a day will be dominated by pictures, video or audio.  Local government needs to embrace video, and provide the connections and services that will become the norm.

Context Aware Services: Context aware computing works on the concept of using information about the end user to make suggestions that improve their experience. A contextually aware system anticipates the end user’s needs and proactively serves up the appropriate content and makes suggestions to make the user’s experience better.  For example, Amazon tracks the books I purchase and reviews the topics to make suggestions of books related to that topic that I may want to purchase. The GPS function on the smartphone gives restaurant reviews when you search for a restaurant.  And FourSquare lets you know if friends are nearby.  

So how does this tie to government?  For the end user, the service is the same as above.  Libraries could track interest and let patrons know when a new book comes in on the same topic. A user searching for school data could be given more than just the location.  The system could automatically give information like phone numbers, principal’s name, and paths to the schools performance data. Users searching for their tax bill could be given payment options.  Foursquare could deliver nearby park information to users or Health Department information like location and times for flu shots. 

Ubiquitous Computing:  Very little needs to be said here.  Ubiquitous Computing has been projected for many years but we may now be coming close to that realization. Computers are in widespread use in homes, businesses, and organizations. But two factors have added to that, mobile devices, which are computers in their own right, and constant connectivity.  People have the options now to connect from anywhere by computer, smartphone, tablet, and even other devices like gaming machines and video receivers.  Add to this the monitoring devices that are connected and ubiquitous computing is here.  This could prove challenging for local government but the possibilities are also exciting.

The iPad Will Have a Host of Competitors: There is no doubt that the iPad has changed the tablet world.  Its success has unleashed a host of competitors hoping for a share of that market.  As stated earlier there were more than 30 models introduced in 2010.  Most sources project that there are about twenty worth watching.  Regardless of how many make it, the tablet form factor, its ease of use, and its ease of connecting to the internet will make it a useful tool for local government.  It is one of the many mobile devices mentioned earlier, but it deserves a place of its own considering the impact it has had on the consumer market.  Government needs to prepare for this technology from both the citizen’s perspective, and the internal perspective.

What will be the next new technology in 2011?  That is yet to be seen.  Hopefully, this review of 2010 and looking forward into 2011will help us prepare for, and deliver better services to our citizens.

Research Sources:

• Gartner     http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1454221
• http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/352068/5_Trends_to_Watch_in_2011
• http://www.socialmediatoday.com/ginidietrich/205568/eight-social-media-trends-2011
• http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Management/10-Mobile-Tech-Trends-to-Watch-Into-2011-Gartner-493266/
• http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/the-top-5-trends-for-ediscovery-in-2011-according-to-clearwell-009221.php
• http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=10154&amp&amp&amp
• http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4048776.search?query=trends+2011+social+media
• http://www.govtech.com/e-government/G7-Big-City-CIOs-Work-to-Develop-Open-Source-IT-Solutions.html
• http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/110310-cisco-social-network-software.html?docid=110810b
• http://www.marketwatch.com/story/quest-software-unveils-2011-predictions-for-cloud-computing-virtualization-and-identity-federation-2010-11-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp
• http://knowledgenetwork.thunderbird.edu/research/2010/11/10/fred-von-graf/
• http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/351231/11_hot_skills_for_2011

This sounds like a simple question.  What does value mean to you? And it may be simple for you to answer. But when we asked several groups this question, we found that there were about as many answers as there were people answering.  We also found that the answers varied depending on whether you were looking at it from a citizen’s standpoint or from a government standpoint.  It even varied depending on the department being represented.  

While the definitions varied, there was a lot of commonality.  People were quick to convey that value is not just monetary.  The intrinsic value or the underlying perception of the true value included all aspects of the organization in terms of both tangible and intangible factors.

As we evaluate the technology projects we have completed over the past five years, these group discussions play a critical role in understanding the value of each project.  Through consolidation of definitions, value was summarized to these seven areas: Savings, Efficiency, Relationship, Citizen, Expectations, Risk, and Strategic.

Savings related to all of the ways to save money like reducing personnel, holding growth, time savings, or just the biggest bang for the buck. Efficiency was defined by efficient processes, time savings, process improvement, improved services and the ability to match needs with resources. Relationship value represents the relationships with the public and the internal relationships that are extremely important for any organization. Citizen value includes increased levels of service, but it goes well beyond that to include removal of constraints, providing useful information and making a positive change in behavior, attitude and well being.

Expectation may seem like a strange value, but it has become part of the delivery of services.  People expect to have choices based on their personal preferences, they expect more online services, they expect accessibility, and simplification.  They also expect security in their dealing with the government which brings us to the next value, risk.  Reducing risk is of high value today.  Data security, integrity and the preservation of data and institutional knowledge are all part of the risk value assigned to projects.

Strategic value is the last of the seven.  Sometimes the value is in the priority of a service that is needed or desired.  Sometimes value is generated by an opportunity that would be lost if not acted upon. Or maybe it is just part of the business outcomes.

Below is a summary of the terms from our value discussions.  They are broken into the seven summary areas.  Perhaps your definition of value falls into one of the areas, or maybe you have other definitions.  The important thing to realize is that we may all look at things a little differently; however, when it comes to providing valuable services to the citizen we must review every project for its contribution to the County’s overall well being.

 Money Savings (Savings)

• Reduce  Personnel/Hold the growth
• Time Savings
• Cost in relationship to alternatives
• Biggest bang for your buck
• Cost savings- resources, personnel
• Limited resources

 Better Efficiency (Efficiency)

• Efficient
• Time Savings
• Process Improvement
• Ability to match resources to need
• Improved Service Delivery
• Improved Communications

 Public Relation Value (Relationship)

• Public perception
• Human Resources Support
• Relationships- human and tangible

 Better Service to the Citizen (Citizen)

• Increased Level of Service
• Removal of Constraints
• Positive change in behavior, attitude or well being
• Useful Information

 Expectations (Expectation)

• Personal preference
• Desirable
• Choice
• Ability to do more
• Anything that increases the quality of life
• Access /Accessible
• Meeting expectations
• Ease of use/transaction/interaction

 Mitigates risk (Risk)

• Reducing risks
• Data Security and Integrity
• Increased Security
• Institutional Knowledge

 Strategically important (Strategic)

• Priority
• Needed/desired
• Opportunity Lost/Cost
• Business Outcomes