Steve Towns

Recent Articles

• Boston's New App Rewards Citizens for Reporting Problems
• Oct 1, 2013
• For cities searching for ways to use mobile technology effectively, Boston's latest app offers a case study on how to do it right. It’s transforming the citizen/government relationship.

• What CIOs Need to Achieve Their Top 3 Priorities
• Sep 1, 2013
• CIOs won’t get anywhere without close cooperation with political leaders and agency managers.

• When IT Projects Fail, Technology Often Isn’t to Blame
• Aug 1, 2013
• From the moment an IT project is launched, there’s political pressure from agencies to back off business changes that would deliver results.
• 1 Comments

• Speeding Up IT Procurement
• Jun 28, 2013
• One of the surest ways to crush innovation is to run it through the typical government procurement process. Government purchasers have to act faster.

• ‘Textgate’ Scandal Shows Need for Texting Policies
• May 31, 2013
• Mobile technology is creating new ways for officials to violate public records laws. Orange County, Fla., learned that the hard way.
• 2 Comments

• How New Jersey Weathered Superstorm Sandy
• Apr 30, 2013
• Thanks to a little bit of luck and a lot of preparation, the state’s important computer systems and network withstood the storm.

• The Age of the Tech-Savvy Legislator
• Mar 29, 2013
• An influx of young lawmakers could lead to better technology investments.
• 7 Comments

• Online Registration Helped Increase California’s Youth Vote
• Feb 28, 2013
• If there was any doubt about citizen desire to register online, California’s one-month experience with it running up to the November general election erased it.
• 2 Comments

• Government Technology Ideas Worth Importing
• Jan 31, 2013
• These best e-government practices aren't from this side of the pond.
• 2 Comments

• How Acting Like a Tech Entrepreneur Can Improve Government Services
• Dec 28, 2012
• Letting the public test unfinished products saves agencies money and time.
• 1 Comments

• Innovation In-Demand as Economy Makes a Comeback
• Nov 30, 2012
• After years of belt-tightening, CIOs are being petitioned to innovate.

• Smarter Traffic Signals Could Make Commuting Easier
• Oct 31, 2012
• Washington, D.C., one of the most congested cities in the country, is testing technology that could ease traffic gridlock.
• 2 Comments

• What Makes the Best Government Website?
• Sep 28, 2012
• The ‘Best of the Web’ winners showcase must-have features for effective public-sector sites.

• Cyber Security Act’s Failure Leaves Infrastructure Vulnerable
• Aug 31, 2012
• Some worry terrorists could shut down the economy with the click of a mouse.
• 4 Comments

• IT Lessons from Roseville’s “Footloose” Moment
• Jul 31, 2012
• A rapidly spreading rumor about the California city last year offers a cautionary tale for public officials who think social media has little to do with the business of governing.