Data Management

Blockchain is a key technology—a computer scientist explains why the post-crypto-crash future is bright

Blockchain systems can improve data storage and security for state and local governments managing electronic medical records, property records, voting systems and other applications.

  • By Yu Chen, The Conversation

Damage assessment tool streamlines data collection for disaster prep, response, recovery

The latest version of Accela’s damage assessment cloud service automates reporting and permitting workflow processes and uses external data to help municipalities identify the areas and structures most at risk.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

How agencies can automate data extraction at scale

COMMENTARY | By combining optical character recognition technology with machine learning, agencies can leverage their unstructured data more easily to improve efficiency, reduce backlogs and solve operational challenges.

  • By Matt Macnak

Is the census still the only reliable population data source?

While the census is still the "gold standard" of data, state and local governments are exploring alternative sources to supplement missing or unrepresentative datasets, experts say.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Metadata catalog refreshes one state’s water use insights

A metadata catalog is helping Arizona water resource managers quickly find and analyze the data needed by water users, planners and decision-makers.

  • By Susan Miller

How agencies can clean up criminal records to automate expungement

Automatic record clearance is a growing priority for states as criminal records delay individuals’ ability to reenter society and fill open job slots.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Virginia joins Republican states pulling out of multi-state voter list program

Once a founding member of the Electronic Registration Information Center, a nationwide data-sharing initiative to maintain voter roll accuracy, Virginia plans to leave the organization and establish its own maintenance system.

  • By Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury

Cloud security gap: Shadow, orphan and democratized data

When agencies can’t keep track of data across their cloud environment, they expose even more entry points to attackers.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Don't call it data literacy, it's data proficiency

States can get employees successfully working with data by making the training process more approachable, data experts said.

  • By Chris Teale

What early adopters get wrong

Long-term smart city success is more likely when leaders take the time to establish data and tech governance frameworks with community input, one expert says.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

How one city transformed its approach to data

COMMENTARY | Carlsbad, California, had siloed data streams and didn’t effectively communicate between departments. It changed that and is using its smart city status to tackle today's biggest problems.

  • By Fabian Sandoval

Analysis paralysis: When too much data reduces decision-making

The growing volume of data, expanding number of sources and its increasing complexity is undermining leaders’ ability to confidently use it to make decisions, a new report finds.

  • By Susan Miller

Virginia election officials change process for removing dead people from voter rolls

A computer coding error in Virginia's Department of Elections voting system failed to flag less obvious death records, leading to deceased people remaining on voter lists. But now registrars can submit obituaries to clean up voter rolls.

  • By Graham Moomaw, Virginia Mercury

Reducing health disparities through effective data management

COMMENTARY | Data management solutions can help public health agencies effectively organize, analyze and optimize the value of their data.

  • By Judy Jiao
Featured eBooks

Treating public health disconnects with interoperable data

Standardized state and local health data supports disease surveillance and will allow a quick response to health emergencies.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

How to build a trustworthy election system

Data frameworks, poll books and audit trails can help election offices maintain election security, integrity and accuracy.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Public safety data officer wants to break silos, make data more transparent

Better use of data can help the business community work with the city to reduce crime, according to the Greater Baltimore Committee’s new public safety data officer.

  • By Chris Teale

Where states can learn to turn data into decisions

The Data Labs program helps participating states design data projects that deliver operational efficiency and improved services.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Michigan embraces ‘Clean Slate’ program without applications

State officials aim to automatically expunge certain criminal records to remove hurdles to jobs and housing.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

New Hampshire could play ‘leading role’ in promoting blockchain, report says

A governor’s commission said it is an “important technological innovation,” and recommended the state play a robust regulatory role to support its growth.

  • By Chris Teale

How states integrate GIS and elections

Despite accelerated timelines and lack of GIS-trained staff, states have geocoded voter addresses, assigned voters to newly redrawn precincts and improved transparency for voters and elections officials.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz