The public sector is facing a period of technological innovation, and federal agencies need the right tools if they can hope to keep up with changing demands. Business process management software is evolving alongside new technology requirements around the world, with a need for rapid app development and customization a major theme in BPM's continued growth. Application development platforms within BPM suites empower government organizations to quickly create and customize apps, letting them keep up with demands from technology trends like big data and the Internet of Things.
In a recent interview with eGov Innovation, industry expert Martin Yates explained that digital transformation is a common trend among the world's governments. While Yates works closely with public sector entities in the Asia-Pacific region, his insights emphasize the global trend toward increased dependence on IT systems in the public sector.
"Cloud computing, big data and the IoT are disrupting government organizations."
Digital technologies transforming government
Yates told the news source that cloud computing, big data and the IoT are coming together to disrupt government organizations. While deploying these solutions is complex, the result is an ability to deliver services with a higher quality and in more responsive ways. To a great extent, these capabilities come together in the smart city movement that is getting a great deal of attention in the public sector.
"The most exciting next phase is yet to come from the digital transformation journey - the smart city vision that nearly all modern governments worldwide have made a top agenda item for national transformation," Yates told eGov Innovation. "At the heart of this, the smart city vision is cloud, big data and billions of devices monitoring and controlling nearly every aspect of our environment."
BPM can unlock digital government advances
Ideas like the smart city don't just require major hardware investments, you also must develop app architectures that allow users to take advantage of digital technologies. By building app development platforms into BPM tools, leading BPM vendors are turning traditional development models on their head. In the past, workers would identify a problem and, when that issue became a priority, IT would define some specifications and try to build an app that resolves the issue or meets a key need.
With low-code app development platforms in place, non-tech users facing a challenge can quickly create or adjust an app to resolve the situation. Furthermore, as the development platform is naturally aligned with BPM, userscan easily ensure that app functions and business processes align. These factors give federal governments the flexibility they need to keep up with digitization.
