3 Ways State CIOs Can Get Quick Wins

The CIO of each of the 50 states in the U.S. has a similar challenge: demonstrate your value to the state fast. But where to begin? When any changes or improvements that a CIO makes improve the experience that citizens have with the state government, it’s smart, measurable and memorable. Therefore, it makes sense for a CIO to look to achieve quick wins with process automation, which is proven to increase constituent engagement ̶ one of the intended outcomes. This is particularly relevant this week when CIOs from across America are gathering together at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) conference.

Recommendations for state CIOs

The following are three recommendations for state CIOs:

1. Digitize forms
   
2. Going paperless by digitizing forms that are currently paper-based has an immediate effect both in terms of a more convenient, better experience for people but also saving costs for the state. Upgrading basic electronic forms to true digital forms with the robustness, flexibility and security of a trusted digital platform also advances a state toward digital transformation and “smart state” capabilities.
3. Automate Government Processes
   
4. A state can become more efficient and more productive by automating workflows that are manual, clunky or disjointed today. Process automation for government is one of the recent advancements in the tech industry to bring the best-in-class capabilities and benefits from the commercial sector into the government sector at the state level. Automation of processes and workflows enables you to show how much money and time you have saved as CIO, how much efficiency you have increased, and how you have re-engineered critical workflows that keep the state moving forward.
5. Integrate Electronic Signatures
6. Your state is likely already using electronic signatures, but when you shift from standalone e-signatures to integrated e-signatures as part of a workflow, then you really unlock the power of e-signatures. For example, if your state is dealing with an emergency situation and needs to deliver services to citizens, an integrated e-signature simplifies the process of obtaining consent and accelerates the delivery of services to residents.

To see how government workflow automation can help your state, click here to sign up for a demo of the SimpliGov platform.