Using data to get things done.

Governments are always looking for ways to improve their return on investment--and technology along with changes in the way government is structured, are making this kind of improvement possible, according to Digital Transformations: Wiring the Responsive City, the June 2014 Civic Report from the Center for State and Local Leadership at the Manhattan Institute. The report discusses the kinds of improvements governments are making, focusing on creative ways of using data to improve public services while increasing productivity.

The report starts out by addressing the key to effective management: "the efficient treatment of information." Governments take in data, analyze it, and act on it--and the more simple and flexible this process can be, the better. Using algorithms to predict which parolees need increased supervision--"putting scarce resources where they will have the most impact"--is one example of using data analytics in ways that weren't possibly even 20 years ago. Short case studies include the successful use of data centers to make information available for innovations that can solve city problems and the use of detailed, agency-specific indicators that help officials focus on areas that need attention. Digital Transformations takes the viewpoint that governments labor under too many layers of bureaucracy, which they can't afford from both the standpoint of cost and from the limits they impose on employees. By examining the important information supplied by "every machine, vehicle, and clerical worker," "basic administrative systems can be, and are being, transformed to produce breathtaking advancements for municipal leaders and their residents." Examples include more thorough tax collection, better management of overtime and scheduling, and employee empowerment.

Managing infrastructure now means managing massive amounts of data, as well. The report gives examples of extending asset life through data, using sophisticated approaches to...