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Data and Analytics (2021)

Government leaders are fascinated by data because hints of its power occasionally shine through in the form of more efficient operations and healthier communities. But the technology to manage large amounts of data is still going through growing pains, and 2020 showed that it’s difficult to collect data without the infrastructure and planning in place for a surprise event like a pandemic.

But just as no one had a choice about the health crisis, the use of data, too, has become mandatory. Common functions in government, such as cybersecurity, public healthbroadband and geospatial information systems, can all be enhanced by greater pools of data that are expertly governed. Or they can fail miserably following exhibitions of mismanagement, deceit and fear.

This is StateScoop’s special report for 2021 on data and analytics.