New IT roles in government

- The changing and urgent needs of local government…are having a direct impact on the roles…that are required in a government IT department.…One of the fastest growing…and highest demand areas is data science.…This is a field about methods, processes,…and systems to extract knowledge or insights from data.…Government now understands that data holds the key…to better decision making,…a more informed and empowered electorate,…a spur to science and innovation,…and a high value asset to the entrepreneurial community.…

Mayors, city managers, department heads, and others…want to leverage data to better understand problems,…and to make the best choices.…Good reporting is required for measuring progress…and making course corrections.…Analytics and visualizations can help storytelling…and for earning buy-in from disparate stakeholders.…For the first time, cities are following the lead…of the private sector in appointing chief data officers,…a CDO, the senior executive…who manages teams of data scientists.…

As an example of their work,…