Running government from the cloud: Tips for implementation teams

Many government agencies are facing the need to replace aging, disparate software solutions that support critical business processes and functions. Often, these aging solutions are siloed and are on internal networks that are not easily accessible outside of the government office complex, which affects employee mobility, data sharing, and access to real-time information. As a result, many state and local government organizations are looking to enterprise-wide, cloud-based platform solutions to support business processes, increase data sharing, and support mobility.

Enterprise-wide cloud applications offer the opportunity to deploy systems that government agencies can use across multiple departments and business functions. Microsoft offers this type of solution with Dynamics 365 Government, a specialized cloud-based deployment of its Customer Engagement solution that was originally branded as Microsoft CRM Online Government.

To successfully implement Dynamics 365 Government - or any technology solution in the public sector - implementers should use a holistic approach that embraces:

• Awareness of perceived barriers
• Mindfulness of the decision-making process
• An understanding of election cycles, legislative requirements, and budget considerations
• An emphasis on process improvement opportunities
• A focus on change management

Awareness of perceived barriers to implementation

Some public-sector organizations remain hesitant to migrate to the cloud. They see data in a cloud environment as less secure. Having data stored in local servers brings a sense of safety, visibility, and immediate and protected access for some government entities.

Some government leaders, including their influential stakeholders, fear that relying on cloud-based storage and moving data outside of agency control means risking data security. Despite the flexibility, agility, and cost-savings inherent in cloud-based solutions, fears ...