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8 <br /> Major Technology Trends <br /> In addition to considering the government trends that are making organizations more responsive and <br /> customer service oriented, it is important to consider the major technology trends from the private <br /> and public sectors. A list of some key trends is offered for consideration and inclusion in the future <br /> projects discussion. <br /> • Transition to digitally converged world: Almost all aspects of telephony, television, video, <br /> audio, and other communication technologies are converging into single source platforms. <br /> This newly converged medium requires robust, secure infrastructure and mobile applications. <br /> Basic smart phones can now capture video of County Commissioners' meetings and stream the <br /> recordings directly to the Internet without any sophisticated interfaces or equipment. <br /> • Support for legacy systems while migrating to more robust systems: Maintaining legacy <br /> systems while planning for their phasing out is critical. However, large-scale investments are <br /> required to replace such systems with newer technologies that are scalable for the future. <br /> • Increased importance of computer and telecommunications security:Technological security, <br /> both physical and logical, is critical to protecting the data and property collected and <br /> maintained by government, but should not limit opportunities for new forms of digital civic or <br /> employee engagement. <br /> • Management of and investment in information technology: Information technology supports <br /> the functionality of government and requires high-level managerial attention, as well as <br /> appropriate investment. Governance structures and IT service management improve the <br /> quality of IT investments. IT service management, as is found in ITIL (Information Technology <br /> Infrastructure Library) best practices, centers on a pervasive service orientation that enables <br /> end users to work more efficiently and effectively, while building a knowledge base of all <br /> technology assets within an organization. This repository of knowledge has a similar positive <br /> impact on IT investments and effective risk management as is found in utilizing asset <br /> management and GPS/GIS to maintain appropriate inventory and rapidly troubleshoot public <br /> works issues, such as broken water mains. <br /> • One of the most exciting, albeit challenging, trends associated with technology is the pervasive <br /> use of personal technology in the workplace. Smart phones have become commonplace as <br /> individuals use them to transact personal business, such as social media interactions, banking, <br /> and online shopping. These devices are changing the role of technology in the workplace by <br /> 6 <br />