Written by Steve Goll, Tyler Technologies
As technology advances accelerate, government agencies must decide whether to maintain old legacy systems or invest in the latest technology. With $144 billion projected to be budgeted for IT by state and local governments in 2024, the stakes are high. What's the best way to invest that money? This article describes five risks that are holding governments back from modernizing their technology, and explores sustainable ways to do so.
Legacy Technology Risk #1: Technical Debt
Technical debt accumulates not only through deferred technology upgrades, but also through inheriting challenges from outdated systems. While the short-term savings from “wasted effort” may seem appealing, the long-term impact of not modernizing goes beyond the mere financial cost. Legacy systems can result in higher maintenance costs for older tools, the need to train staff on older technology, and even greater costs when the inevitable system upgrades are required.
Avoid incurring technical debt. Cloud-based systems, with their scalability and automatic updates, ensure that government IT investments keep pace with technology advances. Additionally, cloud service subscriptions allow you to predict your annual IT budget. I can't kick anymore.
Legacy Technology Risk #2: Workforce Issues
Employees play a large role in IT budgeting, with 37% of budgets devoted to staffing. The aging of IT talent in the public sector is a well-known trend.
Among federal employees, the number of IT workers over the age of 60 has doubled since 2007, while the number of IT workers under 30 has declined.
Source: Analytical Perspective, WhiteHouse.gov
Employment is already a challenge. The looming wave of retirements will only make the situation worse, reducing the knowledge needed to maintain legacy systems.
Simply put, legacy technology is unattractive to the tech-savvy generation currently in the workforce. Gen Z doesn’t want to learn outdated technology. And for that matter, who will learn? Governments with modern cloud solutions are well-positioned to be attractive and progressive employers.
Legacy Technology Risk #3: Security
Security ransomware attacks against state and local governments are on the rise. Are you confident that your legacy systems are secure? Legacy systems may not be updated regularly, which can make them more vulnerable to data breaches. Also, remember that on-premises software systems are susceptible to disruptions caused by natural disasters. Cloud-based solutions, on the other hand, are more resilient to interruptions due to their distributed nature. Automatic updates and robust identity and access management features help protect against cyber threats. Cloud systems keep data secure and compliant across government departments.
Legacy Technology Risk #4: Workflow and Interoperability
Existing systems may seem adequate at first glance, but a closer look reveals time-consuming processes and siled data that cannot be easily shared across departments. Employees can end up spending days navigating multiple legacy systems, processing paperwork, manually entering information, and compiling data from disparate sources.
In stark contrast, cloud-based systems can reduce the time it takes to complete tasks from days to minutes using data shared across systems, intuitive workflows, automation, and AI. In some cases, manual tasks are completely eliminated, allowing employees to better serve the public in other ways.
Legacy Technology Risk #5: Stagnant Technology Support
When it comes to support, it's important to differentiate between a simple software vendor and a specialized technology partner. Traditional software vendors, especially those offering on-premises solutions, can become unreliable and confuse customers as business environments change.
Instead, look for a long-term government technology partner. Providers of cloud-based solutions are committed to ongoing, active support and regular improvements. This approach reduces the risk of being stuck with outdated technology and helps maintain and improve government operations over the long term.
conclusion
Investing in modern cloud solutions is the right move for government agencies looking to avoid the risks of outdated systems, attract a younger workforce, and ensure security. Finding the right government technology partner will help future-proof your operations and allow you to focus on what matters most: public service.
Is your legacy digital infrastructure putting you at risk?
A white paper from Tyler Technologies explains the five risks of maintaining old legacy systems and the benefits of modernizing government technology.
