Public sector digital transformation has accelerated significantly over the past decade. What began as a forward-thinking idea became a necessity during the recent pandemic and continues to evolve. Today digital transformation doesn’t mean making a paper form available to print online. Instead, transformation assumes government management software will play a part in improving constituent experiences, government transparency, and data-driven decision-making. Throughout, maintaining secure systems to protect personal identifying information (PII) remains a key consideration.
The current roadmap for local governments involves embracing automation and citizen-centric service design. Predictive analytics and ethical AI are also part of the discussion, though proposals for local government AI adoption get “a very mixed reaction,” according to a report from the National Association of Counties.”[i] Recent results from a Pew Research survey that found “Americans are “concerned… about the increased use of AI in daily life,” though a “majority is open to letting AI assist them with day-to-day tasks.”[ii]
Contemporary Workflow Automation
Making the change to cloud-based automation systems from paper forms and manual processing adds efficiencies by eliminating simple, repetitive steps from any process. It means reducing work backlogs for small teams, whether that’s a single clerk/administrator or a few inspectors or crew members. For larger communities, automated systems offer staff the same benefits at scale, saving days of work for many processes and operations.
As an example, permitting workflows can incorporate automated compliance checking, integrated payment processing, and real-time status tracking.
The same kinds of intelligent document processing can speed issuing licenses and certificates, recording fire incidents, tracking work orders, managing assets, maintaining vehicle fleets, and much more.
Strategic Approaches to Government Technology Modernization
In addition, modern government technology platforms now emphasize interoperability, security-first design, and user experience principles that mirror private sector standards. Rather than wholesale system replacement, successful digital transformation often involves strategic integration of cloud-based solutions that can work alongside legacy systems, providing pathways for gradual modernization.
Key considerations for today's government technology decisions include:
- Security and Compliance: Cybersecurity frameworks and data privacy regulations are now foundational requirements rather than afterthoughts.
- Citizen Experience: Omnichannel service delivery and proactive communication have become baseline expectations informed by citizens' digital experiences in other sectors.
- Integration: APIs and data sharing capabilities that enable coordination across departments and with county, state, and federal systems where needed.
- Analytics and Intelligence: Advanced reporting and performance dashboards enable data-driven decision making and planning.
Implementation Best Practices
Successful government technology implementations follow proven change management principles rather than assuming rapid adoption. Best practices include a phased implementation that allows staff and stakeholders to adjust to new systems while building organizational confidence. In addition, comprehensive training is needed. Multi-modal training programs, ongoing support resources, and change champions within departments ensure successful adoption.
Performance measurement is equally important. Having clear metrics, regular assessment, and continuous improvement processes ensure technology investments deliver measurable value.
Looking Forward
The next phase of government technology allows local governments to evaluate solutions based on their ability to grow and adapt over time, integrate with other systems, and deliver measurable improvements in both operational efficiency and citizen satisfaction.
To learn more about automating workflows, download the Example Permitting Workflow Infographic in PDF format.
To discuss ways your team might benefit from workflow automation, just book a 15-minute consultation.
[i] National Association of Counties (NACo). “Technology Priorities.” 2025. https://www.naco.org/sites/default/files/2025-02/2025TechPriorities.pdf.
[ii] Kennedy, Brian, Eileen Yam, Emma Kikuchi, Isabelle Pula, and Javier Fuentes. 2025. “How Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society.” Pew Research Center, September 17, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2025/09/17/how-americans-view-ai-and-its-impact-on-people-and-society/
Workflow Automation FAQ
1. How has GovPilot developed best practices for 150+ local government processes?
The GovPilot team has partnered with and gathered input and feedback from hundreds of local government officials and employees across all of the departments, services, and operations critical to local governments. We have spent years incorporating this feedback and work to continuously improve and refine the modules we make available to our local government customers. These best practices have been proven to not only be effective, but also highly efficient, saving local government employees hours per day so that they can focus on other high level initiatives. The workflow for each module or process is meticulously documented and provided to our customers so that they can onboard current employees and train new ones, ensuring that best practices continue to be implemented for years to come.
2. What are the benefits of having a well-documented workflow for each digital process?
Having a well-documented workflow for each digital process is critical. These are the blueprints for how a specific process should work from start to finish - from the submission of a digital form from a resident all the way through the processing, tracking, and resolution of that form by government employees. Having detailed documentation of process workflows allows government employees to understand each step in a given process. Who is responsible at each step, what comes next, and how to resolve any problems. Critically, these roadmaps ensure that best practices continue to be followed year after year as staff and administrations turn over, ensuring that operations and constituent services remain efficient.
3. Why should local governments consider digital transformation?
Local governments of all sizes, from small towns to large counties should absolutely consider digital transformation for a number of reasons. First, digital processes can drastically improve local government services and operations by making them more efficient and transparent. Employees become more productive and responsive when they are alleviated of mundane manual tasks like transposing data into spreadsheets, or searching for physical documents in file cabinets every day.
Moreover, constituents expect convenience. They are already shopping, booking travel, ordering food, and banking online. At this point, they expect to be able to interact with their local government online. From submitting construction permits to registering a new business, to reporting a pothole on their street, online digital processes make work and life easier for everyone, and your municipality or county a more desirable place to live.
Lastly, digital transformation is essential for resilience and business continuity of local government. As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, local government operations and services need to be flexible. Employees must be able to work from anywhere at any time in order to deliver services. Constituents must be able to easily apply for services from the safety of their home instead of having to wait in line at city hall, regardless of whether it is a so-called "blue sky day" or in the midst of an emergency.
