https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com


Software can make hard decisions easy

Software can make hard decisions easy

Even the best IS manager makes decisions that are regretted later -- hiring an employee for an IS position based on a mutual love of hockey, only to find
  • Written by Lobley, Don
  • 1st May 1996

Even the best IS manager makes decisions that are regretted later — hiring an employee for an IS position based on a mutual love of hockey, only to find that he/she simply is not right for the job or making an important information technology choice based on a “gut feeling,” then finding the decision unjustifiable to the supervisor when things go wrong.

For IS managers, sound decisions are rationally thought out, consistent with gov. ernmental goals, made with input from others and justifiable to supervisors. More importantly, decisions should be made with confidence, knowing that the arrived at recommendation is, in all likelihood, the right one.

Local governments are turning to decision software for a variety of needs. With shrinking budgets becoming common place, city and county managers are using the software to help with budget planning, especially evaluating how best to allocate their resources between districts and departments.

There are various levels of decision software, from the overly simplistic spreadsheet “templates” that are sufficient for basic decisions to more sophisticated tools for handling complex decisions involving hundreds of factors and countless options.

Some city officials develop their own systems; others use vendors’ shrinkwrapped packages. The choice depends on the agencies’ particular needs.

For example, decision software can aid in hiring individuals for permanent positions and in hiring external consultants for contract work.

By reviewing the financial advantages and/or disadvantages of both types of hirees, the manager can decide which employee and position is more viable for various job positions.

The software helps in establishingthe criteria for comparison between potential candidates and in building group consensus when many different factors must be considered by different levels of management.

Additionally, procurement officials can use decision software when evaluating computer’ hardware and software, office and other major equipment purchases.

Like a budget package, the software can determine which mainframes and software packages best fit the needs of the local government.

Also, equipment purchases can be reviewed over the long haul to make sure they are right for the department.

Decision software also is being used to evaluate existing assets and plan budgets for maintenance of sites and equipment, thus enabling the manager to avoid crisis situations. The software helps decisionmakers determine whether to continue t6 maintain these assets, to upgrade them, to eliminate them or to replace them..

In this time of economic uncertainty, software that can help individuals and groups make the best possible decisions and squeeze the maximum value from every decision that is made is essential.

Management software tools are becoming easier to use, yet more and more mathematically complex underneath.

For example, the software uses pattern recognition techniques to help decisionmakers find the option that best matches what they are searching for.

These techniques are based on algorithms using such methods as Bayesian analysis or “fuzzy logic.” Some users, however, are likely not to understand the software design, so the interface explains how the management decision was arrived upon as well as the recommendations made.

This way, the manager is still in control over the decision-making process and can relate the reasoning of the analyses from the software.

And it is a lot better than basing an important decision on nothing more than a whim or a mutual love of sports.

Tags:

Related


  • University procurement department defends campus against COVID-19 pandemic
    University of South Carolina buyers have established multiple personal protection equipment supply sources and online catalogs that hasten ordering
  • How Philadelphia is aiming for zero waste
    The city of Philadelphia has long collected data on city properties’ waste generation and leveraged it to improve waste management, but now it’s honing in on the commercial sector too, realizing this will be crucial to hitting Philly’s zero waste targets. Today it runs a voluntary program where both municipal and commercial operations do detailed […]
  • Florida county announces successful test of Motorola Solutions’ cloud-based P25 core technology
    A Florida county recently announced the completion of a successful test of Motorola Solutions’ CirrusCentral Core, the cloud-based secondary core for ASTRO 25 P25 systems that is designed to provide redundant reliability to the land-mobile-radio (LMR) network without the costs associated with a physical secondary core site. In Sumter County, Fla., the absence of a […]
  • How the City of Fullerton navigated adding candidates to ballots remotely
    This time last year, we were all looking forward to 2020: the start of a new decade and big elections (federally and locally) were just a few of the things we were excited about as we closed out the year. Little did we know, the beginning of the end of “normal” would happen two month […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • The 21 neediest American cities in 2021
  • Competitive Government Grant Proposal Bids That Save Time and Money | Jan. 28, 2021 at 2 PM ET
  • FirstNet Authority releases new details about impact of Nashville explosion on broadband system
  • Report: Many governments facing revenue shortfalls due to COVID-19

White papers


How a unified HR system helps one public safety organization manage crews, payroll, and more in a single platform

7th January 2021

Your Roadmap to COVID-19 Funding

18th December 2020

The One Where Everyone Wins: A Mutually Beneficial Contracting Method

10th December 2020
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

The latest episode The Young Leaders Podcast focuses on Cyril Jefferson. Cyril is the youngest African American to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Hillsboro, Oregon is pioneering a new #renewableenergy generation technology through a partnership with… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

27th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

The impact of the #COVID19 pandemic on #telework was swift and profound. Now, the big question is whether – and to… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Get ready for the can't-miss webinar on how to kickstart your efficiency improvement plan with Luke Anderson of… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

Among all states headed into the 2020 general election, which ones have voting populations that are the most demogr… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

26th October 2020
AmerCityCounty

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts in our readership survey to help us shape future content so that we c… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

See how cities different approaches to distribute masks in their communities >> spr.ly/6010GAPLa

23rd October 2020
AmerCityCounty

While #facialrecognition is a powerful tool that can improve law enforcement efficiency, that doesn’t necessarily t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

23rd October 2020

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X