April-20166GOVERNMENT CIO OUTLOOKEDITORIALTransforming the Government ITGovernment organizations are driven toward IT strategies that improve operational efficiency, facilitate easy information exchange, and integrate processes across multiple agencies all the while curtailing costs. Cloud, by delivering infrastructure, services, and software on demand through internet has captured significant attention by government organizations to achieve aforementioned objectives. For instance, cloud can reduce the IT costs by virtualizing capital expense assets like storage and processing into readily available and affordable operating expense services. While the early cloud deployments powered by Federal Cloud Computing Initiative in government agencies were targeted towards adopting easier technologies such as web hosting, email migration, SaaS, IaaS, and PaaS; the agencies are now employing cloud applications in the areas concerning document tracking, grants management, security storage, collaboration services, compliance management, and more. In nut shell, cloud is offering much needed operational flexibility to the agencies that were otherwise mired in legacy back-end silo systems. According to a recent research by Gartner, by 2018, government agencies will make the transition to cloud due to its salient security features--contrary to the popular notion that the cloud adoptions are only to save cost. Also, by 2018, more than 50 percent of the Tier 1 support services at government contact centers will be provided by virtual personal assistants, enabling federal workforce to indulge more in the value-added activates such as case management and program evaluation. The report also states that more than 25 percent of government agencies will adopt BYO-Algo (Bring Your Own Algorithm), to boost workforce-led innovation, allowing the employees to use next generation self-service data discovery and business intelligence tools, as well as help create "consumerized" digital work environment.Apropos to this scenario, our goal with this special edition is to help government agencies discover best-of-breed cloud solutions for their much needed digital transformation. This edition blends thought-leadership from subject matter experts with real stories on what selected vendors are doing for their clients, including exclusive insights from CIOs and CXOs. Let us know your thoughts.Copyright © 2016 Valley Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustrations without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the magazine and accordingly, no liability is assumed by the publisher thereof.APRIL - 2016Mailing AddressValley Media, Inc.44790 S. Grimmer Blvd Suite 202, Fremont, CA 94538T:510 230 0396, F:510-894-8405 April - 2016, volume 02 - 03 Published by Valley Media, Inc. Managing EditorBecky Graham Editorial StaffSalesAlex D'SouzaJade RayVisualizerStephen ThomasManjith FernandezRoger Binnyroger@govciooutlook.com510-230-0395 Aaron Pierce Ava Garcia To subscribe to Government CIO OutlookVisit www.govciooutlook.com Becky Graham Managing Editoreditor@govciooutlook.comJoshua Parker
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