It’s a wise idea for governors (both newly elected and re-elected) to take some time assessing their state’s information technology systems and the people who run them.

Technology is now embedded in all the critical programs that states run. Like banks and other major institutions that rely heavily on computers to operate these days, state government has become increasingly digital and can’t afford to have systems that under-perform or fail.

These five important technology issues, based on the results of a recent survey by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), will help give you a good place to start: Cybersecurity, Project management, Procurement, Mobile and Workforce.

With an ever-increasing number of data breaches occurring in the past year at large firms, cybersecurity has become a major concern at the national level, costing billions of dollars.

Critical computer projects are becoming larger, according to state CIOs. They also represent a bigger percentage of the work done, with a number of state CIOs reporting that large projects make up 90 percent of all technology work.

State procurement policies are designed to favor low cost purchases, based on competitive bidding. CIOs have long argued that IT procurement should be based on best value, which can include such factors as the long-term benefit of the computer system, how well it can reduce program costs and whether it boosts workers’ productivity.

Last year, more Americans used a mobile device than a PC to access the Internet, according to the research firm Enders Analysis.

If there’s an underlying theme to all these issues, it’s that state government has a workforce problem when it comes to technology. The problem is not just recruiting new workers, but also retaining the skilled staff already employed in state government.

There’s never been a better time to modernize the business of government through the use of technology – but it has to be done the right way and with the right people.

To read the entire article, please visit www.governing.com.