Mitchell Humphrey

In just a few decades, technology has changed the way we work and organize our personal lives. In that time, we have moved from the first personal computers installed in offices to big server rooms, and most recently, to cloud technology. The head-spinning speed of these developments has now meant that most municipalities must choose between continuing to work with legacy technology solutions or taking a leap toward cutting-edge technology.

Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and challenges associated with the switch. We’ll also explain how your municipality can ensure a smooth transition and get ready for a digital future.

What is Cutting-Edge Technology?

The term ‘cutting-edge technology’ is more than a buzzword. Cutting-edge technology is any equipment or technique that represents the latest technology in its field. Right now, cloud-based IT services are cutting-edge for private and public sector organizations looking to increase productivity while limiting costs.

These technologies include hardware, software, applications, and accessories needed to maximize usability. Cutting-edge technology developments tend to affect more than one industry and change the way our society works.

What Are Legacy Solutions?

Legacy technology solutions represent older technologies. These solutions may have been cutting-edge at some point but they’re now being outperformed by newer versions.

Think of legacy systems as the hardware and software products your municipality introduced a decade or even just a few years ago. At the time, they were likely the best option available to you. However, as newer technologies have become available, the effectiveness of legacy solutions is changing.

Benefits of Cutting-Edge Technology

In this section, we will explore the benefits of cutting-edge technologies while also looking at some of the perceived downsides.

• Increased efficiency and flexibility: Newer technologies are built on the premise that technology continuously develops. Their inherent flexibility allows organizations to stay ahead of the curve and work more efficiently than legacy technologies would.
• Scalability: Cutting-edge technologies can grow and even contract with your organization. As the needs of your municipality and the community change, for example through new businesses moving in, your technology solutions scale to accommodate those needs.
• Rigorously tested and customizable: Implementing new solutions does not mean experimenting. Today’s cutting-edge technology solutions have been thoroughly tested before their launch, meaning they will offer your municipality the kind of long-term reliability that contributes to stable growth.
• Improved security: New IT systems are designed to be consistently updated with the latest in cybersecurity to ensure sensitive information about your community, its residents, and businesses, is kept safe.
• Lower risk of obsolescence: As continuous improvements keep your systems aligned with the latest developments, you minimize the risk of your tech solutions becoming obsolete in the future.

Perceived Downsides

Cutting-edge technology requires your team to learn new specialized skills. Your municipality will also need to invest in the initial integration and transition. Doing so with the right partner allows you to recoup your investment within a short time and allows your team to work more productively without increasing hours or the size of your workforce.

Characteristics of Legacy Technology

Here is a closer look at the characteristics of legacy technology and how they may impact your municipality.

• Struggle to meet demands: Some older technologies may have been easier to implement than their modern counterparts, but this simplicity came at a cost. These legacy solutions cannot meet the complex demands of modern municipalities.
• Higher risk of cybercrime: Due to their static nature, older technology solutions are easier targets for cybercriminals. That means your community’s data is at risk, leaving residents and businesses open to data breaches and other forms of cybercrime.
• Lower efficiency: As your municipality’s demands on its technology grow, older solutions will simply struggle to keep up. They will work more slowly or even crash, leaving municipality employees to struggle rather than thrive.
• Limited scalability: Few legacy technologies can scale with your municipality’s needs. As your needs change, you will be forced to add new applications, and change software and hardware, eventually leading to additional costs.

How Choosing Cutting-Edge Solutions Prepares Your Community for the Future

Opting for cutting-edge solutions now opens doors to greater innovation and helps future-proof your organization’s systems for success.

Granted, there will be a period of transformation during which your team needs to invest time and finances into transitioning to a cutting-edge, cloud-based system. However, once your team is familiar with the new technology and its benefits, your entire community will start seeing the benefits of increased productivity and a more efficient style of working.

As the municipality’s demands change, your technology will grow to meet those requirements most efficiently. The initial step may be large, but later adjustments are small and highly effective.

The Next Step

Finding the right partner is the key to a smooth, successful transition away from legacy technology to a cutting-edge solution. Your trusted IT partner will start by learning more about your community and its needs. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all option, they will customize and tailor a dedicated option for you and create a plan for your transition.

At Mitchell Humphrey & Co., we have built our business on creating cutting-edge software solutions for municipalities and government agencies. We have a deep understanding of the complex processes municipality employees work on every day and how to improve their workflow for the benefit of the entire community.

We work with communities in the long term. By partnering with us, your municipality gains access to years of IT experience from development to delivery and from implementation to staff training. Get in touch today to find out how we can help you prepare for the future.