Governments Worldwide Accelerate Cloud Adoption | Morgan Lewis – Tech & Sourcing

While data security concerns may have hindered early adoption, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of cloud and digital transformation within public service organizations in many countries around the world. Recently studyAccenture surveyed 364 public service executives at the local and federal level in six countries—Australia, Canada, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States—to learn about public sector cloud adoption strategies.

According to an Accenture study, 83% of public service agency leaders agree or strongly agree that the cloud is essential for innovation and new business models, and public service leaders do not see this momentum slowing down. In fact, 72% of public service leaders expect their need for cloud computing capabilities to double in the next two to three years, and 57% of public service executives believe it is critical to business move to the cloud.

In addition to documenting the accelerated growth of the cloud in the public sector, the study outlines the following steps public service leaders can take to get the most out of their cloud investment:

1. Establish standard practices to support continued adoption of cloud-based technologies and operating models. For example, when it comes to data security, organizations can adopt and rely on the security measures provided by public cloud providers.
2. Prioritize user experience. Citizens will continue to expect digital services from their public service organizations that are on a par with those they receive from the private sector. Organizations can use cloud solutions to make existing services more accessible to the public as well as accelerate the pace at which new services and experiences are made available.
3. Cloud adoption allows public service organizations to access advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and leaders should consider the use of these technologies when building their roadmaps for future developments.
4. Seek commitment from leadership. While everyone throughout the organization should be aware of the cloud initiatives, leadership needs to understand the benefits the cloud provides to fully support its adoption.

The pandemic has spurred cloud adoption, including within public service organizations, and public sector leaders have indicated that the move to the cloud will continue. This change will have a positive impact on the public service in the coming years.