Why Government Efficiency Is Ultimately a Question of Value

The bar is set higher than ever for government technology. A system must be secure, accessible, reliable, and able to adapt as government needs change. Residents and businesses also expect the kind of seamless digital experience they have elsewhere in their lives. State leaders must deliver all of that with fixed dollars and workforce capacity.

You can see all of it reflected in the NASCIO 2026 State CIO Top 10 Priorities. Artificial intelligence (AI) tops the list, followed by cybersecurity, budget and cost control, modernization, cloud services, and other familiar areas. CIOs are balancing these priorities while asking a practical question:

How do we get the most value from every technology dollar?

Efficiency Starts With Value

Efficiency can mean many things in government. When I talk with state CIOs, it comes back to value. Are we improving the resident experience? Are we getting the security and capabilities we need? Are we making the best use of staff time?

The services state agencies provide and the problems they are working to solve remain largely the same. What has changed rapidly, particularly with AI, are the capabilities available to deliver those services and solve those problems. As a technology provider, our responsibility is to help states put those capabilities to work in ways that improve how agencies operate and how they serve the public.

Government leaders are also entrusted with public dollars, which makes maximizing their value especially important. The goal isn’t simply to do the same work with fewer people. It’s to help already-constrained government teams spend more time on the highest-value work — and less on data entry and workarounds created by legacy technology.

A More Effective Approach to Government Efficiency

Modern efficiency isn’t just about improving processes — it’s about expanding capacity to meet growing demand without increasing resources. Explore how on our Efficiency Solutions page.

Better Technology Creates Better Work

I’ve seen what happens when technology gives agency staff more time for the work that matters most. When technology reduces administrative burden, people have more time to help residents with complex needs, make decisions, and do work that improves quality of life in their communities. Job satisfaction improves along with efficiency.

One state offers a memorable example. A digital titling initiative reduced processing time from about 30 days to a matter of hours. The agency actually threw a party because the stacks of paperwork and backlog were gone.

The impact continued outside the agency. Faster title processing meant dealerships didn’t have vehicles sitting on their lots waiting for paperwork to clear. The ripple effects were striking. What began as an agency process improvement created value for staff, businesses, residents, and the broader economy.

Better Information Supports Better Decisions

Strong data and connected systems create another kind of value. They give leaders a clearer picture of what’s working.

States can use connected data to understand where programs are making an impact, how residents are using services, and where resources could be used differently. A state might discover, for example, that two agencies are independently operating similar fleet programs and explore whether combining them could create greater value for residents.

Modern systems also make it easier to learn and adjust. Agencies can see how people are using services, identify where questions or problems are emerging, and make changes faster. That ability to iterate means agencies can see benefits sooner and identify problems earlier.

Getting the Most From Every Technology Dollar

For me, efficiency ultimately comes back to whether government is delivering maximum value. That includes the time staff get back, the experience residents have, the quality of information leaders use, and the outcomes agencies achieve.

Government technology has to deliver across all of those dimensions. When it does, limited dollars go further, staff can spend more time on higher-value work, and better information leads to better decisions and better outcomes for residents, businesses, and the state.

You can learn more about the NASCIO 2026 State CIO Top 10 Priorities by downloading the report.

About the Author

Liz Thomas

Liz Thomas is president of Tyler’s State & Federal Group, overseeing Tyler’s work with state and federal government agencies. Her work focuses on helping the public sector operate more effectively and realize greater value from technology.