CJ Ritchie, the chief information officer at the Government of British Columbia, is a visionary leader taking a pragmatic view of what the future may hold for British Columbia. In the fall of 2019, an amendment to B.C.s Privacy laws regarding the use of cloud computing was passed to the benefit of public sector organizations and people across the province.
With the amended language comes the opportunity for the BC Government to drive significant value to constituents with discussions of achieving better health outcomes to how government agencies improve interaction with the people they serve. The amended language regarding the use of cloud computing essentially allows for modern technology to be considered for deployment. For example, leveraging public cloud infrastructure and cloud-enabled tools such as analytics and IoT to help with data-driven decision making.
At the centre of this new reality of how the province leverages technology is CJ Ritchie. From CJs unique vantage point, she is the best position to share a view of what the future may hold for us here in British Columbia to the benefit of our daily lives.
The BC Government, with its Digital Framework, is well-positioned for the future. I had a chat with CJ to gain insight into what drives her thinking on a variety of topics from cloud computing to the foundation of blockchain that will drive public sector innovation and move to a digital economy.
Brian: How significant is this change to the policy around cloud computing for the British Columbia public sector?
CJ: The Province has been using Canada-based cloud services for years, so the FOIPPA amendments dont represent a significant shift in policy but they are still important. What they do is authorize personal information to leave Canada for temporary processing only.
If we didnt amend the legislation, at some point in the not-too-distant future, BCs public bodies would have found themselves unable to keep using some of the worlds most common tools, such as email and word processing software things that are vital to our operations, and of course to meeting citizens expectations.
These amendments will also mean the public sector can adopt the next generation of cloud-based or cloud-enabled tools.
Brian: Youve mentioned that the focus needs to be on outcomes not the technology. Why is this important for people to understand?
CJ: While governments, including our own in British Columbia, have a long history of leadership in technology innovation BC is known, for example, for our leading work in digital identity through our BC Services Card we dont do this for the sake of the technology.
Technology isnt an end on its own for us. We work to modernize technology to continuously improve the services we provide to citizens. And I say continuously for a reason we have to maintain the relevance of the work we do to ensure continued trust in government as an institution.
So, as much as being a cloud-enabled government is a very positive thing for BC, its not because were excited about shiny new or not so new at this point when it comes to cloud infrastructure and services technology, its because of what our move to cloud will make possible, for the benefit of British Columbians.
Brian: What are some examples?
CJ: The adoption of cloud will accelerate and enhance work we already have already underway in areas like analytics, robotic process automation, the Internet of Things, remote sensing, and machine learning.
For example, an early deployment of cloud-enabled software in the BC Government powers our ability to analyze the quality of services being provided to citizens through any channel from their experience at a Service BC desk in their home town, through to a website and onto a call centre, or whatever path that service journey entails. This information allows us to improve that service at every point along the way.
As piloted in a handful of ministries, robotic process automation of routine tasks frees up capacity for our government staff to focus on higher-value work on things like Freedom of Information requests, natural resource permitting and meeting the needs of children in care. These pilots were previously challenged by an inability to use cloud-based tools. The Ministry of Transportation has cloud-enabled plans in place to enhance road safety through the use of sensors and the Internet of Things. And cloud will enhance our ability to use remote sensing and machine learning to augment data-driven decision-making in respect of things like Wildfire prediction.
Brian: Lets talk about engaging with British Columbians and government service delivery innovation. What are some of the biggest areas of opportunity for innovation at across the BC Government?
CJ: Think about why public service exists in the first place to help citizens. And the way we do that in 2020 needs to include a modern set of tools and delivery methods.
That means we need to embed innovation into our programs and priorities. First, we can do that by taking an ecosystem approach, looking across organizational boundaries to share data, tools, and knowledge.
Second, we can take a human-centred approach to service design. We want to meet citizens where they are at whether its in a time of crisis or on the couch at 11:30 at night. And thats where I see the biggest areas of opportunity.
For example, in the summer of 2018, BC was on fire. 1.4 million hectares of land were burning, and over 2000 people were evacuated. Almost 5000 were mobilized to fight the fires, and the cost of wildfire suppression reached $615 million. It was devastating.
To try to fight fires more effectively, the government took different data sources historical fire data, topographical maps, lightning strikes and layered it into 3D maps. This now allows emergency response teams and firefighters to model the spread of fire and fight them more effectively.
Another example. Before, when British Columbians were getting divorced, they would have to fill in forms and hand them in at a counter in the courts. People were having to go up to 7 times to hand in their forms, and they were getting turned away whenever there was a mistake in their paperwork. The errors were predictable, and it was a huge waste of time. Now theres an online do-it-yourself form that helps people fill in the paperwork, reduces errors, and hopefully decreases stress at a tough time.
Brian: How do you potentially harness the power of the data?
CJ: We are actually doing this harnessing the power of data through our Data Innovation Program, which helps us share data in a timely, safe, and secure way across ministry boundaries. This program uses integrated data and analytics to support population-level research in the public interest.
For example, through machine learning, we were able to identify patterns in the mental health services used by young people and their outcomes as adults an insight that can help the government improve services for this vulnerable population.
We are also working with some brilliant BC companies as well as academics to bring advanced analytics into our work.
Brian: Youve adopted blockchain. What important role does blockchain play into the technology vision?
CJ: Blockchain is really the foundation that will help BC move to a digital economy.As we become more and more of a digital government, we really need secure ways of sharing information. And we need to be confident that people and businesses are really who they say they are.Historically, people have had to set up logins, usernames and passwords to access online services, which can make us reliant on third parties who might not be entirely credible.In a world of surveillance capitalism where so many different entities are hungry for our data, that is not an option.
Thats why the Ministry of Citizens Services decided to use blockchain technology to power OrgBookBC, a corporate registry. But I think this is just the beginning.
Brian: The future looks exciting for the province. What needs to happen next for many of the topics weve discussed to come to fruition?
CJ: We have some exciting things happening in government, but they tend to happen in pockets. So the next big thing is coordinating this digital transformation across government and then accelerating it. This means working across organizational boundaries both inside and outside our organization to share data, share tools, to share our lessons learned.
Gone are the days of working as an isolated entity. I see co-development and working in the open as the only way forward.I do not believe that government corners the market on innovation, but in that discovery and acceptance, we are taking an ecosystem approach and tapping into our thriving tech community.Thats why we created the Exchange Lab. The Lab brings together teams with tough problems. The teams get paired up with internal or external tech talent and together they build solutions.There are up to twelve teams working in the lab at any time. Right now, there are lab teams working on conservation, environmental assessments, patient empowerment through health information and responding to climate change.
We know the digital era has brought forward complex social challenges but its also uncovered unlimited opportunities to collaborate with businesses of all sizes and deliver governments priorities at the fastest pace, lowest costs and greatest equity to British Columbians.
See more here:
- Roundup Of Cloud Computing Forecasts, 2017 - Forbes [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- RCom arm in tie-up for cloud computing - Moneycontrol.com [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- How Do You Define Cloud Computing? - Data Center Knowledge [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- 5 Cloud Computing Stocks to Buy - TheStreet.com [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Cloud Computing Continues to Influence HPC - insideHPC [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Red Hat's New Products Centered Around Cloud Computing, Containers - Virtualization Review [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Adobe bets big on cloud computing for marketing, creative professionals - Livemint [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Verizon sells cloud services to IBM in 'unique cooperation between ... - Cloud Tech [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- How Cloud Computing Is Turning the Tide on Heart Attacks - Fortune [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Hospital CIOs see benefits of healthcare cloud computing - TechTarget [Last Updated On: May 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: May 3rd, 2017]
- Trends In Cloud Computing - Business Solutions Magazine [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- A deeper dive into cloud security as a service: Advantages and issues - Cloud Tech [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- OpenText buys cloud computing firm for US$103 million - TheRecord.com [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- Belfast IT firm celebrates cloud computing success in 57 countries ... - Belfast Telegraph [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- Meet The Cloud Wars Top 10: The World's Most-Powerful Cloud-Computing Vendors - Forbes [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- How to approach cloud computing and cyber security in 2017 - Information Age [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- CFOs have discovered the big stick of cloud computing - InfoWorld [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- Belmont Stakes Odds 2017: Latest Vegas Betting Lines Before Post Positions Draw - Bleacher Report [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Cloudistics Announces New Cloud Computing Program That Enables High Margin Reoccurring Revenue Models for ... - Marketwired (press release) [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- CloudCheckr, cloud computing company expects rapid growth in Rochester - WXXI News [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- IBM Losing Facebook's WhatsApp as Cloud Customer, says CNBC - Barron's [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- What My Father Taught Me About Cloud Computing - Virtualization Review [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Workday Phenomenon Goes Global As Cloud Computing Goes Mainstream - Forbes [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- New Cloud Computing and IT Outsourcing Requirements in the Financial Sector - JD Supra (press release) [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- 3 Things You Should Know About Cloud Computing Right Now - Fortune [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Learning in the Sky: Collaborative Robots Embrace Cloud Computing - Machine Design [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Best Practices To Manage Your Hybrid Cloud - Forbes [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Here's how venture capitalists are thinking about cloud computing companies and technologies - GeekWire [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Amazon is helping veterans find jobs in cloud computing - Marketplace - Marketplace.org [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- New Cloud Computing and IT Outsourcing Requirements in the Financial Sector - Lexology (registration) [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Growing Patent Claim Risks in Cloud Computing - Lexology (registration) [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- The benefits of cloud computing, Rust 1.18, and intelligent tracking prevention in WebKit SD Times news digest ... - SDTimes.com [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Edge Computing Is New Cloud Computing Tech Investors Should Track - GuruFocus.com [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Real Estate Weekly: Digital Realty Becomes A Cloud Computing Giant - Seeking Alpha [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Virtualization admin? Pivot -- pivot now -- to a cloud computing career - TechTarget [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2017]
- Why isn't Cloud Computing in the 2017 Belmont Stakes? - FanSided [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2017]
- Cloud Computing Companies Move Into Medical Diagnosis (GOOG, IBM) - Investopedia [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2017]
- China's cloud industry moving to new era with emergence of unicorns - TechNode (blog) [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2017]
- Terry Crews Is On Crackdown 3 Trailer, No Cloud Computing For Single Player - EconoTimes [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2017]
- The Risks and Perquisites of Cloud Computing - DATAQUEST [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2017]
- Alibaba Cloud announces launch of data centres in India and Indonesia - Cloud Tech [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2017]
- Indonesia banks have yet to implement cloud computing - Jakarta Post [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2017]
- 'Sweden is heaven for cloud computing': Amazon Nordic chief - The ... - The Local Sweden [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2017]
- Amazon.com to open second government cloud-computing region ... - The Seattle Times [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2017]
- Shadow raises $57 million for its cloud computing service for ... - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2017]
- Amazon Still Leads Cloud Rankings, But Competition Is Coming On Strong - Fortune [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2017]
- Alibaba to enter European cloud computing market in mid-2017 | Air ... - Air Cargo World (registration) [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2017]
- Alibaba to enter European cloud computing market in mid-2017 - Air Cargo World (registration) [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2017]
- Pressing Tech Issue: Enterprise Software Vs. Cloud Computing? - Credit Union Times [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2017]
- 7 Tips for Securely Moving Data to the Cloud - Government Technology (blog) [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- Chinese tech giant Alibaba joins key open-source cloud computing foundation - GeekWire [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- Microsoft Could Surpass Amazon in Cloud Computing This Year (AMZN, MSFT) - Investopedia [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- GDS Holdings Limited (GDS) Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent Cloud - StreetInsider.com [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- Cloud first - Philippine Star [Last Updated On: June 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 20th, 2017]
- Three Considerations for Reducing Risk in Cloud Computing - CIOReview [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2017]
- Cloud Computing and Digital Divide 2.0 - CircleID - CircleID [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2017]
- Microsoft will ride artificial intelligence, cloud computing to higher ... - CNBC [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2017]
- Cloud-Computing Business Lifts Oracle's Profit -- Update - Fox Business [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2017]
- Report affirms continued cloud spend for US businesses in 2017 - Cloud Tech [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Catching up with an interconnected federal cloud - GCN.com [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Cloud-Computing Business Lifts Oracle's Profit -- 2nd Update - Fox Business [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Cisco adapts to the rise of cloud computing - The Economist [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Amazon accuses Walmart of bullying in cloud computing clash - BBC News [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Companies plan to spend more on cloud computing services this year, higher prices among drivers: Clutch - Canadian Underwriter [Last Updated On: June 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 23rd, 2017]
- Survey: businesses ramp up spending on cloud computing DC ... - DC Velocity [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2017]
- Morgan Stanley: Cloud computing is at 'an inflection point' but how big will it get? - GeekWire [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- How the cloud has changed education and training - TNW [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- Cloud computing key to 4th industrial revolution - News VietNamNet - VietNamNet Bridge [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- Lady Eli, Cloud Computing Among Workers for Brown - BloodHorse.com (press release) (registration) (blog) [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- Microsoft signs cloud-computing partnership with Box - The Seattle Times [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2017]
- Microsoft Signs Cloud Computing Partnership with Box - CIO Today [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2017]
- US action on Microsoft email case could devastate cloud computing - Irish Times [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2017]
- Cloud computing challenges today: Planning, process and people - TechTarget [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2017]
- Five podcasts to catch up on the latest trends in cloud computing - TechTarget [Last Updated On: July 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 2nd, 2017]
- Microsoft reportedly set to lay off thousands as part of massive sales reorganization - GeekWire [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2017]
- VMware to surge more than 20 percent because the Amazon cloud ... - CNBC [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]
- Google Unveils Custom Hardware Chip for Cloud - Investopedia [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]
- Cloud Computing Confirmed for Travers | TDN | Thoroughbred Daily ... - Thoroughbred Daily News [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]
- Why 2017 Is The Year To Understand Cloud Computing - Nasdaq [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]
- Biz Cloud Computing - Four States Homepage [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2017]