How is technology changing the way you innovate in your community?  Not all stories can be told in 140 characters, but when communities use the communication power of social networks, they are actually creating a less anonymous city and citizens are more encouraged, and willing to engage in community activities.  This small change in a communication/engagement strategy is a prime example of how technology is supporting municipal innovations.  Recently, I shared some useful insights on navigating and enjoying the power of the social media.  Here are some other trending technologies that I’ve come across on the Internet.

#BigData – “Data is a critical asset for state and local government.  What happens when you have too much data, and how do you make sense of it when data volume is growing 40% per year?”

#Cloud – “Cloud computing represents a fundamentally different way for government to architect computing resources.”

#Mobility – Global mobile data will increase 26-fold between 2010 and 2015 and there will be nearly one mobile device per capita by 2015.  Read how the Virginia Information Technology Agency is increasing employee productivity with BYOD.

#M2M – This is machine-to-machine communications, where one device transmits data wirelessly to another device.  Read The Center for Digital Government‘s piece on M2M and Smart Technology.

Advances in technology have allowed even the smallest municipalities to cost-effectively innovate.  Cutting costs and doing more with less is highly important in the municipal marketplace.  Don’t underestimate the power to effectively innovate because of the increases in the above technologies.  Communities should no longer be discouraged to try something “new” because they may fail.  Failure can be a learning opportunity and believe me, most of the above trending technologies, have failed somewhere along the way.