The pandemic laid bare the integral part technology plays in today's government, and chief information officers are now getting a seat at the table at the beginning of the process to modernize and implement new systems.

While states and localities still have a long way to go toward getting everyone access to high-speed Internet, efforts at all levels of government, and especially federal funding, promise positive progress.

As the likes of space travel and facial recognition made headlines in 2021, state and local governments looked at how — and if — emerging technologies can be put to use for public-sector business.

Threats to critical infrastructure and ongoing discussions of elections security, together with increased risk from the rise of telework added complexity to the cybersecurity landscape this year.

After the 2020 rush to get as much of government online as quickly as possible, 2021 saw sustained growth of digital services as more decision-makers realized its value for both staff and citizens.