Workplace Computers Now and in the Future

     Currently, I work for the federal government and the industry I have chosen to talk about is public service. More specifically, public service within the federal government. In many ways, I've seen the private sector perform much better in this area than the federal government. The private sector seems to be willing to adopt new technologies for more ease and convenience for the customer whereas the federal government seems much slower to adapt to new technologies and changes.  It is certainly not an apples-to-apples comparison, but private companies such as Amazon, have massive databases and servers that can efficiently track inventories across the entire country seamlessly.  I can use an app or a computer to shop everything Amazon has to sell (or watch TV, listen to music, or play games on their service) and the order will be sent to locations where the goods are stored (sometimes multiple locations) quickly and easily for the employee to gather and pack it.  When I am done shopping, I will receive an automated email that automatically adds the tracking information and anticipated delivery date to my calendar.  I can set alerts to track things I am interested in and be notified when they are in stock or go on sale. 

     The Federal Agency I work for allows you to go online and do some limited things, but it has several limitations and not everyone can access the system and pull their own records (admittedly, this is partly due to the greater need to protect peoples’ identities). If you want to set an appointment with my agency, the furthest out you can is 60 days.  Private companies are trying to get your business, so they have the incentive to innovate and to have the best product.  The Federal Government already has your money, so the desire to innovate or update carries much less of a premium unless there is a public outcry.

     Advancements in technology regarding computers and networking are very important for the Federal Government because we work with a large customers base. Of course, it is possible to do our job without the use of computers.  We could do everything on paper keep track of folders and have file cabinets, but it's far more cumbersome.   Using computers makes everything much simpler and easier to keep track of, not to mention we also deal with a lot of sensitive information, and being able to encrypt digital files is much easier than trying to keep a hold of actual physical documents.

          Over the next 10 years, I believe Federal Service public relations agencies need a significant advancement in technology to make things much more efficient and streamlined.  I do know that the agency I work for has indicated that it is looking into doing just that.  I can see in the next 10 years, there will be more advanced digital ways for people to prove their identity and share important records. I know there has been talking of things like using microchips planted in people to be able to prove their identity and such.  While technologically I could see that happening, I'm not sure that morally people would be willing to accept it. Then again ten years ago I am not sure people would have accepted cryptocurrency or putting so much personal information on the Internet. Personally, I am hoping for a much more integrated and seamless system that can talk across different agencies to gather important information and bring it to central locations for more effortless processing.