Just as public outreach becomes even more important and necessary in public works, we are fortunately seeing the launch of new tools to help us become more successful in our efforts. Social media has improved communication by allowing us to deliver our messages quicker and more efficiently with audiences we might not have reached before.
Instagram and Snapchat are gaining enough in popularity and users that public agencies are considering getting accounts. Let’s explore each of these tools to help you decide if their use would be relevant for your agency.
Over the summer, Jim McLaughlin, operations manager for the City of Eugene (Ore.) Public Works Department, showed me several mobile applications he has integrated into his operations to assist with inspections and management of assets. All of their applications have been developed in-house by an IT project team managed within the public works department. And all of the applications are "IOS" set to run on an iPad.
One huge benefit of Web-based tools is the ability to better communicate and share information with colleagues
We hope to see you on LinkedIn soon so you can connect with us and others in the public works community.
