For Wichita, the past year in tech and innovation has involved both cost-saving work and exciting new pilot projects, with some overlap between. In the first group, the central IT shop has done a number of things, including outfitting city vehicles with GPS, which has enabled the city to use data to enhance efficiency. This, Wichita estimates, saved $120,000 last year, and will continue to do so annually. IT staff in Wichita also began upgrading existing computers rather than purchasing replacements, which officials estimate saved more than $140,000. It may not be flashy, but this work is at the heart of gov tech for cities.
Wichita also has a list of pilot programs and completed work, including public kiosks that enable easier interactions with the city, gunshot detection tech, law enforcement analytics, online payment consolidation and more. The city brought more of its services online, including an emergency rental assistance form. Collaboration, meanwhile, played a vital role in Wichita, both with government partners as well as the private sector. One example is a fiber-sharing agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation, which netted Wichita faster Internet. Another example is working with T-Mobile on a partnership around Wi-Fi hot spots to boost digital equity. There is also a growing relationship between the city and the startup community. Wichita has worked to find tech startups that can help with civic challenges. This, so far, has included work on a citizen engagement platform with Citizen Lab, and a project with Qwall to aid women and minority-owned small businesses during the pandemic.