The Help-Files: The Truth Is Here
Vol03: Iss01 – Looking Ahead to 2022
2021 is now in the rear-view mirror and our sights are now looking to 2022 and what it has to offer. For Serve the City’s Digital Infrastructure that means updates, upgrades and new resources, some visible and some not. And at least one that will have a direct impact on everyone. So, let’s see what is on-tap for 2022.
One of the first things you’ll be able to see is a redesigned STC International website. The communications team has been looking hard over the past year to see how we can better provide you and the outside world the information you need or want. The branding will look the same as before but the organization and content will be updated. That content is currently undergoing final review so look for the new website to debut by the end of March.
For those that take advantage of focus, our online training platform, we plan on updating the engine that drives that system which should result in a more pleasant user experience. We also plan to add courses to help cities in the Starting to Active life stages.
The website template that we offer to all cities will also see some upgrades later this year. We will be improving our traffic and performance diagnostics so that we can better evaluate potential updates and upgrades that will make the sites faster and more functional. Implementation of any updates/upgrades will likely start occurring towards the end of the year.
Another resource that will be making a return in 2022 is the Serving Stories podcast. Season 2 got off to a rocky start and for several reasons actually stopped after 2-3 episodes. We plan to relaunch Season 2 of the podcast in the next month or two in a shorter, more work-commute friendly length. But don’t worry, you’ll still get the same amount of content just spread over more episodes!
The last thing we want to mention is also the change that will likely have the most impact on those of you who use the Teams, Office 365, and email service resources we make available to all cities. We’re sure you have all seen articles in the news detailing the many hacking attacks on governments, business, and even nonprofits. In order to help minimize the vulnerability of our systems we will be implementing Multi-Factor Authentication on our Microsoft-based platforms. We are starting to test this with select users so that we can better understand the impact and how best to guide users through implementation issues. Look for a full Help Files article on this topic next month.
So, that in a nutshell is what 2022 has to offer with regards to Serve the City’s digital resources. And don’t forget, if you have questions or problems implementing any of this Digital Infrastructure help is only an email away. Just send your request to support@servethecity.net.
Happy New Year from the Global Operations Team
