February 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 8

EDITOR'S LETTER
PRESIDENT AND CEO

Work Smarter, Not Just Harder

or as long as there has been work to do, there have only been two ways to do it better: Work harder and work smarter. I doubt any of us can be working any harder
(or longer), which leaves us with working smarter. Better planning, execution, and
follow-up make for smart work, and any time we can develop tools to accomplish these
tasks is working even smarter. This could be a good working definition of technology.
When the magazine's editors set out to assess the state of technology in the field of parks and recreation, we weren't sure what
we'd learn. We know we're similar in mission to other fields-tourism, retail, and healthcare, since we all have customers to whom
we market, balance sheets to reconcile, and facilities to build and
maintain, among other considerations.
We identified three key trends in technology-mobile technology
and communications, mapping, and energy management. None of
these technologies is easy, cheap to adopt, or without shortcomings. Marketing park and recreation programming through mobile
devices is in its infancy, and data privacy issues still need work.
Compatibility of operating programs continues to slow the receptiveness of customers to some mapping applications. And the high
capital costs for retrofitting building automation systems into existing structures can scare off window shoppers.
Still, the braver adopters whom author Maureen Hannan interviewed show that resourcefulness and commitment to a longer view
overcome many shortcomings. Read how the Chicago Park District, for example, negotiated the use of open software coding over
proprietary code in establishing its centralized energy management systems. They were
looking for long-term security and stability in their investment, and they even worked
with their energy provider to fund the program.
Smaller agencies shouldn't think only the big dogs can take the biggest leaps. These three
trends are all scalable and may even favor smaller, nimbler, and more flexible adopters.
***
Observant readers of Parks & Recreation have noticed changes in the design of the magazine from issue to issue. We've long believed good magazine design requires continuous
tweaking and adjusting. But even the best design runs its course and overhauls become
necessary. This issue reflects just such a re-working. Designer Kim Lewis has re-worked
typefaces, column widths, use of white space, and other elements. We hope you find the
magazine not only more contemporary in look but easier to read as well. Let us know
what you think about the design-or, for that matter, anything else about the magazine.
My mailbox is always open: phayward@nrpa.org.

PHILIP HAY WARD
Editor

Parks & Recreation

| FEBRUARY 2013 | WWW.NRPA.ORG

Barbara Tulipane, CAE
VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS

Lauren Yost
PUBLISHER

Gina M. Cohen
EDITOR

Philip Hayward
phayward@nrpa.org
MANAGING EDITOR

Elizabeth Beard
ebeard@nrpa.org
ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Danielle Taylor
dtaylor@nrpa.org
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February 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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