It’s clear that technology built for consumers can have immediate impact in many government agencies. The first step in realizing these benefits is for government IT professionals to expand their search outside of traditional beltway vendors and commit to updating their procurement processes to make way for the latest advancements in technology.
Too often IT project teams create additional blockages that prevent investments in the latest technology the 21st century has to offer. While these arguments sound reasonable, they often don’t hold water upon closer inspection. Let’s discuss some of these arguments and why they should be avoided.
The best procurement processes start with a high-quality understanding of what the market currently offers. While comprehensive research requires an upfront investment of time and money, consider these resources well spent for a successful transition to new technology
Imagine you just completed a big project. For the most part, you consider it a success, but inevitably no project goes 100 percent according to plan. While the “woulda/shoulda/couldas” are fresh in your mind, it’s easy to assume you’ll remember them when it comes time for the next project. Learn how a retrospective can help.
If government agencies collectively and consistently demand these very reasonable “rights,” vendors will have no other option than to provide the products that these agencies deserve.
Choosing a new technology vendor will impact your agency for years. By taking note of the suggestions above, agencies can capitalize on their in-person interactions with potential vendors, from meeting prep to live demos and Q&A. If you can make potential vendors prove their worth on demo day, you can be that much more confident… Read more »
Better technology solutions begin with better procurement strategies. Releasing an RFP is no small feat, and we’ve only just touched on the comprehensive ocean of how to improve your agency’s RFP process. However, by following the guidance here, you can be sure your procurement process will be more forward-looking, low-risk and satisfactory for your agency.
The complete IT professional is somebody that can understand business objectives and use their command of IT to solve those problems in a manner that is efficient and effective. The cloud enables them to deftly wield those IT skills with more prowess and dexterity than on-premise solutions could afford.
If any agency can be thoughtful about anticipating the externalities of implementing new technology, there’s no reason that “modernization” shouldn’t be a core value of an agency versus a half-hearted attempt at not falling farther behind.
The tech community has proven to be fast, agile and efficient. And because the majority of the tech industry is fueled by engineers, there may be something government can learn from them.