The US Needs a Tech-Smart Government

[Commentary] Civil servants trained in policy know little about digital technology; as a result, they can’t ask hard questions or pitch in to help. Many are risk-averse, too, and complacent when it comes to large technology projects.

Government technologists, for their part, may have no experience with modern project management and design methods. They usually aren’t at the policy-making table; instead, they’re brought in after decisions have been made and left to interpret the shifting demands of the tech-blind lawyers and economists. This is why, when faced with a big technology project, fear of failure and inadequate internal talent drive government agencies to call in giant contractors. These vendors may not be the best at managing software development, but they are the best at handling government contracts. They’ll operate using antiquated models of project management that involve detailed, fully baked project designs rather than minimum viable products. And they’ll use mainstream technologies because that’s what they know decision makers will trust. Government policy managers, by and large, leave vendors such as CGI Federal, the contractor behind HealthCare.gov, alone to do the work, not knowing what questions to ask. This is a shame, because if government could use technology responsively, it would increase public trust.