Federal CIO VanRoekel Asks: How Do We Put Our Best "Future First" Foot Forward?
One of the biggest stories this week in the Federal IT space is CIO Steve VanRoekel's PARC speech in which he calls on "a broad group from across industry, academia, and government....to help formulate a “Future First” initiative that will help us continuously architect for the future."
VanRoekel lays out several principles that will guide this "Future First" initiative, including:
1. Do More with Less – Maximize ROI on IT Investments
- root out waste and duplication across the federal IT portfolio
- shift to commodity IT, leverage technology, procurement, and best practices
- build on existing investments rather than re-inventing the wheel.
2. Close the Productivity Gap
- build a “future ready” workforce equipped with the modern tools and technologies
- implement smart telework policies that give our employees increased flexibility
- reduce real estate footprint and better enable government to function during an emergency
- think strategically about how we buy, manage and use mobile devices and collaboration tools cost-effectively and securely.
3. Improve Citizen and Business Interaction with Government
- lower the barriers to interaction with the government.T
- launch a one-stop, online portal for small businesses to find and access available programs, information, and other services from across the government
- launch a dashboard where the public can track an initial set of large infrastructure projects through the review and permitting process.
4. Enhance Cyber Security
- consolidate data centers, shut down legacy systems, and move to the cloud
- ensure Americans and our government are safe
5. Change the Way We Invest
- embrace modular development
- build on open standards
- run our projects in lean startup mode.
- work with Congress to change our approach to funding technology
VanRoekel closed his speech by saying that he'd "like your help in defining these 'Future First' principles." So I turn it over to you, GovLoop:
1. Are they the right principles?
2. How should they evolve over time?
3. How do they foster the greatest amount of competition and innovation?
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Tags: Federal CIO, Future First, IT, Information Technology, Steven VanRoekel
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by GovLoop on -
Couple principles I'd like to add to the mix.
Honestly, I think biggest issue for CIO in his role next 2-6 years is how to dramatically lower costsTo me, there are two important ideas:
1) Platform first - On the concept as government as platform, government should think first - do we need to build this or can we just be the platform? A great example is E-filing, government didn't build its own platform for e-filing but acted as a platform and coordinated with private sector companies who integrated with their back-endWhen you get into tough decisions like rebuilding the medicare or social security benefits process, I'd argue government should act more like efiling as there's no money for government to build itself
2) Shared-in-savings (Buy differently) - The concept of shared-in-savings has been here for awhile. Here's an example - say GSA wants to "green" an existing building. It could either put out a RFP and pay a contractor for all their labor up-front. Or it could say, we are looking for a contractor who will do the work for free but will take a percentage of all money saved on energy costs for say 10 years. It's a different business model for the vendor and a different budget cycle for government. But I think if done right it can be a win/win. Government will not have the up-front capital to do a lot of big projects in the next 5 years so it needs the private sector to help invest and take those risks
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Resella on -
I would love to see how the "Productivity gap" is actually closed.
Will federal employees continue to bring in their own personal Macbook Pro's while the antiquated 17" Gateway all in one computer sits next to their desk?
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Permalink Reply by Julie Chase on -
Wow, you can do that and connect to a government network? You can't be in DoD...... We have antiquated Dells, WindowsXP, Office 2007 (we just got it about a year ago), Explorer 6 I believe. And most important.....NO THUMB DRIVES ALLOWED....all external hard drives have to be bought through a "process" that is compatible to NMCI network. If you tried to hook up another computer (say your home use Mac), bells and whistles would go off at the GovGeekHeadShed and your IAO would get a phone call. Also, NO WIRELESS, period, for anyone, anywhere, anytime. We have software packages we purchased through the "process" and are unable to use them because we need wireless capability. Adobe Pro is very expensive and we only have 3 loaded in a 10 person office. Printers are networked, no printer next to your desk top. You print, and walk into the common area to pick up what you printed. Yeah, I'd like to see some changes.....like a computer that doesn't take close to 5 minutes to boot up. A co worker who lives in a rural area says his dial up is faster.
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Permalink Reply by Julie Chase on
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GovLoop, truth and reality here, there is absolutely nothing a lower end GS clerk can do about it. Everything we do is governed by a "Directive". ....every process, every form, everything you do has an instruction. It's kind of like Pharoah in the Ten Commandments said, "So let it be written, so let it be done."
Remember, it's all about "security". There are forms we continue to use that date back to the 70's. There are Directives that are so old, the word computer isn't a word yet.
Babyboomers are heading for the door as fast or as quick as a VSIP is offered. We like computers, we are all about innovation. Remember, in government, it is all about the "process", "the steps" to get you where you need to be. No short cuts, no work arounds allowed, unless a "new" directive emerges. I don't think in the real world it takes 6 months to procure a stand alone technology or software. In the real world, it may take a week. I have no less than 12 people on my email list for this procurement of whom do not work at my installation and have never met. This is where a millenial, righly so would say, "Hey, you've got a contracting office right here at this installation, shouldn't they procure things for you?" Yeah, one would think so. It's not for anything classified.....so what is the problem?
You tell me GovLoop guy and then we'll both know.
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Permalink Reply by GovLoop on
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Ah...true :)
But cool part and the power of GovLoop is that collectively we have a voice and people in positions do listen to our ideas.
So that's the goal of GL - let's come up with solutions and propose them.
Some solutions I got from your thread:-Focus on streamlining processes & directives
-Focus on true risk-based security
-Provide technology that is at least as good as you'd have as home :) (no old Dells with no thumbdrives, no wireless, etc)
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Permalink Reply by Julie Chase on
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GovLoop guy......you got it!
That is why I keep coming back to GovLoop every night after work (we can't get you during the working hours, you are blocked). The wheels are always turning here and that is so great!
My new manager is all about efficiency and sadly has found, as we all have, it's anything but.
Risk and security is not determined by the low level user of an unclassified machine, it is by the top brass who haven't a clue what we do, down in the basement of civil service.
I read on another gov news source that DoD and DoN are having a heck of time getting bidders, other than NexGen to bid on the IT contract because IMHO it's real low-ball in which case it will be no better than what we have now, or there are contractors out there who are too high on the price.
As for the thumb drives they have been BANNED DoD wide for about 2 yrs now. If you put one in your machine, your IAO will get a nasty email. My suggestion was to have the IT dept purchase thumb drives, cleaned and screened and dole them out to us where any other thumb drive than the one issued will not work. The technology is there.
Our dept in the very near future is going to need advanced technology to do our mission. It's the nature of the beast....but we are but a dustspeck on Horton's nose.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Stevens on -
I dig it Ryan! As a new generation comes into government, so does the technology they love to use.
VanRoekel should take a look at OPM and how the agency is getting it done. The director listens and pushes for the best. There is currently an iPad initiative and you can use your personal iPhone on the agency network after simple steps with our Help Desk. Security has not been compromised. Of course, the next step at OPM is implementing use of popular technology agency wide, maybe even standard issue.
This just speaks to his main point, great stuff is already being done in government. Let's find it and share for the better!
@Julie: My specific division at OPM handles DOD clearances with this new technology. Shhhh.... don't let it out!
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Permalink Reply by Mark Forman on -
@Michael
what's your take on USAJOBS. Seems like the cost to build it was 3x what had been budgeted in past years, and that there were newer allternatives to Monster that could have been acquired as a web-service.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Stevens on
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@
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Permalink Reply by Julie Chase on
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Mike, I don't want or need an IPad, I don't want Uncle Sam's stuff on my personal phone and it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to issue me a phone. I would just like to be able to have a work computer that boots up within seconds vs minutes. I would like to be able to order software and stand alone hardware within at my agency contracting dept., at my installation instead of 2 states away through 20 people whom I've never met or will meet. I would like my hardware and software to have a 2 week turn around at the most vs. 6 months or more. I would like my thumb drive back. If my computer has a problem, I don't want to call someone in San Diego about it, I want to talk to someone at my installation who is familiar with me, my dept and our mission to assist me. If my computer or my co workers computer shows the blue screen of death, I don't want someone in San Deigo or Norfolk, whom I don't know telling me that they will refer my ticket to the local help desk, "Welll geez louise, that is who I wanted to talk to in the first place." When someone shows up to take my computer because the blue screen of death got to it, I would like them to plunk down another computer in it's place, rather than telling me, "I'm sorry, Ms. Chase, I don't know when, how long, or if you'll get your computer back, you can buddy up with someone else in the office." Oh, yeah, that will go over well. Do you see the problem here Mike?
The end user has no say, we just have to put up with "whatever the contract says".
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Permalink Reply by Mark Forman on
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Having worked in government and the private sector, this sounds the same as the big companies i worked at. ugh
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