When digitizing a form, keep the business process in mind throughout – it’s just as important. Image: Tada Images/Shutterstock.com
By: Rob HankeyDigitizing a single form is easy; mapping out how the data collected in the form fits into the business process is the hard part.
Not too long ago I had a chance to attend an event hosted by a federal agency designed to bring government employees responsible for procurement together with private sector technology businesses. Such events build awareness of the many solutions that could help the government pursue its ambitious digital transformation goals.
One procurement officer I spoke with was facing an interesting problem. His department had a requirement to capture a consent form and integrate it into dual record systems. The agency said it could not accept electronic signatures –the form had to be hand-signed using a digital pad.
This anecdote brings to light an important consideration for the digitization of government forms. Forms are merely a means of collecting data to be used in larger business processes. It’s important to map out the whole process.
The procurement officer believed it would be costly to remedy the problem. Since the government has tens of thousands of forms, this can be an expensive mistake to fix.
The digital transformation drive
The federal government has put several rules and regulations in place to foster its digital transformation initiative. One such rule is the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA). This bipartisan bill was signed into law in 2018 and requires all executive branch agencies to modernize their websites, digitize government forms, and improve customer service.
In the five years since its passing, little progress has been made. For example, just 2% of government forms are digitized according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). To put it another way, a staggering 98% of government forms are not digitized.
This places what OMB calls a “time tax” on citizens. It estimates Americans spend more than “10.5 billion hours each year completing government paperwork.” This often includes searches to figure out which form is the one they need and seeking help completing them accurately. So, digitization is an important priority that can have an immediate positive impact on the public.
Thinking through the larger business process
Why can’t we just turn forms into a Portable Document Format (PDF)?
I hear this question all the time. Several agencies have already explored this option and it didn’t solve the issue effectively. PDF conversion isn’t an effective means of digitization because a PDF still needs to be stored, indexed, archived and secured. It’s hard to use, transfer, integrate or otherwise get value from data collected in this way.
There’s another unique challenge with PDFs in government. Many of the business processes require subject matter experts (SMEs) to review specific data fields – and only those fields – on a form to ensure veracity. It’s virtually impossible to compartmentalize such a view in a PDF. Further, working with PDFs consumes staff time and may expose them to information they might not have a requirement to see.
The point is that simply turning a paper document into a digital format is easy. My company has helped 30 different federal agencies transform hundreds of documents as part of an overall business process. We could easily digitize 1,000 documents in a matter of days. The hard part, though, is mapping the data collected on these forms to the larger business process and workflow so that the data has utility after it is collected, and documents are completed.
If you’ve used tax software to file your taxes, then you have a sense for how this ought to work. Tax software breaks down complex tax forms – and all the accompanying laws and instructions – into a simple intelligent interview. You don’t have to know which forms are needed, the software guides you through the process and collects the required information.
Once complete, the data is saved and reused to streamline state filings and future federal filings. You can see when the IRS has accepted your tax return and even tells you when you can expect a return. This is the kind of thinking the federal government needs to apply to all of its digital transformation.
Recommendations for digitalizing federal forms
The digitization of federal forms is a massive undertaking. Some agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), have already started. I would offer three recommendations as they move forward with their plans.
1. Map your business process.
Digital forms are just one small piece of a larger business process. Spend your time mapping out the business process, considering where else this data can be used within the organization and how to make it available to them. Be sure to review the regulations, laws, and form instructions carefully, interview the SMEs responsible for the process, and be sure to consider the feedback of every office, that touches that form or the data once it’s been submitted. Cutting this short can be very costly to repair later.
2. Start small and grow.
Some forms are more complicated than others. I suggest federal agencies look for a pilot program to experiment with and practice. Choose a form that is less complicated or generally has a lower utilization rate. Start your digitization efforts with that form and gain some experience before beginning to digitize more complicated forms. Keep the business process in mind throughout – it’s just as important as the form.
3. Standardize processes and forms.
There are 430 federal agencies and sub-agencies. Many have their own way of doing things. That uniqueness makes digitization expensive. To every extent possible, agencies should seek to standardize their processes and forms. Security clearances are a great example – many agencies have unique requirements – and each one would need to be digitized separately.
At a higher level, oversight organizations like OMB and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) “own” certain processes and can help identify areas of opportunity that overlap among two or more agencies. Standardization promises to provide cost savings for the taxpayer while also achieving the government’s goal of improving its digital experience.
Rob Hankey is the CEO of Intelliworx which provides FedRAMP-authorized workflow management software solutions to more than 30 federal government departments and agencies.
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