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By: FEDweek StaffThe pandemic “highlighted the decades of neglect” of IT systems by the federal government and other levels of government but there have been examples of agencies adapting successfully to new challenges such as the need to replace in-person services with remote services, according to a report from the Partnership for Public Service.
“Technology also enabled government agencies to radically expand services beyond their prior capacities and even disrupt old ways of doing business altogether by using the crisis as an opportunity to innovate,” said the report, done in conjunction with Microsoft.
Characteristics common to successes, it said, include “having had a technology foundation in place; access to skilled technologists; paying close attention to cybersecurity concerns; an ability to evaluate how technology can enable mission delivery; understanding the need to design technology with the user in mind; and being cognizant of the need for the public to have access to technology and the internet.”
Among federal agencies, it cited as examples the Indian Health Service greatly expanding a telehealth platform; VA creating a chatbot in just three weeks in response to a surge of queries to its call centers; the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering using artificial intelligence to analyze medical images to detect and treat the virus; and the Energy Department connecting national laboratories to allow researchers remote access to their capabilities.
“Agencies would be wise to evaluate what services can be offered through technology to reach new people or provide a more streamlined customer experience. When designing and rolling out these technology options, the customer experience should be the primary concern,” it said.
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