Reimagining Government Tech
I’ve spent an interesting several months working in government with several different agencies and seen some consistent patterns. I think my years of experience in industry prior to government help shape my perspective on how government runs. These are my personal thoughts in my personal capacity not related to work.
Here goes…
When a veteran moves states, they must navigate 43 different websites with separate logins to transfer their benefits → Imagine one secure digital ID that seamlessly transfers all benefits nationwide
Medicare still processes 4.6 million paper forms annually → Picture a modern web native interface like most everything else on the web, immensely more efficient and cost saving. .
Federal employees juggle 3-4 separate computers to access different agency systems → Envision one secure device with smart authentication.
The IRS runs on 60-year-old COBOL code → Transform to modern, maintainable systems like those used by fintech companies.
Government doesn't attract qualified developers because they offer significantly below market rate salaries.
We know this transformation is possible because:
- Estonia serves 99% of government services digitally
- UK's Gov.uk platform unified 1,800 websites into one user-friendly system
- Singapore's digital ID system enables instant access to all government services
The cost of our current system? $100+ billion annually on outdated IT. The cost of transformation? Far less than maintaining the status quo. We pay out extraordinary sums to consulting firms rather than building out the capabilities we need our government to provide.
This isn't just about efficiency - it's about creating a government that works for everyone. When filing taxes takes minutes instead of hours, when veterans get immediate access to care, when businesses can focus on growth instead of paperwork - that's when we'll know we've succeeded. A shared resource and benefit for all as we work together.
The technology exists and our government orgs are extremely overdue for change. Other countries have shown the way. Let's build the digital government Americans deserve and works for the people, not just the rich and wealthy.
