Nearly every major governmental priority, whether it’s national defense or the delivery of a wide array of critical services and benefits, depends on the use of modern technology. The federal government, however, is saddled with outdated technology systems, lags behind the private sector in how it uses technology to engage and serve the public, and struggles to recruit qualified technology experts for leadership and staff positions.
WHAT WE’RE DOING
Our research and engagements with technology leaders inside and outside of government focuses on federal agency success stories and challenges, the use of emerging technologies to improve government performance, and ways to more effectively recruit and hire qualified technology experts to better serve the public.
Technology
Research Reports
JUST RELEASED
Into the Storm: Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve California’s Disaster Resilience
In our newest report, the Partnership worked with Microsoft to examine ways AI could help federal, state and local governments in states at risk of natural disasters improve their resilience.
Download the report
Cracking the Code: Harnessing the Exponential Power of Technology
In “Cracking the Code: Harnessing the exponential power of technology,” the Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton assess the use of three emerging technologies — artificial intelligence, immersive technologies and edge computing — to identify issues governments should consider to maximize the benefits of these technologies and provide advice for accelerating their adoption.
Tech Talent for 21st Century Government
In this report the Partnership for Public Service and the Tech Talent Project identify top technology and innovation leadership positions in government, the competencies these leaders and their teams need to be successful, advice for recruiting and hiring technical experts, and opportunities and challenges for technology transformation in federal agencies.
Encouraging and Sustaining Innovation in Government: Technology and innovation in the next administration
In this report, “Encouraging and Sustaining Innovation in Government: A Technology and Innovation Agenda for the Next Administration,” authors Beth Simone Noveck and Stefaan Verhulst provide a set of recommendations for how incoming leaders can use innovation as a catalyst in achieving the administration’s priorities.
More Than Meets AI
In this white paper the Partnership for Public Service and the IBM Center for The Business of Government explore the impact AI is likely to have on federal work and the federal workforce.
More than Meets AI II: Building Trust, Managing Risk
In “More Than Meets AI Part II,” the Partnership for Public Service and the IBM Center for The Business of Government offer insights for federal agencies to help them incorporate AI into their organization’s operations responsibly and transparently.
Mobilizing Tech Talent
In a new report, “Mobilizing Tech Talent,” the Partnership for Public Service and two former leaders of the United States Digital Service share lessons learned from recruiting and hiring technical experts at USDS.
Bipartisan, bicameral cooperation provides a path forward on IT acquisition reform
With the support of the Democracy Fund, the Partnership for Public Service examines the process that led to the creation of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act—a notable example of how thoughtful oversight and close cooperation between the House and Senate resulted in both the passage of landmark legislation and better implementation of the law.
The Future Has Begun: Using Artificial Intelligence to Transform Government
In this report, the Partnership for Public Service and the IBM Center for The Business of Government have worked to help you prepare for this coming change. Our first research brief on this topic details the experiences of four organizations exploring the potential of AI.
A Blueprint for Leading Lasting Technology Reforms in Government
Our report, “A Blueprint for Leading Lasting Technology Reforms in Government,” outlines concrete steps leaders can take to pursue ambitious—and vital—IT reforms.
Leading Ambitious Technology Reforms in Government
This issue brief offers advice, tips and strategies from current and former government leaders who have led successful technology reforms in government.
Building a Winning Technology Team: Driving results through effective partnerships
This issue brief highlights the critical stakeholders, discusses their roles and provides tips for forging partnerships and building teams needed to execute programs and policies that rely on technology.
From Inefficient to Integrated: Automating Human Resources Processes Improves Workforce Management
The Partnership for Public Service and Cornerstone OnDemand released this issue brief, “From Inefficient to Integrated: Automating Human Resources Processes Improves Workforce Management,” discussing numerous technology solutions available to improve federal agencies’ HR systems.
Cyber In-Security II: Closing the Federal Talent Gap
The Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton’s report, “Cyber In-Security II: Closing the Federal Talent Gap,” examines the challenges faced by the federal government in building a first-class cybersecurity workforce and offers recommendations for a creating a government-wide strategy for retaining and recruiting top cyber talent.
The Biggest Bang Theory: How to Get the Most out of the Competitive Search for STEMM Talent
Individuals with STEMM skills play a key role in helping our government fulfill its critical missions and foster America’s global competitiveness. In this report the Partnership looks at how agencies increase their odds of landing the best STEMM talent.
Federal CIO Roadmap
Developed as part of the Strategic Advisors to Government Executive (SAGE) program, this resource provides federal Chief Information Officers (CIOs) with a high-level overview of the president’s vision for technology, required responsibilities of a CIO as well as major deadlines that must be met.
Cyber In-Security: Strengthening the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce
The Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton examined the state of the federal cybersecurity workforce by interviewing experts inside and outside of government, and examining public testimony, reports and documents.
Technology
Training Program
FEDERAL IT LEADERS PROGRAM
Information technology is quickly becoming the government’s latest Catch-22. Federal agencies need IT systems to efficiently and effectively run operations and deliver services to the American people. But the more reliant they become on IT, the more vulnerable agencies become to cybersecurity attacks and data breaches.
To maintain IT systems that are both effective and secure, agencies depend on IT leaders with superb technical skills and exceptional management capabilities. The Federal IT Leaders program empowers participants to manage inevitable IT complications and drive vital innovations to strengthen agency operations.
The eight-month program gives participants an opportunity to periodically step away from their day-to-day jobs so they can focus on their long-term professional development. The program meets once every few months for three-day sessions focused on key leadership concepts. Under the guidance of our expert instructors and coaches, participants explore management best practices and practice using their newly developed suite of leadership skills.
Learn moreTechnology
Artificial Intelligence Webinar Series
Artificial intelligence and intelligent automation are improving how federal agencies operate internally and serve customers externally to an ever-greater extent. Some agencies have piloted such technology projects or are in the initial stages of implementing them. Others are farther along on their journeys.
Through a three-part webinar series, the Partnership for Public Service and the IBM Center for The Business of Government are sharing best practices from three agencies that have made this set of technologies an integral part of their mission. We hope to highlight how agencies across the federal enterprise can use AI and related tools.
Our first webinar on June 25 highlighted the experience of the U.S. Marine Corps. Jennifer Edgin, assistant deputy commandant for information at the U.S. Marine Corps, shared her agency’s progress toward full-scale AI implementation, offered tips for other agencies and answered audience questions about AI and its use as part of an intelligent automation suite.
Disclaimer: Neither the Department of Defense nor any of its components endorse the Partnership for Public Service or the IBM Center for The Business of Government, or the products, service, or event.
Our second webinar on July 21 highlighted the experience of the Department of Homeland Security. Sandra Oliver Schmidt, knowledge management lead for the Procurement Innovation Lab at the Department of Homeland Security, spoke about the PIL’s work on streamlining procurement processes to enable agencies to use emerging technologies.
Our third webinar on September 1 highlighted the experience of the Department of Health and Human Services. Michael Peckham, lead for the ReImagine HHS Grants Initiative, discussed how his team is using artificial intelligence and blockchain to make the grants management process more efficient.
Technology
Data Roundtable Series
As a growing number of federal agencies use emerging technologies, agency leaders must consider various factors that enable or hinder progress in emerging technology projects and programs. One such factor is data.
Through two virtual discussions, the Partnership for Public Service and the IBM Center for The Business of Government will explore the role data plays in technology implementation and steps agencies should take to ready their data for use with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Our first discussion on July 28 highlighted the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center’s efforts to establish an enterprise-wide data governance framework. Bryan Lane, data & artificial intelligence director at the Centers of Excellence in the General Services Administration, and Alka Patel, head of AI ethics policy at the Department of Defense JAIC, discussed the role of the Data Governance Council in ensuring data collection and organization is done properly.
Our second discussion on October 13 highlighted how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used for disaster response and modeling. Pete Langlois, program manager at the Department of Energy, and Nirav Patel, project manager at the Defense Innovation Unit in the Department of Defense, discussed the importance of data integration and coordination between agencies.
RECENT NEWS
U.S. Digital Service works to combat COVID-19
June 6, 2020
Publication Type: In the News
The U.S. Digital Service is a little-known government program, but has been a crucial tool in the country’s COVID-19 response. Created under President Obama and embraced by the Trump administration, the service has embedded experts in technology throughout federal agencies. Major Garrett got a rare look at how the program works.
How the U.S. Digital Service is helping during the coronavirus pandemic
April 23, 2020
Publication Type: In the News
You may not have heard much about the U.S. Digital Service‘s role as the nation battles the spread of the coronavirus, but the federal government’s tech surge team has had its hands in some of the administration’s most pressing efforts behind the scenes.
Breakthrough Technologies Offer Enormous Opportunity for Federal Leaders—If They Seize It
July 11, 2019
Publication Type: In the News
What Silicon Valley calls “exponential technologies” could transform agency operations and boost national security.
AI will chip away at 130,000 federal jobs in the next decade
February 28, 2019
Publication Type: Commentary
The adoption of AI technologies over the coming decade is likely to eliminate work, and in some cases entire jobs, currently being done by more than 130,000 federal agency employees in more than 80 occupations.
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