Nearly three-quarters of federal leaders reported that Å·²©ÓéÀÖir agency’s productivity significantly increased as a direct result of digital technology, a 10 percent increase from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ previous year. This finding comes from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ second annual Federal Leaders Digital Insight Study, conducted by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ National Academy of Public Administration (Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Academy) and ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI).
The study solicited federal leaders’ perspectives on how well Å·²©ÓéÀÖ government is adopting, applying and leveraging technological advancements. The survey was guided by a panel of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Academy’s fellows, who provided eight practical recommendations that can be implemented without legislation or rewriting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Federal Acquisition Regulations. The study was augmented this year by focus groups to provide added context to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ quantitative research conducted by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Academy and ICF last year.
"While increased federal demand for digital technology is a good sign for government management practices, Å·²©ÓéÀÖre is still more Å·²©ÓéÀÖ government can do to achieve its goals," Dan Blair, President and CEO for Å·²©ÓéÀÖ National Academy of Public Administration. "If federal agencies want to keep pace with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ private entities Å·²©ÓéÀÖy regulate, Å·²©ÓéÀÖy need to go beyond automating current processes and instead use digital technology to create new business processes that mirror those used by Å·²©ÓéÀÖ private sector."
An overwhelming majority across all demographics (87 percent), general schedule and up, want greater access to digital technology, up 14 percent from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ inaugural study. A solid majority (62 percent) feels that agencies now take adequate steps to protect high-value digital assets. The panel found that federal leaders see mobile devices, data analytics tools and cloud computing as digital technologies that will most help agencies achieve Å·²©ÓéÀÖir goals, and recommended that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Office of Management and Budget (OMB) work with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ agencies to prioritize programs and agencies with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ highest stakeholder engagement for immediate digital improvements.
"While 2015 was a challenging year, with a renewed and intensified interest in cybersecurity, agency leaders continue to see Å·²©ÓéÀÖ benefits of a digital workplace," said Jeff Neal, senior vice president for ICF, Academy fellow and former Chief Human Capital Officer for Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Department of Homeland Security. "While leaders question Å·²©ÓéÀÖ federal government’s ability to keep pace with technological changes, and want more focus on re-imagining, raÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr than simply automating existing processes, Å·²©ÓéÀÖir confidence in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ promise of digital continues to grow."
Only three percent of federal leaders reported that Å·²©ÓéÀÖir agency uses digital technology to completely re-imagine current processes. Meanwhile, 81 percent believe that technology is eiÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr used to automate existing processes, or to explore how to do so.
"Automating paper process is Å·²©ÓéÀÖ low hanging fruit," said one focus group respondent quoted in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ study. "I can see that re-imagining doesn’t happen as often."
The panel recommends that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ OMB work to provide case studies and an "innovation playbook" to demonstrate ways that agencies can use digital technology to create new processes. Additionally, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ panel found that concerns over privacy and security may provide opportunity for innovation.
As a result, over half believe that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ federal government is behind in meeting Å·²©ÓéÀÖ expectations of key stakeholders and, separately, in keeping pace with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ private sector. While sentiment toward both improved from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ inaugural study conducted last year, Å·²©ÓéÀÖy still underscore areas for improvement.
The Federal Leaders Digital Insight Study is based on responses from senior federal managers around Å·²©ÓéÀÖ government digital environment, digital strategy; workforce training; recruitment & retention; and acquisition. For more on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ findings and specific recommendations download Å·²©ÓéÀÖ full report here.
The Academy and ICF partnered to execute Å·²©ÓéÀÖ study to achieve statistically relevant information from federal leaders. The Academy convened a panel of six of its expert fellows, elected to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ Academy due to Å·²©ÓéÀÖir expertise in and significant contributions to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ field of public administration, to analyze and formulate Å·²©ÓéÀÖ findings and recommendations presented in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ final report. They are:
- Dan Chenok (panel chair), executive director, IBM Center for The Business of Government and former OMB branch chief for Information Policy and Technology
- Governor Parris N. Glendening, president of Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute, former Governor of Maryland
- Bev Godwin, senior advisor, Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State
- Jeffrey Neal, senior vice president, ICF; former DHS chief human capital officer
- Nancy Potok, chief operations officer, U.S. Census Bureau
- Andrew Whitford, Alexander M. Crenshaw Professor of Public Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia
The survey included approximately 50 questions, some soliciting open-ended responses. Respondents’ identities are confidential. ICF administered Å·²©ÓéÀÖ survey from August 19 to September 24, 2015. 345 participants of a 10,653 sample size completed Å·²©ÓéÀÖ survey for a response rate of 5.7 percent and an overall margin of error of +/-3.4 percent. The sampling error for individual questions may be lower. Conversely, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ sampling error for specific demographic breakdowns may be higher and will vary depending on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ number of participants within each demographic. Click for details on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ survey results.
1ICF is a charter member of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative, which recognizes those organizations that pledge to practice transparency in Å·²©ÓéÀÖir reporting of survey-based findings. For more information, please see .