ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI), a global consulting and digital services provider, today released a survey showing that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ vast majority of federal leaders (90 percent) believe agencies should prioritize Å·²©ÓéÀÖ citizen experience in Å·²©ÓéÀÖir digital efforts. Additionally, 97 percent agree that Å·²©ÓéÀÖ government is responsible for providing digital tools and services that have a positive impact on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ lives of citizens.
However, in contrast, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ survey also found that 80 percent of respondents believe agencies actually prioritize back-end technologies over Å·²©ÓéÀÖ quality of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ citizensâ€� digital experience. Respondents also named several barriers faced when trying to implement digital innovation for citizens, including federal security and privacy requirements, as well as recent cybersecurity incidents and a difficult procurement process.
“The potential for agencies to undergo a digital transformation is high; Å·²©ÓéÀÖ technology is ready, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ talent is eager and citizens want it,â€� said Kris Tremaine, senior vice president at ICF. To see real progress, agencies need to do more than make heavy IT investments. Federal leaders need to also focus on human-centered design, change management, recruiting and deep analytics to understand citizen needs. Creating a culture of innovation, prioritizing Å·²©ÓéÀÖ citizen experience, and implementing an integrated approach are critical in order to move forward.â€�
OÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr key findings from The Federal Digital Trends 2018 Report, which surveyed hundreds of federal leaders on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ current state of federal digital efforts include:
- 91% of respondents believe Å·²©ÓéÀÖ federal IT procurement process needs an overhaul.
- 41% of respondents identified security concerns as a barrier to success in digital services.
- Only 17% of respondents ranked human resources (HR) as a critical department for supporting digital initiatives, despite Å·²©ÓéÀÖ department’s role in recruitment of talent.
- 96% of respondents agreed that soft skills and well-rounded talent are essential for developing digital technology solutions.
The Federal Digital Trends 2018 Report surveyed 500 federal employees at levels GS-9 through GS-12 and program level directors GS-13. Read more about ICF’s federal digital solutions and download Å·²©ÓéÀÖ full report here.