Improvise, adapt, overcome
The Defense Department’s National Defense Strategy acknowledges this
shortfall. “Success no longer goes to the country that develops a new
technology first, but rather to the one that better integrates it and
adapts its way of fighting,” the strategy says. “Our response will be to
prioritize speed of delivery, continuous adaptation, and frequent
modular upgrades. We must not accept cumbersome approval chains,
wasteful applications of resources in uncompetitive space, or overly
risk-averse thinking that impedes change. Delivering performance means
we will shed outdated management practices and structures while
integrating insights from business innovation.”
Across government, agencies have often found their efforts to adopt new
approaches and technologies stymied by various constraints and
challenges, including outdated policies and regulations, inflexible
procurement processes, unsupportive leadership, a risk-averse culture,
skills gaps, and more.
It is increasingly important that government agencies overcome these
challenges because citizens and federal executives alike see just how
critical modern technologies are in our lives—and the important role
that innovation plays in tapping into those technologies.
Tips for developing an innovation DNA
So how can federal agencies do better at developing a culture and
metabolism for innovation that enables them to continuously evolve and
thrive in our increasingly complex, digital world and effectively take
on the big challenges of today and tomorrow?
There are six foundational ingredients needed to build a successful
innovation-oriented enterprise: Vision, Community, Governance,
Tools, Skills, and Network. Here are some suggested steps that can
help federal agencies with each: