Government agencies investing in digital transformation face a common challenge: how to modernize service delivery efficiently. This expert roadmap reveals 4 proven strategies for successful digital government modernization, based on insights from Maximus leaders who've guided federal agencies through complex technology implementations.
In a recent FedInsider webinar, Maximus leaders Gina Bornarth, Director of Growth for Civilian Accounts, and David Chou, Vice President of Solutions Architecture, offered an expert roadmap with practical insights on turning modernization vision into meaningful outcomes.
1. Address process, policy, and culture for successful technology implementation
Technology can help drive digital modernization, and Bornarth and Chou pointed out that agencies will be most successful when they first address technical process, policy, and cultural factors to increase adoption and utilization of new solutions.
Technical processes
Chou noted that when agencies focus too heavily on technology from the outset, they may miss the key operational links between systems, workflows, and people. He explained that identifying the interconnections and interdependencies is crucial.
This learning has been transformed into action; Chou noted that Maximus now maps all dependencies before moving applications, treating them as cohorts rather than isolated systems. Although this approach requires more upfront investment, it reduces overall time and cost and helps to ensure wider application adoption.
Technology policies
Policies can also be a driver of efficient digital government solutions, and Chou noted that agencies will be wise to address legacy policies that can impact costs. He shared an example of a federal health agency with legacy record retention policies that caused data storage costs to balloon significantly. The policy required creating hard copies of shared medical records; a process suited to the paper-based era, yet unnecessary and expensive in today’s cloud environments.
The lesson?
"Look at your policies to see when they were written," Chou advised, noting that updating policies to reflect cloud and digital capabilities creates cascading benefits.
Cultural resistance
Bornarth highlighted organizational acceptance and the opportunity to embrace change, which is crucial to success.
"Resistance to change is often driven by cultural norms or fear of disruption," she noted.
To overcome it, Bornarth emphasized establishing the "why" for stakeholders—not just mission alignment and personal relevance. She recommended starting with pilot programs to demonstrate quick wins and build momentum without large financial investments.
"If it doesn't work, you pivot, but you learn that early on.”
2. Create unified digital platforms
The panelists emphasized that digital government services are most effective when they meet citizens where they are, providing a seamless total experience across channels—voice, chat, text, email, and Web.
Bornarth drew parallels to commercial banking apps that reduce reliance on in-person visits. “This kind of convenience is the baseline,” she noted. Achieving it with digital government services is possible with an intentional approach that includes:
- Involving diverse communities in the design of accessible digital platforms
- Conducting regular testing to ensure robust performance
- Prioritizing user-centered design with clear layouts and mobile-friendly interfaces
- Ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies
From a technical perspective, Chou explained that unified platforms are key—they offer the ability to standardize services that multiple applications can use consistently.
"If the mobile-first application is consistent for the user, that's what provides the better experience," he noted.
Success hinges on adoption by end-users and by engineers building applications on the platform. When platforms deliver surprisingly simple experiences, they shift user expectations and drive continued engagement.
3. Leverage data analytics
Data analytics serve as the backbone of responsive digital services. Chou and Bornarth noted the value of robust data governance alongside innovation to maximize success.
For example, Chou highlighted that artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted how organizations should approach data. He emphasized building data ontologies, which define data meaning and relationships, rather than simply mapping where data is stored.
"AI can use this approach to better uncover insights organizations are looking for," Chou explained.
Bornarth added that data analytics is essential for spotting service gaps, anticipating demands, and personalizing citizen interactions. Additionally, she emphasized that "with great power comes great responsibility,” and stressed the importance of building privacy and security into platform design from the start.
"When done right, data becomes a way to build public trust," she said.
4. Leverage cloud and APIs to support scalable digital front door services
Cloud infrastructure and application programming interface (API) integrations drive scalable service delivery by enabling efficient interactions between disparate systems.
Bornarth compared cloud infrastructure to a city's public transportation system—scalable, efficient, and providing shared resources while eliminating the need for individual builds. APIs serve as the connections between services, like trains and bike paths linking various parts of a city. Together, they enable agencies to roll out services faster, scale based on demand, reduce costs, and deliver smoother, more unified experiences.
Chou emphasized that APIs have become critical for modernization, especially with AI. They provide translation layers between legacy systems and modern applications, easing integration with new technologies.
"Build APIs so they're usable by both engineers and AI agents," he advised.
This approach enables modern applications to interface seamlessly with legacy systems across different technological generations, facilitating sustainable transformation.
Key takeaways
- Address culture and process before implementing technology
- Update legacy policies to reflect cloud capabilities
- Build unified platforms that meet citizens where they are
- Use AI-ready data ontologies, not just data mapping
- Design APIs for both engineers and AI agents