From Process to Purpose: Accelerating Mission Impact in Government Modernization
Three Points to Remember
Modernization starts with process, not tools. Reengineer workflows before applying AI or automation to drive efficient, mission-aligned transformation.
Clean, trusted data fuels AI success. Strong governance and zero trust foundations empower secure, scalable, and reliable digital transformation.
Culture drives lasting change. Clear communication, collaboration, and incremental progress build momentum for sustainable government modernization.
At the recent ACT-IAC Digital Transformation Summit, La’Naia Jones, chief information officer and director of Information Technology Enterprise at the CIA joined Tim Gilday, Leidos vice president for Enterprise Digital Experience (EDX) for a fireside chat on how agencies can modernize better, faster, and with lasting impact. Jones shared transformation lessons that apply as well in the national security sector as for the rest of government. The discussion resonated deeply with the Leidos approach to modernization, emphasizing trust, data discipline, and culture-led change. From their discussion, below are six guiding principles for any agency or partner looking to thrive in today’s transformation landscape.
Don’t automate chaos: reengineer before you digitize
Before applying automation or AI, examine your processes. Embedding inefficiencies magnifies them through technology.
Lean out the process first—then apply digital tools to streamline or replace steps.
Think of modernization as process modernization plus digital enablement, not just a tool rollout.
Data is the bedrock — not an afterthought
You can’t bolt AI or analytics on top of messy, siloed, or poorly governed data and expect success. The discussion underscored that weak data foundations become liabilities at scale.
Invest in data governance, quality, and architecture before large-scale AI adoption.
Treat data cleanup, normalization, and integration as strategic work, not just back-office housekeeping.
Culture and communication outpace code
The hardest part of transformation is rarely technology. It’s people. Lasting change relies on shared purpose and transparent communication. Capability and reliability matter, but so do humanity and transparency.
Use plain language and ongoing communication to make every “why” visible.
Advance change incrementally — “small steps, small spaces” — rather than big-bang shifts.
Celebrate wins early to build momentum and confidence.
You don't want to change just for the sake of change, you want to change for a benefit at the end.
La'Naia Jones
CIO and Director of Information Technology Enterprise, CIA
Innovate responsibly without sacrificing stability
Innovation matters, but so does reliability. For mission-critical environments, balance experimentation with assurance.
Adopt new technologies where they strengthen existing capabilities.
Guard against treating new tech as a silver bullet; adopt where it augments existing strengths.
Use hybrid models – commercial and custom – as fits classification, risk, and operational context.
This aligns with how we approach Zero Trust and cybersecurity: you don’t bolt it on at the end— you build it in from day one.
Start small, learn fast, scale up
Mirroring the Leidos EDX design philosophy: start with core, reusable components rather than one-off monoliths.
Leverage use cases on a small scale to validate risk and value before expanding enterprise wide.
Use pilots as learning labs to test assumptions under controlled risk.
Measure rigorously, iterate, and then scale.
Build internal champions and success stories that accelerate adoption.
Measure along the mission path
It’s not enough to talk about savings or speed — transformation must be tied to mission impact.
Quantify value in time saved, errors avoided, operational reach expanded, and experienced improved.
Frame metrics as mission enablers, not just IT KPIs.
Use those metrics to communicate wins upward and outward — to stakeholders, leadership, and users.
Moving forward: trust, discipline and mission impact
As Jones and Gilday emphasized, transformation is not just about technology— it’s about trust, discipline, and mission alignment. As Jones shares, “Agency leaders and ecosystem partners need a mindset shift: from ‘We’ll modernize once we sort this out’ to ‘We modernize through disciplined change, every day.’"
If we bring that kind of rigor paired with clean data, cultural sensitivity, and responsible innovation – modernization becomes more than a buzzword. It becomes mission success in action.
