Staff in U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) agencies live in two digital worlds. At home, they shop on Amazon, help children with homework on Google Classroom, play video games and post their recorded videos. At work, they endure limited network capability, minimal flexibility and long wait times for the manual intervention sometimes needed to configure older computers before they can access certain files and sites.
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) aims to bring these two digital worlds together by creating a consumer-like experience for end users while incorporating a DOD cybersecurity posture. By consolidating tools and infrastructure for more than 20 disparate networks into one interoperable network, DISA will enable efficient, secure intra/inter-agency collaboration. The agency also aims to create an environment in which end users get the assistance they need in the way they want it, ranging from self-service to traditional help desk support.
Collectively called the Fourth Estate, the agencies and departments that operate these networks are not directly part of the military services or intelligence agencies. Nonetheless, their respective operations are key to the DOD’s overall effectiveness and require a modernized information technology (IT) platform to function at peak levels and fulfill their mission.
The Fourth Estate’s IT services are the result of years of operating with limited equipment, software and configuration choices. This device-based model offered the benefit of volume purchasing, simplified training and an optimized support model that squeezed out costs. These backend advantages delivered expected metrics while keeping all the computers, telephones, printers and other equipment functioning–the right outcomes for yesterday’s environment.
Today, the technology that’s embedded in devices minimizes the need for device support. Configuration occurs on startup and updates to operating systems and applications are automatic. Because of these advances, DOD has an opportunity to evolve its approach to IT so that users and their productivity become the driving force behind the operating model.
For example, user roles and functions determine device configurations. While each user gets Microsoft 365, accounting specialists would receive a financial application and engineers would obtain CAD/CAM software. Interfaces would also have different logos, disclaimers and other features depending on the user’s affiliation.
These advances provide an opportunity for DOD to evolve its approach to IT—making users and their productivity the guiding principle behind the operating model. It sounds simple, and it is if the infrastructure is there to support it.
As DISA embarks on the modernization journey known as Defense Enclave Services (DES) for the Fourth Estate, other DOD digital transformation initiatives that Perspecta has supported provide a methodology for success.
As a first step, assessing the as-is environment is essential to understanding the infrastructure’s capabilities and the population’s requirements. Through this discovery process, DISA will learn baseline details such as equipment age and network design, which will help shape the strategy. Equally as important as the technical details is knowing the current IT support environment and how the agency separates commodity IT services from mission IT. Understanding this allows DISA to plan and tailor the services to the agency’s users in the DES ecosystem while ensuring that mission IT services do not falter. Discovery also informs planners of the ways that employees interact with technology and how well it supports their work.
A second part of a transformation program is understanding the to-be environment, then conducting short-term activities that align that vision with a strategy. This includes developing categories for key performance indicators, collecting multiple views of operational maturity levels and constraints, and mapping out solutions that enhance services. An example of this is the zero-touch approach: users get a device they ordered from the DES service catalog, power it up, answer a few questions and then the device configures itself.
Third, modernization requires a phased approach for the larger program segments. For example, user self-service is an important feature that decreases the need for help desks and increases user productivity. This starts with building and refining the knowledgebase of content and creating an intuitive search function that lets users quickly find what they need. Use of hashtags, forums, chatbots or a direct message to a help desk gives users a range of search capabilities depending on their preference.
Additional value comes later from having artificial intelligence and a predictive support model with telemetry-capable devices so that agencies can prevent downtime or other incidents.
Finally, the purpose of digital transformation is digital enablement, which means users have greater collaboration, mobility and agility through a more consumer-like work environment while ensuring continuous evolution of the cyber posture. Getting there involves an ongoing process of evaluation and execution of incremental steps, along with frequent communication to increase user familiarity and adoption.
DOD will be well served with DISA’s keen focus on the user experience because it will improve operational performance and attract the next generation of recruits accustomed to a mobile enterprise and digital technologies. The distributed workforces of the multiple agencies under DES will accomplish their work remotely, at any given time and using a variety of devices. Technology has become a commodity, so it is no longer a barrier to getting work done securely; an operating model built around and for the users–the customers–will make the difference in how well and quickly it gets done.
Chris Painter is vice president of DOD engineering for Perspecta where he oversees modernization initiatives for some of the largest DOD networks. He leads Perspecta teams in custom software development, network design, standardized service delivery and system management. Contact him at chris.painter@perspecta.com.
