Break the Waterfall in Government

The answer isn't as simple as a lack of money or programmers. The real problem lies in how government technology projects are built. Think of it like building a house, but in slow motion, with some unusual rules.

Currently, government tech projects follow what's called a "waterfall" approach. Here's how it works:

At the top of the waterfall, policy experts write detailed plans about what needs to be done. Think of them as architects drawing up blueprints for a house.

In the middle, other experts quickly check if these plans seem doable. It's like having building inspectors glance at the blueprints and give a quick thumbs up.

Finally, at the bottom of the waterfall, programmers (often from private companies) are hired to build exactly what was planned. They're like construction workers who must follow those blueprints exactly, even if they spot better ways to build things.

The problem? Real-world technology is messy. Programmers often discover problems that nobody could have predicted. Sometimes they find that old computer systems don't work the way everyone thought they did. Other times, what seemed simple on paper turns out to be incredibly complex. And frequently, the blueprints didn't account for important real-world situations.

But because all the plans were set in stone at the beginning, there's no easy way to change course. It's like being forced to build a house exactly as planned, even after discovering the ground is too soft or the materials won't work.

Most modern technology companies work differently. Instead of planning everything upfront, they start with a rough idea and build a simple version quickly. They let real people try it out and learn what works and what doesn't. Then they make improvements based on what they learned, and repeat the process.

This approach means they can spot problems early, before they become expensive to fix. They can change direction if something isn't working, and most importantly, they can make sure what they're building actually helps real people.

To fix these problems, the government needs to make three big changes.

First, they need to break the waterfall. This means getting tech experts involved from day one, not just at the end. It means building simple versions quickly to test ideas, and listening to feedback from real users early and often.

Second, they need to keep knowledge in-house. The government should stop outsourcing entire projects to private companies and instead build teams of tech experts within the government. Private companies can still help with specific parts of projects, but not entire systems.

Third, they need to create better work environments. Many talented programmers would love to help improve government services, but they need an environment where they can work effectively. This means less bureaucracy and more freedom to solve problems creatively.

This isn't just theory - it's already working in other countries. The UK's Government Digital Service has saved billions of pounds and made government services much easier to use. Their website, GOV.UK, lets British citizens find everything they need in one place, with clear, simple instructions.

The good news is that fixing government technology isn't impossible. We don't need to wait for more money or more programmers. What we need is a change in how we approach these projects.

By breaking the waterfall, keeping knowledge in-house, and creating better work environments, we can build government services that work as well as the technology we use every day. The result would be less frustration for citizens, less wasted money, and government services that actually help people get things done.

The first step is simply changing how we think about government technology projects. Instead of treating them like construction projects with fixed blueprints, we need to treat them like living systems that grow and improve over time. When we make this shift in thinking, we open the door to creating government services that truly serve their purpose: making life better for everyone who uses them.

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