Digital transformation in its purest form is a future shift. At federal agencies, the future can be hamstrung by the past in the form of legacy IT systems. Achieving digital transformation within the confines of existing budgets and working with legacy systems is possible, but it takes some insightful thinking to get it done while still remaining focused on the mission.

We recently had the opportunity to ask an expert, Jason Adolf, Industry Practice Lead for the Federal Government at Appian, to share his thoughts on the consequences of trying to run an agency on aging IT infrastructure. Referring to the many point solutions originally purchased by program leads to address unique needs, Adolf noted that, as the technology evolves, so does the workforce, which can create another layer of challenges.

“As tools get more mature….there is an issue of finding people willing and able to maintain these solutions,” he said. “People want to work on the cutting edge stuff. The ability to meet the mission is directly related to the availability of resources to work on the solution.”

To hear more about legacy IT and its affect on federal agencies, listen below.