In an era where the threat landscape evolves at breakneck speed, the mission readiness of defense organizations is inextricably linked to the modernization of their IT infrastructure. Yet, layering new capabilities onto already complex environments isn’t just a technical challenge; it’s a race against expanding cyber risks, mounting strain on cybersecurity teams, and a critical dependence on secure, frictionless user access. Insights from Leidos experts Tim Gilday, Vice President of Enterprise Digital Experience, Digital Modernization, and Bethany Leickly King, Chief Experience Officer for Defense Enterprise IT Modernization, underscore that success hinges not merely on hardware and software, but on people, processes, and a strategic approach rooted in „human-centered design.”
Navigating the Digital Jungle: Pitfalls of Bolt-On Tech
Tim Gilday, a Leidos VP, warns that while the accelerating pace of technological innovation presents exciting opportunities, it also confronts defense agencies with a „jungle of tools.” Many are underutilized, others redundant, and some introduce unknown security risks. Attempting to „inject” new technology in a bolt-on fashion without strategic integration transforms these already complex environments into fertile grounds for new threat vectors. Cybersecurity teams are stretched thin, struggling to keep pace with routine vulnerabilities in an increasingly dynamic landscape. „We need innovative methods to continue to track and mitigate vulnerabilities effectively as we start to insert new technology,” Gilday emphasizes, cautioning that every new „blade of grass” added to the complexity demands heightened attention.
People First: Overcoming the Resistance to Change
Bethany Leickly King, Leidos’s Chief Experience Officer, complements this perspective, highlighting that the biggest customer experience hurdle is resistance to change—a phenomenon often amplified in federal environments by the perception of high costs or potential resource loss. King’s proposed solution is a structured organizational change management (OCM) approach, baked into projects from the outset. „Clarity means setting expectations from the beginning of what they’ll gain, what they’ll lose, what’s in for them, and what their new roles and responsibilities will be,” King explains. This proactive strategy reduces uncertainty and minimizes resistance, ensuring smooth transitions and robust adoption of new capabilities.
The True Cost of Readiness: Beyond Short-Term Budgets
While the mission remains paramount, Gilday points to the critical need for a long-term financial vision. Even amidst budget cuts, agencies must find innovative ways to deliver mandated outcomes. „I’d like to see a shift towards considering total cost of ownership rather than focusing solely on short-term budgets,” he states. A strategic, upfront investment in transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation can significantly reduce long-term costs, contrasting sharply with „fire drills” like cutting licenses or removing valuable platform modules.
Reimagining Security: Human-Centered Design and Zero Trust
From a security standpoint, human-centered design (HCD) is vital. Gilday illustrates how systems designed with the user’s daily experience in mind can minimize accidental vulnerabilities. Solutions like single sign-on, biometrics, or passwordless authentication not only simplify the experience but also reduce human error—a major contributor to cyber threats. Moreover, with the explosion of emergent technologies such as agentic AI, „maximum transparency and observability” are essential, requiring detailed logs for rapid analysis and reaction. King adds that an implementation, however technically sound or secure, can fail if people are not committed and don’t change their behaviors. „If you’re not focusing on the people, you’re subject to redesign, re-scope, retrain, or even retreat, and those can all be costly.” Regarding „Zero Trust,” Gilday clarifies: „Zero Trust is people, processes, and technology working in constant synchronization, double checking each other in a system of checks and balances.” Reducing it to a mere product purchase is a misstep, as true success depends on cultural understanding and human practices that support the technology.
A New IT Paradigm: From Policy to „Delight by Design”
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly heightened awareness of the need for organizational change management and experts in the field. King notes a growing inclusion of language related to customer experience and workplace culture in government requirements documents. Successive administrations have issued executive orders on customer experience, including the „America By Design” order, establishing a national design studio. This trend underscores a guiding principle Gilday calls „delight by design.” „We believe it’s a right for employees and constituents of the government to have a successful, if not delightful, experience getting the outcomes that they’re trying to achieve,” he asserts, emphasizing that the human must remain at the center of every government technology solution. King concludes that when delight is designed with intent and discipline, customer experience transforms from a mere differentiator into a valuable component of mission success.
Conclusion: IT modernization in the defense sector is not merely an infrastructure challenge but a complex strategic imperative demanding a holistic approach. By integrating human-centered design, robust organizational change management, a long-term financial vision, and a rigorous implementation of Zero Trust, defense organizations can successfully navigate the digital labyrinth, ensuring not just security, but also the agility and efficiency essential for their critical missions.
