CTOing in the Defense Department with Schuyler Moore and Justin Fanelli
Jun 10, 2024
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CTOs Schuyler Moore and Justin Fanelli share insights on the challenges and importance of their roles in the Defense Department. They discuss collaborating with venture capital, benefits of working in defense tech, digital modernization, and user integration in technology development.
CTOs in the Defense Department focus on technology translation and prioritization, distinct from commercial CTO roles.
Government tech projects benefit from direct user engagement, accelerating technology integration and fostering agile problem-solving.
Deep dives
Challenges and Responsibilities of DOD CTOs
The role of a Chief Technology Officer in the Defense Department involves addressing a wide range of technologies, from cloud computing to AI applications. This role focuses on translation and prioritization across various technological domains, differing from commercial sector CTO positions. The CTO's responsibilities include representing, curating problems, and activating people to enhance technology integration and innovation within the DOD.
Collaboration and Innovation in Government Tech Projects
Government tech projects, like Digital Falcon Oasis, have shown unexpected successes through user-driven and engineer-directed efforts. By engaging users directly, technology integration has accelerated, surpassing initial expectations. Structured innovation events like these empower users to drive technological advancements and foster agile problem-solving across different commands and portfolios within the organization.
Diverse Outcomes and Adaptations in Defense Tech
Emphasizing outcomes and time horizons in defense tech initiatives has led to increased urgency and communication with private sector partners. The focus on proving impact on mission outcomes rather than technology itself enhances effectiveness and productivity. Implementing structured piloting approaches and creating clear communication channels with external partners have driven successful tech solutions and engagements across different sectors within the Department of the Navy.
Navigating Bureaucracy and Promoting Innovation
Dealing with bureaucracy and psychological tolls within civil service roles requires persistence and collaboration within the organization. Creating outlets for constructive venting and emphasizing progress made by individuals contribute to maintaining morale and motivation. Defining what 'winning' looks like at a granular level and focusing on incremental progress can sustainably drive innovation and problem-solving efforts within the government tech sector.
It's become more and more common for organizations in the Defense Department, from the military services to geographic combatant commands and beyond, to have chief technology officers. What do they do? What challenges do they tackle? Why are they becoming increasingly important as the U.S. military tries to maintain its technological edge over China and other shrewd and savvy rivals using tech to create asymmetries? To help grapple with these questions, I sat down with Schuyler Moore, the CTO of U.S. Central Command, and Justin Fanelli, the CTO of the U.S. Department of the Navy.
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