Ep. 252 From Legacy to Lean: Innovative Ways to Lower Costs in Federal IT Projects

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Gregory Garrett, Chief Operating Officer at REI Systems, discussed digital transformation and innovation at the AWS summit in Washington, DC.  He has a fascinating background that includes a career as a fighter pilot, the publication of twenty-four books, and guest lecturing at Georgetown University.

The stated goal of today's administration is to reduce costs and eliminate waste. Today's aging systems are prime candidates for innovation. Unfortunately, there is no "innovation" button that a federal leader can press to have a variety of suggestions at their fingertips, allowing them to choose the best alternatives for improvement.

He has applied all this experience in dealing with talented software developers by organizing a competition for new ideas. It is REI's "REI Innovation Competition," which generated over 100 white papers and led to a proof of concept for government agencies.

From REI's perspective, digital modernization must address issues such as legacy systems, code revision, and improved code documentation. As a case in point, Gregory Garrett reviews the success REI has had in the federal grants management program.

During the interview, he delves into topics such as quantum computing and interoperability. Listen to the perspective of a digital leader who can extract innovation and leadership out of highly skilled software professionals.