Necessity is the mother of invention. Innovation is the application of invention or inventiveness to improve an outcome. At GSA, we implement effective solutions allowing our customers to better serve the American people.
Individual innovation is ineffective. New methods of operations and best practices must be shared to have a lasting impact.
GSA positions government agencies to fulfill their missions. As agencies collectively deal with fiscal and environmental constraints, GSA uses cost-saving strategies to maximize output and multiply services.
GSA manages 1/3 of a billion square feet of office space, manages more than 210,000 vehicles, and provides more than $55 billion in products and services to the federal government.
In addition to eliminating physical workplace walls, technology has also helped us to break down barriers that slow down efficiency. For example, smartphones connect many tools in one device.
We no longer have to be tethered to our desks and our organizational constraints. Programs like Cloud IT services allow us to evolve our systems untether our work from proprietary networks and systems.
We must use technology to seek information outside of organizations to improve services and outcomes. At GSA, Challenge.gov is an example of how we use “crowd sourcing” to develop solutions and innovations.
We also use these methods internally, with programs like the Great Ideas Hunt – a program that engages employees in the process of making the agency more efficient.
One of our biggest imperatives is to understand what we do and why we do it. This means the continuous collection and sharing of high quality, useful data.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at the Trachtenberg School at The George Washington University at a forum titled “The Innovation Imperative for Government.” Though every federal agency can benefit from innovation during these difficult fiscal times, GSA is particularly well positioned to not only innovate, but share new ways to maximize efficiency across the federal government. Today, we provide more than $55 billion in products and services to the federal government, giving us the ability to leverage the purchasing power of the federal government to get the best value. And we have the opportunity to connect with agencies and share solutions.
Click through the slideshow below to see more from my presentation.
