Management

Changes Ahead? 3 IT Projects to Watch

There could be some major technology initiatives at federal agencies that get a push forward in 2017 and beyond.

Melissa Delaney is a freelance journalist who specializes in business technology. She is a frequent contributor to the CDW family of technology magazines.

As the Trump adminsitration starts to tackle IT priorities across the federal government, here is a look at three large technology projects that could take shape in the near future:

1. Faster Airport Security Lines

The Transportation Security Administration’s Precheck program clears the majority of travelers before they arrive at the airport. Instead, employees devote most of their time screening for those with criminal backgrounds or on terrorist watchlists. Biometrics could further streamline the process by validating passengers with iris scans, says Tom Greiner, managing director of technology at Accenture.

2. Better Protection of Personal Data

Agencies can devote greater resources to securing their most sensitive data. “We’re still in an environment where agencies are a little too concerned with digging a deep moat to keep the bad guys out,” Greiner says. “Once the bad guys figure out how to throw a bridge over the moat and get to the other side, they often have unfettered access to data. I think job one would be getting the high degree of rigor around those crown jewels.”

3. Simpler Sign-Up for Benefits

Citizens often are eligible for far more government services than they would guess. Collaboration among agencies could lead citizens to get their due. “Let’s figure out what benefits they qualify for, so they can tell us once who they are and some key facts about them,” Greiner says. “We will tell them the 14 programs for which they qualify, and we’ll start the application forms for every single one with the data they provided, so they don’t have to apply 14 times.”

For more on the tech trends behind the transition to a new administration, check out, "Faithfully Executed: The Technology Behind the Presidential Inauguration."