Before I Begin: The views represented here are my own and have never been views of my employer(s). Last Updated: May 2024

What I wish someone had told me before going into gov tech

Note: This is a riff on this post here.

• Don’t be afraid to step across org hierarchy early and often
• Measure success in improved outcomes to users
• Make tactical changes yourself - don’t stray too far from your expertise - don’t solely rely on contractors to set & execute on their own strategy
• Nudging the rudder of the ship 1° affects it’s long-term trajectory
• The code you write (or your teams) will be a liability 5+ years from now
• Writing software on a piece of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) is next to impossible - try to change this with Cloud IDEs, getting locally installable software approved, etc.
• It is almost always a people/process problem and not a technical problem
• It’s easier to make changes to an org from a place of understanding - rather than from a place of arrogance
• Question how and why processes exist that have created or will create more bureaucracy
• Interpret memos & directives on your own - otherwise someone else will
• Be careful what you say ‘yes’ to - carve out dedicated heads down time for deep thinking. There will be enough work for you to stay at a place for your entire career
• Call your colleagues - even if it’s for 5 minutes - learn why they are there and what keeps them there
• Know when you reach the height of your power & recognize that it is probably your time to leave
• Be bold - a strong vision for how things could be can be a HUGE motivating factor. I’ve put this into practice with projects like tracking CO2 emissions across government websites, creating government design systems, and exploring federal AI implementations.
• Unbury great people from within the org and let them execute & lead
• It is OK to be wrong - solicit feedback early and often - so long as you course correct quickly
• Never forget why you started & the peoples’ lives you are changing. Whether you’re working on design systems, software templates, or exploring new technologies, focus on the impact on users’ lives.