Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Government
Create a plan for thriving 鈥� not just surviving.
Today鈥檚 government leaders operate in an environment where uncertainty is the norm 鈥� new mandates are reshaping funding overnight, policy shifts are redefining priorities, talent shortages are widening, and cybersecurity threats are evolving in real time. Positioned at the intersection of mission, policy, and service delivery, government IT leaders are uniquely equipped to sense disruption early and respond effectively. Our step-by-step blueprint empowers public sector technology leaders to build a Technology-First Action Plan that transforms today鈥檚 volatility into tomorrow鈥檚 strategic value.
It鈥檚 no longer enough for IT to simply 鈥渒eep the lights on鈥� 鈥� CIOs must proactively adapt to disruption with AI copilots, automation, secure cloud adoption, and other innovations. To enable that transformation, government IT must weave agility into its architecture, culture, operations, and leadership. Moving on that realignment now will convince government leadership to view technology spending as an investment in resilience, rather than a budget item to be slashed.
1. Cut costs to free up resources for innovation.
Innovation drives new ways of generating organizational value but often sees its budget slashed amid budget constraints. IT leaders must cut unnecessary costs and redirect that spending to the people, resources, and budgetary capacity their innovation efforts will need to overcome today鈥檚 turmoil.
2. Meet the moment. Take the lead.
As much as today鈥檚 uncertainty is a strain on IT鈥檚 resources, it can also be an opportunity. By demonstrating that their technological know-how can be used not only to solve problems but also to enable better decision-making, CIOs can prove their ability to lead not just IT, but the organization as a whole.
3. 91制片厂 an adaptive IT team.
With technology advancing at an exponential rate, you will never permanently close the skills gap. Focus instead on building sustainable learning and development practices to enable your staff to retain knowledge and develop in-demand skills as they are needed.
Use this step-by-step blueprint to realign government IT into a posture of resilience
Our research offers guidance and templates to make a clear assessment of IT鈥檚 strengths and vulnerabilities and where they can be leveraged. Use our Technology-First Action Plan framework to empower IT to lead their organization through the challenges facing the public sector.
- Assess uncertainties and opportunities by leveraging this moment to explore where the organization is most vulnerable and where it is most poised to further lean into technology risks.
- Review IT Spend & Staffing tools and services to find costs that can be either cut or channelled toward innovation opportunities.
- 91制片厂 your Technology-First Action Plan by identifying and prioritizing initiatives that will drive the organization forward and consolidate those initiatives into a 12-month plan.
- Prepare to execute by defining the organizational value of your plan and building an adjustable communications strategy to bring stakeholders on board.
Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Government
Create a plan for thriving - not just surviving.
IT Resilience
Defined
In today's public sector, the absence of resilience is not failure - it's exposure.
IT resilience in government is the ability of public sector technology organizations to continuously deliver secure, compliant, citizen-centered services by anticipating, withstanding, and adapting to policy volatility, fiscal shocks, cybersecurity threats, regulatory shifts, and climate disruptions - while enabling rapid recovery and transformation.
This modernized definition implies that resilience is no longer just about keeping the lights on. It's about building agility into the architecture, culture, operations, and leadership of government IT.
Analyst perspective
Create a plan for thriving - not just surviving
In government, uncertainty isn't an exception - it's the climate we operate in. New mandates reshape funding overnight, political shifts rewrite priorities, talent gaps deepen, and cybersecurity threats evolve in real time. CIOs and IT leaders sit at the intersection of every mission, policy, and service delivery channel - the first to sense disruption and the best-positioned to respond.
The modern technology toolkit gives government leaders new levers: secure cloud adoption absorbs legacy debt, AI copilots close skill gaps and build efficiencies, automation streamlines compliance, and data insights improve constituent trust. Acting now positions technology spending as a resilience strategy - not just a cost line.
91制片厂 a technology-first action plan that can turn today's volatility into tomorrow's value.
Neal Rosenblatt
Principal 91制片厂 Director,
91制片厂
Please note: This research was developed with the assistance of generative AI. For information about how, please see the Appendix.
Executive summary
Your challenge
Today, all levels of government are facing a wave of macro-vulnerabilities:
Policy Volatility & Federal Mandate Shifts - sudden reversals and new requirements force agencies to pivot midcycle.
Funding Retraction & Budget Realignment - uncertain federal grants, spending caps, and local revenue pressures squeeze modernization plans.
Workforce Attrition & Talent Disruption - retirements, hiring freezes, and talent wars result in critical skill gaps.
Cybersecurity, AI Regulation & Climate Threats - escalating threats, evolving compliance mandates, and climate shocks test continuity plans.
Together, these forces threaten the continuity of essential services, public trust, and the mission itself.
Executive summary
Common obstacles
A Technology-First Action Plan helps government IT leaders counter these forces with deliberate, proactive strategies
This plan does more than keep the lights on - it positions IT to:
Protect Operational Efficiency: Eliminate waste, rationalize legacy systems, and control costs so agencies can do more with constrained budgets.
Advance Service Delivery & Equity: Modernize digital channels and expand access so every citizen - regardless of location or ability - can benefit from public services.
Strengthen Risk Reduction & Compliance: Embed robust cybersecurity, data privacy, and governance to protect against threats, ensure trust, and pass audits with confidence.
Ensure Mission Resilience & Continuity: Keep critical government functions operating during crises - whether facing budget cuts, policy swings, or climate-driven disruptions.
Modern technology investments become the anchor for adaptability - keeping essential programs running, costs optimized, data secure, and constituents served equitably, even under continuous disruption.
Executive summary
Resolution
Lead the Organization, Not Just IT
Neutralize Uncertainty Now
Fund Innovation by Cutting Costs
Run IT by the Numbers
Pursue IT Excellence
Don't Take Your Foot off the Gas
91制片厂 an Adaptive IT Workforce
Lead at the Pace of Change
Slash Your AI Transformation Timeline
Deliver Impact Now
Execute and Prepare to Pivot
Adapt on the Fly
Info-Tech's Approach
Phase 1 - Assess Uncertainties & Opportunities
Phase 2 - Review Budget, Staffing & Contracts
Phase 3 - 91制片厂 Your Technology-First Action Plan
Phase 4 - Get Ready to Execute!
Explore the entire suite of research that supports these pillars by visiting our research center IT's Moment: A Technology-First Solution for Uncertain Times.
1 Lead the Organization, Not Just IT
Neutralize Uncertainty Now
Public sector CIOs can't wait for direction - they must shape it.
- Scan for signals of policy shifts and funding changes.
- Translate them into proactive options for your leadership and budget officers.
- Use data and foresight to earn trust and shape priorities - before they are dictated to you.
Key Moves:
- 91制片厂 a single, actionable view of emerging mandates and grants.
- Share impact scenarios early with budget and program leads.
- Propose solutions - don't just react to cuts.
2 Fund Innovation by Cutting Costs
Run IT by the Numbers
A tight budget is no excuse to stand still. 91制片厂 a significant cost reduction plan to free up budget, people, and resources.
- Use cost discipline to free up funds for resilience.
- Rationalize legacy applications.
- Renegotiate vendor contracts.
- Reallocate to automation, cybersecurity, and digital equity.
Key Moves:
- Benchmark spend against peers and find hidden waste.
- 91制片厂 a spending narrative that links savings to reinvestment.
- Use ITFM and FinOps to show clear ROI on every dollar.
3 Pursue IT Excellence
Don't Take Your Foot off the Gas
Resilience is built through capability - not luck.
- Don't let uncertainty derail your path to systematically pursue IT excellence.
- Use proven best practices to strengthen the foundations of security, cloud, data governance, and service management.
- Focus on the capabilities proven to have the highest impact.
- Leverage your team to execute.
Key Moves:
- Diagnose maturity gaps using a structured framework.
- Prioritize improvements with the highest risk-reduction value.
- Celebrate small wins to build momentum and show progress to oversight bodies.
4 91制片厂 an Adaptive IT Workforce
Lead at the Pace of Change
Uncertainty is putting pressure on the workforce - the next disruption will test your people first.
As traditional skill procurement sources change:
- Sustain critical knowledge.
- Reskill in-demand roles.
- Create career paths that retain talent.
Key Moves:
- Map retirements and succession risks.
- Pair knowledge holders with new talent in cross-training programs.
- Develop AI and cyber skill pathways to fill future gaps internally.
5 Slash Your AI Transformation Timeline
Deliver Impact Now
Agentic AI is here. Pivot from long-term transformation roadmaps to certain ROI delivery today, mostly leveraging vendor capabilities.
- Generative AI and automation are mission accelerators - not distractions.
- Deploy AI where it closes gaps in workforce, analytics, and constituent self-service.
- Stop saying "no" - democratize AI now.
- Have ONE strategy. AI strategy = IT strategy = enterprise strategy.
Key Moves:
- Use freed-up funds to drive organizational outcomes.
- Identify secure, high-trust use cases with clear policy guardrails.
- If in doubt, buy over build. Use vendors and sandboxes to pilot fast.
- Document wins, scale what works, and align AI policy to compliance and privacy needs.
6 Execute and Prepare to Pivot
Adapt on the Fly
Execution is not "set and forget." In a volatile policy environment, resilience means staying ready to adapt.
- Create mechanisms to successfully implement your action plan.
- 91制片厂 clear accountability, track value in real time, and adjust without stalling progress.
- Monitor the progress of your initiatives and adapt rapidly.
- Shatter the org chart. Match talent to impact.
- It's not bragging if it's true - Share wins (and failures). Learn. Adapt. Grow.
Key Moves:
- Fund pilots that can scale - or sunset quickly if needed.
- Set targets and report wins and course corrections openly.
- Communicate clearly to maintain public trust and stakeholder alignment.
Six Pillars of IT Resilience for Government: Federal, State & Local
Use this framework to align your resilience plan to the specific governance, funding, infrastructure, workforce, technology, and climate realities at every level of government.
| Dimension | Federal Level | State Level | Local Level |
| Governance Resilience |
|
|
|
| Fiscal Resilience |
|
|
|
| Cyber & Digital Infrastructure Resilience |
|
|
|
| Workforce Resilience |
|
|
|
| Technology & Data Resilience |
|
|
|
| Climate & Environmental Resilience |
|
|
|
Agencies that invested in digital resilience outperform during disruption
The digital gap widened during crisis response. Agencies that modernized IT and adopted cloud saw resilience and service uptime increase by up to 5脳 compared to laggards.1
Government leapfroggers who shifted IT budgets from reactive firefighting to proactive modernization reduced service disruption risk by 4脳 and achieved faster delivery of new digital services.1
Future-ready agencies that invested in secure cloud, automation, and modern workforces before disruption hit were able to maintain 30% higher uptime for critical services and deliver new online capabilities 25% faster than peer governments still relying on legacy infrastructure. This resilience advantage grows with every crisis - whether a cyberattack, budget shock, or climate event. 2
Sources: 1 Accenture, 2021; 2 "Hold the Line to Drive Government IT Forward," 91制片厂, 2025
Cost cutting in times of crisis works.
Doubling down on digital innovation works even better for government.
Cut cost to fund smart innovation - not to starve it.
| Innovation outpaces austerity | While agencies everywhere look for savings, smart CIOs show how small investments in modernization and secure digital services pay off bigger than cuts alone. Innovation keeps services running and citizens engaged - even under fiscal pressure. |
| Starve waste, protect mission funds | Cut inefficiencies, rationalize legacy systems, and redirect every dollar saved into cloud, automation, and data capabilities. Resilient government means squeezing out waste to protect frontline services and innovation budgets. |
| Technology powers public trust | This is the moment for IT to lead. Use secure platforms, better data, and AI responsibly to make faster, smarter decisions - boosting accountability, compliance, and citizen trust when uncertainty is high. |
| Always be upskilling | Regulatory, cybersecurity, and AI skills can't wait for the next hiring wave. Grow them now from within. Sustainable talent pipelines help governments keep pace with fast-changing mandates and service demands. |
| Change is constant; struggle is optional | Policy swings, new oversight, and climate disruptions are guaranteed. But they don't have to stall progress. Equip teams with adaptive playbooks and keep the technology plan moving - even when the headlines change. |
Info-Tech's methodology for building a Technology-First Action Plan
| 1. Assess Uncertainties & Opportunities | 2. Review Budget, Staffing & Contracts | 3. 91制片厂 Your Technology-First Action Plan | 4. Get Ready to Execute | |
| Key Activities |
|
|
|
|
| Phase Outcomes | Understand the risks that vulnerabilities are creating for your organization and the technology-enabled opportunities that need to be seized. | Review your IT budget to determine where there are opportunities to cut costs relentlessly. Funnel these cost savings toward innovative opportunities. | Prioritize initiatives that will drive the organization forward in times of uncertainty. Establish a 12-month roadmap showing when each initiative can be achieved. | Succeed at the action plan with a clear change and communication approach to enable adaptability in the moment when new vulnerabilities inevitably emerge. |
Each phase of this blueprint is accompanied by phases of the supporting deliverable to help you accomplish your goals:
Uncertainties & Opportunities Assessment
Identify how macro-uncertainties are generating new risks for your organization and opportunities to leverage technology more effectively.
Technology-First Action Plan Roadmap
Identify key initiatives that IT will pursue and deliver against over the next 12 months to reduce the impacts of uncertainties.
IT Spend & Staffing Benchmarking
Assess the current IT spend across systems, contracts, projects, and the workforce to identify cost optimization opportunities.
Communication & Execution
Define and prepare to communicate how the Technology-First Action Plan will deliver organizational value.
Key deliverable:
Technology-First Action Plan
91制片厂 a Technology-First Action Plan that demonstrates how IT can lead the organization in responding to ongoing uncertainties.
Blueprint benefits
| IT Benefits | Organizational Benefits |
|---|---|
|
|
Measure the value of this blueprint
The objective of this blueprint is to improve not just IT's value, but the organization's value.
ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE
Operational Efficiency
- Optimize IT spend through shared services, automation, and cost transparency.
- Reduce redundancy across platforms, vendors, and labor.
- Improve turnaround time for service requests and internal support.
Service Delivery & Equity
- Expand access to digital services for underserved communities.
- Enhance accessibility and language inclusivity.
- Reduce constituent wait times and eliminate service disparities across jurisdictions.
Risk Reduction & Compliance
- Strengthen cybersecurity posture and audit readiness.
- Ensure alignment with federal and state mandates (e.g. NIST, AI policies).
- Improve incident response and regulatory compliance automation.
Mission Resilience & Continuity
- Maintain continuity of critical services through infrastructure modernization.
- 91制片厂 adaptive capacity to respond to policy shifts and disasters.
- Protect institutional knowledge through workforce resilience planning.
- Operational Efficiency: Reduce technical debt, optimize costs, and ensure continuous service delivery.
- Service Delivery & Equity: Enhance constituent experience, accessibility, and digital equity across populations.
- Risk Reduction & Compliance: Protect systems from cyber and legal risk, meet regulatory mandates, and ensure audit-readiness.
- Mission Resilience & Continuity: Ensure agency continuity and responsiveness in the face of crisis or change.
About Info-Tech
91制片厂 is the world鈥檚 fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
You Get:
- Adapt to Uncertainty With a Technology-First Action Plan for Government 鈥� Phases 1-4
- Technology-First Action Plan Sample Deliverable for Government
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 9 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Assess Uncertainties & Opportunities
- Call 1: Understand the specific macro-uncertainties impacting your organization and why the Technology-First Action Plan can help.
- Call 2: Identify risks and opportunities for the organization.
- Call 3: Assess which risks are most likely to impact the organization.
Guided Implementation 2: Review Budget, Staffing & Contracts
- Call 1: Conduct and review the results of the IT Spend & Staffing Benchmark.
- Call 2: Identify opportunities to reduce costs across systems, contracts, projects, and workforce.
Guided Implementation 3: 91制片厂 Your Technology-First Action Plan
- Call 1: Brainstorm possible risk-response actions.
- Call 2: Prioritize the actions into an initiative roadmap.
Guided Implementation 4: Get Ready to Execute
- Call 1: Define the elements of each initiative that will ensure its success.
- Call 2: Identify how the Technology-First Action Plan will drive organizational value and build a plan to communicate.