Helping Connecticut Transform Digital Services

The State of Connecticut (CT) recognized that its outdated systems were holding the state back. Start-ups and companies working in CT had to fill out redundant forms and navigate siloed government agencies. Government staff were working around legacy software and without the resources to deliver a seamless experience. This all contributed to inefficiencies that were costly to the state and frustrating for the public.

In early 2019, the governor declared a commitment to avoid wasting constituents’ time and money and make CT, “one of the nation’s most cost-efficient, data-informed, results-driven states.”

CT sought help to define a vision for digital service delivery and establish a roadmap for getting there. The state recognized that many of the issues they faced were rooted in culture and process, not just technology. They would need to examine many facets of digital service delivery — from procurement strategies to hiring and retaining staff.

CT engaged Bloom Works to create a digital transformation roadmap to guide the improvement of digital services across state government. The team included user experience (UX) researchers, subject matter experts, and digital transformation specialists who worked in collaboration with the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) on a multi-phased approach that included:

• Designing and facilitating a digital maturity workshop with key leadership and stakeholders to assess where the state was on a digital maturity spectrum and where they wanted to be
• Identifying key areas for improvement based on findings from the workshop and research of best practices
• Developing a digital transformation roadmap — an executable plan for how the state could reach its goals

The digital maturity workshop and follow-on research provided a clear, common understanding of how the state could improve its digital services. We analyzed select focus areas that would allow them to move the needle quickly. As a result, our roadmap for transforming services in CT focused on:

• Customer experience
• Talent modernization
• Agile procurement
• Technology platforms and services

In addition to identifying key strategic priorities, the roadmap offered step-by-step actions to help improve the state’s digital capabilities and presence.

This roadmap ultimately led to the creation of a talent modernization handbook and an improved procurement process that requires fewer forms and is able to deliver results quickly.