E73: What State Employees Want From Gov Tech

On this episode of Gov Tech Today, hosts Russell Lowery and Jennifer Saha discuss Engage California, a virtual suggestion box run by California’s Office of Data and Innovation and previously outlined by Director Jeffrey Marino. Drawing on more than 1,400 employee comments, they highlight top themes: digitizing paper-heavy workflows (including replacing PDFs and wet signatures), automating repetitive tasks so staff can focus on higher-value work, and modernizing outdated legacy systems that drive delays, errors, and duplicate data entry. They also cover calls to better use existing tools the state already pays for (including Microsoft products), create more shared enterprise solutions across departments, improve data integration and trust through cleaner data and better dashboards, expand AI and advanced analytics for low-hanging processes, and increase digital access to public services. The hosts conclude that the success of the effort depends on leaders actually implementing the recommendations.   00:00 Gov Tech Today Intro 00:13 Engage California Explained 01:25 Digitize Paperwork First 03:56 Why Digitization Matters 05:37 Automate Repetitive Work 07:10 Modernize Legacy Systems 09:23 Use Tools You Own 12:24 Share Platforms Across Agencies 13:36 Integrate Data and Dashboards 16:11 AI and Advanced Analytics 17:06 Digital Access for the Public 18:11 Cross Cutting Leadership Insights 19:02 What Happens Next 20:18 Closing Call to Action