Collaborating to Build the Software That Government Policies Need

In 2020, government policy priorities can succeed or fail based on the quality of their software implementation. Improving the odds of success requires more than just building engineering capacity in government to, or near to, private-sector levels. We suggest that the critical factor in more successful software is sustained cross-disciplinary understanding and collaboration. We outline a framework for this collaboration to be effective: redefining “hard” skills to be broader than core “technical” skills, prioritizing hiring for strength in a range of collaborative skills, and actively shaping a work environment that promotes collaboration. We identify aspects of technical and social science working cultures that can impede effective collaboration and suggest ways to mitigate the cultural gaps.