The defense and intelligence community has an ominous term - “the Valley of Death” - for products and technology that never quite make it through the procurement process into the hands of the men and women who need them most. “Valley of Death” sounds dramatic, and with good reason. It is indicative of how critical it is that our federal government, especially defense and intelligence agencies, step up to the challenge of transforming itself in the digital age.

Attendees joined us for a conversation with Lt. Gen. Bill Bender, USAF (Ret.), former chief information officer for the U.S. Air Force, about the risks and pitfalls of navigating “the Valley of Death”, why it’s so important government leaders act now to modernize their agencies, and his vision of what a fully transformed agency looks like.

Topics discussed included:

• Why data needs to be treated like a strategic asset
• Tools and technologies for accelerating change
• Cultural shifts that need to happen to make federal workers more effective