My reflections from Day 2 of Fwd50: User-Centric & Agile Procurement

One of the most refreshing sessions from my second day at #Fwd50 came from Ashley Owens , Founder and Principal of Paradigm Shift Consulting based in Atlanta, who tackled the topic of procurement with a "real talk" approach that brought both clarity and humour to the conversation. Her presentation on user-centric acquisition and procurement emphasized a refreshing shift—one that hit home for me by encouraging procurement professionals to begin thinking from the user's perspective rather than traditional frameworks bound by policy and process.

In my experience leading innovation and transformation projects and programs at J5 Design , procurement is frequently viewed as a significant barrier to progress. While it’s essential for managing risk and ensuring compliance, traditional procurement processes can slow down innovation by enforcing rigid structures that don’t align with the agile, iterative nature of modern solutions.

Ashley’s approach stood out for me, because she was able to cut through the complex, sometimes off-putting language of government procurement, encouraging her audience to focus on what truly matters: the user. Her blend of comical commentary with practical insights brought a unique perspective on what user-centric procurement could look like if stripped of the barriers and jargon that often obscure its purpose. She challenged attendees to envision a procurement system that’s agile, accessible, and genuinely designed to meet user needs.

Key Takeaways from Ashley Owens' Session

• Focus on User-Centric Outcomes: Ashley highlighted that procurement should serve the end-users—the citizens and communities who rely on public services. This shift requires a mindset change, where procurement officers and decision-makers are empowered to prioritize the needs of end-users, even if it means stepping away from the standard practices deeply ingrained in government operations.
• Break Down Barriers with “Real Talk”: A standout element of Ashley’s presentation was her candid approach to addressing traditional barriers in procurement. Through humor and "real talk," she illustrated how procurement teams could simplify their processes and language to make public contracts more approachable for vendors. This approach aims to open doors for a diverse array of vendors, including small businesses and innovative startups, who might otherwise be deterred by the complex language and strict requirements typical of government tenders.
• Removing Bureaucratic Language: Ashley’s call to action centered on reducing bureaucratic jargon that often alienates potential vendors. By removing unnecessary language and barriers, procurement can become a tool for innovation, inviting fresh perspectives that government desperately needs. Apparently in the US, plain language is a law which she loves because it is how she likes to roll. Learn more here: https://digital.gov/topics/plain-language/
• A Practical Path Forward: In discussing how to remove the rigidity from traditional procurement, Ashley offered practical insights on making procurement processes more agile, adaptable, and inclusive. She suggested that government agencies explore modular contracting methods and microservices, which allow for smaller, more manageable contracts that better align with agile and user-centered principles.

In her own way, Ashley is leading a movement to make procurement more human and accessible, and her session provided a powerful reminder that procurement doesn’t have to be bound by tradition. By embedding user needs and breaking down communication barriers, the public sector can unlock new opportunities for collaboration and innovation. If you are interested in connecting with her, this is her Linkedin:

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/ashley-owens-6996b175/

Learning from Global Procurement Innovations

Beyond Ashley’s insights, @Fwd50 attendees explored other innovative approaches to making procurement more agile, user-centered, and adaptable, looking to examples from Europe and beyond. Countries around the world are pioneering new ways of approaching government procurement, transforming it from a complex process into a driver of innovation and community impact. Perhaps all sectors and industries can learn from these leaders.

1. European Union’s Digital Procurement Initiatives

The European Union (EU) has been a frontrunner in making procurement more efficient and user-focused through digital procurement. By moving much of the procurement process online, the EU aims to increase transparency, lower administrative costs, and speed up the tendering process. This shift not only encourages more competition, allowing a wider range of vendors to participate, but it also enables real-time monitoring and data-sharing, making it easier for procurement teams to adjust contracts based on evolving user needs. The EU’s e-procurement platforms help procurement teams work more flexibly, empowering them to adopt iterative methods and user-centric approaches in a way that aligns well with agile principles.

2. Modular Procurement Models in the UK

The UK government has embraced modular procurement to make projects more adaptable and responsive. Through frameworks like the Digital Marketplace, they allow public sector teams to procure individual digital components, such as software and professional services, in smaller, manageable parts.

3. Collaborative Procurement in Singapore

Singapore has become a global leader in integrating cross-departmental collaboration into procurement processes. Through its GovTech agency, Singapore’s government developed a collaborative procurement model that brings policy, design, and technology teams together to co-design solutions from the start. By embedding cross-functional teams early on, Singapore's approach ensures that policy constraints, user needs, and technical requirements are all aligned, enabling public services to deliver more user-centered solutions quickly and effectively.

4. Agile Procurement in New Zealand

New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) has pioneered agile procurement by piloting flexible contracting frameworks designed to support iterative development. Rather than binding vendors to a rigid contract, the MBIE's framework allows for adaptive planning and milestone-based deliverables. This approach, rooted in agile principles, helps government agencies respond to changes in user needs and market conditions, improving the fit and impact of public projects. With this flexible model, New Zealand can attract more innovative vendors, encouraging solutions that can evolve in real-time to meet community needs.

A Culture of Risk Aversion and Monolithic Projects in Canada

A recurring theme throughout the conference was Canada’s deeply ingrained risk-averse culture, particularly in the realm of public procurement. Unlike countries that have embraced modular and agile approaches, Canada tends to favor monolithic, large-scale projects over smaller, iterative solutions. This is often due to a strong preference for seeing projects "fully complete" upon release, rather than adopting a more incremental approach that delivers components as they are ready. This risk aversion has a ripple effect, making it challenging for the government to recruit innovative vendors or employees who thrive in environments that embrace experimentation and learning from failure.

One memorable analogy shared during the conference captured this challenge well. Attendees likened traditional procurement in Canada to trying to solve a Rubik's cube as a single, fixed structure—a complex and challenging task. But if you could “break the cube into pieces,” solving it would be far easier, allowing each part to be adjusted and aligned without being restricted by the whole. Similarly, by releasing projects in manageable pieces, public sector teams could adapt quickly to new needs and feedback, better aligning solutions with user demands and minimizing risks.

Estonia’s Journey to Becoming a Digital Nation

To see how embracing risk can drive transformative change, we can look to Estonia, a global leader in digital governance and citizen-centric services. Estonia made a bold commitment to innovation by creating a system that operates with agility and responsiveness. This vision has transformed Estonia into one of the world’s most digitally advanced societies, where citizens benefit from a wide range of online services, including digital IDs, online voting, and e-residency.

During Fwd50, Fouad Jallouli, Alberta’s Director of Service Design, interviewed the former CIO of Estonia, who shared insights into how the country achieved its digital transformation. The former CIO emphasized that Estonia’s success stemmed from a willingness to embrace risks, experiment, and learn from setbacks. Rather than focusing on risk avoidance, Estonia prioritized user experience and the potential of digital solutions to improve citizens' lives.

Estonia’s commitment to risk-taking is evident in its e-Estonia project, a framework that transformed how government services interact with citizens. For example, the X-Road platform allows government databases to interact seamlessly, eliminating repetitive paperwork and enabling instant, secure data sharing. Estonia’s digital ID system empowers citizens to access almost every public service online—from voting to banking, education, and healthcare. This digital infrastructure is built on trust, flexibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement, allowing Estonia to deliver public services that are both innovative and resilient.

Towards a User-Centric and Adaptive Procurement Future

Ashley Owens’ insights, combined with these global examples, highlight a future where procurement can become a catalyst for user-centered innovation. As governments seek to adopt more agile approaches, modular and digital procurement frameworks allow public sector teams to respond quickly to evolving user needs, make policy more inclusive, and simplify processes for a broader pool of vendors. Canada has a unique opportunity to take inspiration from these international examples, shifting away from monolithic projects and moving towards smaller, agile solutions that reduce risk, encourage vendor diversity, and prioritize user needs.

By taking cues from Estonia's success and the EU’s modular approach, Canada could transform its risk-averse culture, opening doors for more innovative vendors and creating an environment that attracts forward-thinking employees. With the right mindset and practices, procurement can indeed become a powerful tool for positive change, capable of delivering responsive, user-centric services for all Canadians.

Thank you, Ashley Owens and the Fwd50 team, for the inspiration. It's clear that with the right frameworks and a commitment to innovation, procurement can drive meaningful transformation in government.