Government lives on a sea of data. Navigating those waters has always been a challenge, a challenge that is getting more demanding by the day as the volume of data generated by agencies deepens and widens.

The federal government’s Federal Data Strategy released two years ago was aimed at assisting agencies’ big data journey over the next 10 years. The last two years have forced agencies to adapt to growing data needs quickly and effectively. In that time, agencies have made progress unlocking and using data in all manner of ways, from critical health applications, to secure remote access and uses, as well as creating more efficient services that tap into data assets.

Even with the progress, work remains. Developing workforce data skills remains a challenge, while legacy systems continue to complicate agencies’ efforts to unlock and share siloed datasets. Powerful solutions are commercially available, but developing data ecosystems that are resilient, secure and adaptable is not easy. Agencies need a deep understanding of the technology, the data in question and their evolving mission needs.

Attendees at FCW’s 2022 Data & Analytics Summit learned more about these essential efforts. Participants in this virtual event came away with a better understanding of:

• Data governance and compliance
• The importance of cloud-based data services
• Next steps for the Federal Data Strategy
• Security and privacy concerns for data initiatives
• Best practices for data cleansing and structuring
• How AI can be practically leveraged for existing missions