🚀 What’s Really Blocking Digital Transformation in Government?

Recently, members of the Digital Transformation in Government Community

came together to answer one big question:

What’s your biggest barrier to digital transformation right now?

Nearly 50 public servants responded to a poll in the community, and dozens more shared stories from their own work. Together, they painted a vivid picture of why transformation is so hard in practice.

The Poll Results

From 48 votes, here’s how barriers ranked:

• Skills gaps or lack of digital expertise – 23%

• Resistance to change within the organisation – 21%

• Legacy systems and outdated infrastructure – 17%

• Lack of budget and resources – 10%

• Something else (comments) – 29%

It’s striking that while budget often dominates conversations about reform, it was actually the least-cited challenge here. Instead, culture, capability, and coordination came through as the bigger obstacles.

What Public Servants Said

1. Defining Transformation Itself

One theme was that no one has nailed down what “digital transformation” actually means. Without a clear definition, it’s impossible to measure progress—or even know if you’ve achieved it.

“No-one actually defining exactly what ‘digital transformation of public services’ means or how to tell when you’ve done it.”

A lack of shared language leaves teams working at each other instead of with each other. Building an “operant definition” that is inclusive and actionable is essential.

2. The Culture Problem

Resistance to change was one of the top poll results, and the comments reinforced why. One person described a “rot economy” where vendors sell expensive, distracting products while governments hesitate to hire people who might tell hard truths. Others noted a reluctance to break from the status quo until a crisis forces it.

“The pain to change is not great enough… People don’t see the urgency or need to change the status quo, so they hold on to familiar processes and structures.”

3. Systems That Don’t Work for Users

Several stories highlighted the frustration of tools introduced without proper consultation. One described how her team lobbied for years for a new tracking tool, only to have a different system imposed without user input. While another shared a similar example: Excel sheets replaced with clunky PDF forms that made things worse.

“The people who are most able to adapt get something less efficient. The people who are least able to adapt get disruptive changes that don’t actually change what they were already doing.”

4. Coordination Across Silos

A common theme is a lack of capacity to think beyond one’s department. Departments are so busy “firefighting” old problems that they can’t step back to see common challenges across the system.

This was echoed in stories of best-practice committees that were disbanded, or coordination groups that fell apart before making a real impact.

5. Who Leads Transformation Matters

Finally, several comments warned against relying too heavily on big vendors and proprietary solutions. As one person put it, transformation led by large firms often misses user needs. Partnering with small businesses and open-source communities can allow governments to iterate, pivot, and build on successful ideas.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The conversation made one thing clear: digital transformation is not just a technical challenge—it’s a cultural and structural one.

• We need clear, shared definitions of what success looks like.

• We need to empower teams to design for users, not just impose new systems.

• We need to invest in people and skills, not just products.

• And above all, we need to build the trust and collaboration that make real change possible.

Digital transformation may be a buzzword, but for public servants on the ground, the barriers are real, varied, and deeply human.

👉 Want to be part of these conversations? Join the Digital Transformation in Government Community to connect with peers, share your experience, and help shape the future of government.