AWS Public Sector Summit: Top 5 cloud transformation takeaways

• The focus has shifted from cloud services to outcomes

• AI, ML, edge computing, and other emerging services are on the rise

• New programs are accelerating innovation in public sector

• AWS Marketplace speeds up cloud transformation

• Continued success is dependent on upskilling cloud talent

Drew and Shonte share how some public sector organizations are already innovating and what your org needs to consider to achieve cloud transformation success.

Past summits tended to focus on specific cloud services and technologies. However, Drew and Shonte noticed a shift at the summit—and across the public sector in general.

Instead of procuring cloud solutions and then trying to match them to a specific problem, more organizations are beginning to identify the problem first and then find the cloud solutions to solve it. Drew puts it another way. “You need to start building a culture of cloud. Move away just from consuming these services to starting to deliver value with those services.” 

Shonte notes this same cloud transformation shift reflected in the speaker lineup compared to previous years. When she worked on the public sector side of AWS, she was often one of the few people at these summits with actual government experience. 

“I would go to these [events], and I was like, where are my peers, where are my colleagues?” she says. “And this year, there were so many sessions that were being led or hosted by government people. I was really happy to see that it is not just the tech people. It's now becoming part of everybody's DNA to really go to the cloud and really look at those outcomes.”

AI and ML are making waves in the tech industry, and cloud transformation is no exception. The AWS Public Sector Summit featured real use cases of emerging services in AI, ML, and edge computing.

Drew shares one example of how search and rescue teams are using ML and edge computing. In remote areas, search and rescue teams must contend with rough terrain, the elements, and little to no connectivity.

As such, they’ve turned to high-powered ruggedized devices like AWS Snowcone to capture drone data and apply machine learning models to it. These models can identify potential individuals who may need help—and they can do it faster than humans, which maximizes search time and recovery efforts.

Shonte explains why these emerging services are so critical to overcoming some of the public sector’s biggest cloud transformation challenges. “Cloud is no longer just about storage,” she says. “Now it’s really about emerging cloud technology [and] using it to collect data to actually solve the technology problems that we're having.”

While Drew and Shonte agree that many emerging technologies still represent edge use cases, the opportunities for innovation are almost limitless. Historically, though, public sector organizations have relied on legacy technologies that make it difficult to innovate at scale.

That’s where the GovTech Accelerator comes in. This program supports startups that will make innovative services for the public sector. AWS hopes the program will accelerate innovation, increase speed to market, and ultimately help public sector organizations better serve their communities.

Shonte shares more details about the program. “They're not just showing you how to use AWS. Because you can already do that. You can pause and get certifications. So it's a little bit beyond that. It's really, how do you scale your business to meet demand?”

More specifically, the program will help startups better understand:

• The actual needs and questions government agencies have

• The types of products they should build to meet these needs

• The best way to market to government customers

As Drew semi-jokingly says, “Legal and procurement is where innovation goes to die.” But his words ring true for many in the public sector space. 

So, what can public sector organizations do to safely procure new technologies without sacrificing innovation or cloud security? The AWS Public Sector Summit introduced one solution: AWS Marketplace. 

“Everybody knows they can go on Amazon on the commercial side and buy a mop, a broom, and a yoga mat and get it delivered in an hour,” says Shonte. “And it also tells you, hey, if you're looking for this type of bicycle, here are some recommendations. The marketplace is very similar, but for technology.”

If you work for a government entity, you can go on AWS Marketplace and find vendors with the exact cloud services you need. And because vendors need to meet certain requirements to sell on the Marketplace, you know they’ve been vetted. (As Drew notes, even the FBI uses AWS Marketplace). All of this makes it easier and quicker for you to find cloud solutions for your org.

With increased focus on outcomes, innovation, and speed, one question looms large: who will make sure cloud transformation happens? 

“The government itself is really wanting to shift the conversation from consuming services to creating with those services,” says Drew. “But they're still consuming talent versus creating talent. And that gets pretty expensive pretty quickly.”

Shonte agrees. “I mentioned earlier in our conversation that technology is becoming more of the DNA of employees outside of the technology department, which is great,” she says. “The problem is, however, there is still a need to grow the skills of a workforce who may not be directly in the IT department.”

There’s a huge demand for cloud talent, and beyond that, a need for everyone, regardless of role, to gain cloud skills. Moving forward, Drew and Shonte hope to see public sector organizations commit to developing cloud talent and upskilling non-tech teams to build cloud fluency.

“Cloud is a culture. There is a language,” says Drew. “You want to participate in the culture? Learn the language.”

Cloud-first strategies, emerging services, and accelerated innovation enable cloud transformation in the public sector sphere. Still, organizations need to solve the skills shortage and continue to build cloud talent to ensure their transformation is a success.

To hear all of Drew and Shonte’s expert insights from the AWS Public Sector Summit, watch the on-demand webinar.