A federal government department had spent $3.2M across two failed transformation attempts. The third time, they got the leadership right.
A federal government department had attempted digital transformation for four years, spending over $3.2M with two different system integrators and delivering nothing to production. The Secretary engaged us to provide independent technical leadership on a third attempt — this time as embedded interim CTO with direct executive accountability.
Our first action was a complete reset. Six weeks of technical and organisational audit revealed the core problem was governance, not technology. Neither previous engagement had a single accountable technology leader with authority to make decisions. Every decision required committee approval, causing delays that compounded until projects collapsed.
We restructured the programme into three discrete releases, each delivering working software to real users. We implemented ASD-aligned security controls, engaged IRAP for concurrent architecture assessment, and established a weekly executive steering committee with clear escalation protocols. Two specialist contractors were sourced through AusTender panel arrangements and managed directly.
Release 1 went live at month seven — the first working software the department had shipped in four years. All three legacy systems were decommissioned by month eighteen. The project finished 12% under budget. Staff adoption reached 94% within 60 days of go-live.
Government digital transformation failures are almost never caused by technology. They are caused by governance structures designed to distribute accountability rather than concentrate it.
Book a free call with a CTO who has 27 years of hands-on experience — and a track record of measurable outcomes.