We are bombarded with the need to make things digital and get off of paper based solutions but all that does is take your paper based approach and codify antiquated processes and problems. We should be re-evaluating and fixing the process through user research and testing not just moving things to digital.
Modernize Don’t Digitize.
Digitization Isn’t Modernization
There’s a pattern I’ve seen too often in government tech: we confuse digitization with modernization.
Taking a paper form, scanning it, and putting it online isn’t modernization—it’s replication. It doesn’t make the process better, more accessible, or more useful. It just makes it digital. If we want to deliver real value, we have to move past that mindset.
What the 10-10EZ Taught Us
At the Department of Veterans Affairs, I was part of the team that launched the first form on Vets.gov: the 10-10EZ, the healthcare application. We didn’t start by writing code, the team sat down with veterans and watched them use the service. This continued throughout the development process, the team meeting with veterans and doing research into the new solution.
That work taught us something simple but powerful: users don’t care about your backend. They care if they can get what they need without confusion or frustration. We rebuilt the 10-10EZ with that in mind—plain language, mobile-first design, clear confirmation that they’d actually applied.
That form became a foundation—not because it was flashy, but because it was built with intention and grounded in user needs. It showed us how to shift from building for people to building with them.
Rebuilding ADA.gov: A Different Kind of Modernization
When I later worked with the Department Of Justice on modernizing ADA.gov, the challenges looked different but echoed the same themes. The site was entirely hand-built—well-intentioned, but hard to update and even harder to scale.
Modernization here wasn’t just a platform migration. It was about enabling the DOJ team to own their content, iterate safely, and respond quickly. We moved to a cloud-hosted Drupal setup, but the real impact came from the culture shift: empowering the team to keep improving the site long after we left.
Don’t codify antiqued and broken processes
Digitization replicates the old process. Modernization rethinks it.
Modernization means:
- Involving users from day one—and listening when they tell you it’s not working.
- Designing systems that your internal teams can actually use and maintain.
- Making space for iteration and learning over time.
- Focusing on outcomes, not just outputs.
It’s not about tech stacks. It’s about clarity of purpose and alignment with the people you’re serving.
Modernization Is a Discipline, Not a Deliverable
What’s clear to me now, after years of doing this work, is that modernization isn’t a one-time event. It’s not something you buy or launch. It’s a discipline. A mindset. A commitment to doing the harder work of reimagining—not just rebuilding.
We owe it to the public to stop settling for digital versions of the status quo. We can—and should—do better.
Let’s Work Together
If you’re tackling this kind of work—rethinking services, leading modernization efforts, or trying to get unstuck—we’re here to help. Holmes Consulting Group Inc. partners with teams across government, nonprofits, and mission-driven startups to design better services and deliver meaningful outcomes.
We’re currently taking on new clients. If you’re ready to move from digitization to true modernization, get in touch.
Let’s build something that actually works—for the people who need it, and the people who run it.