‍

‍

In Canadian defence, policy and personnel changes are a common occurrence and usually occur every few years. Yet, like any critical piece in progress, major technological advancement projects need sustained attention, support, integration, and maintenance. 

The result is a delicate balancing act. How can departments keep long-term projects on track, from financial close throughout the contract life? How can they prevent pouring a generous amount of resources into a project that may just be shelved when administration shifts?  

Roadblocks Preventing Long-Term Success of Digital Transformation for Military & Security 

A study about US government technology projects found that projects valued over US$6M succeed in being on-time, on-budget, and on-mission only 13% of the time. (1)

After‑action reviews frequently highlight leadership turnover as a significant disruptor to project performance, which in turn can lead to project failure or abandonment (6). Initiatives may quickly die under new management when it is misaligned with the priorities of a new leader. Apart from staff turnover, let’s take a look at other potential reasons for project failure.

‍

Inadequate Implementation

Structurally, projects are evaluated for their entire lifecycle, requiring plans for post delivery to be considered and outlined. However, in reality, phases past delivery are treated less critically. A lot of focus tends to be put on financial close and delivery milestones, while transitional management, personnel training, and long-term integration get sidelined. 

Whether due to incentive flaws that aren’t tied to long-term impact, shifting leadership priorities, internal turnover, leaders being pulled in different directions, or the lack of clarity on who owns the project after delivery, the result is often the project being abandoned before it is able to deliver its full value.

‍

No Knowledge Continuity 

High turnover often results in massive loss of institutional knowledge. If new leadership doesn’t know how to operate a newly implemented innovation, and can’t easily find proper information, documentation, or data on it, chances are it’ll be left behind.

‍

How To Succeed At Digital Transformation Now

We see ambitious sweeping changes proposed regularly for how the CAF can move more efficiently. While interesting, many of these suggestions are complex to actualize. Digital Transformation in operational training for defence requires change now, not in 10 years. Here are a couple of simple things units can implement today to achieve better success with their projects.

‍

Incentives That Follow DND Structures 

As mentioned earlier, DND processes in procurement require extensive evaluation to outline many things — including whether the project can reach full operational capability (FOC). But whether a project can achieve FOC or not also depends on how it is handled in reality. If project managers and stakeholders are not incentivized in a way that supports turning a hypothesis into reality, it may not ever reach its goals. 

Incentives play a crucial role in project longevity. Leaders must ensure that managers and teams are motivated; not just to launch initiatives, but to see them through to meaningful impact. To encourage this, consider introducing performance indicators for project managers tied to downstream phases like operational adoption. 

If project managers rotate regularly in your unit, consider identifying a resource who is outside the rotating structure. Especially for multi-phase projects, it is helpful to have someone attached to the project who acts as a steady force in its lifecycle, especially after delivery. Here, a service provider or partner that understands the project deeply can come in handy and act as a steady anchor through every transition. To have one variable remain a constant as appointees rotate helps guard against the reset effect that often accompanies leadership change.

‍

Gain Visibility and Secure Commitment 

For project managers, it is advisable to achieve stakeholder buy-in both early, and throughout the project lifecycle. Effective strategies to engage stakeholders include conducting analyses to identify interests and concerns, developing tailored communication plans, and involving them in decision-making processes. 

Such engagement not only enhances collaboration and reduces significant delays that can halt a project, but also builds trust and commitment towards the project. This reduces the risk that its value will go unnoticed if there is a change in administration. Research indicates that projects with active stakeholder participation are more likely to meet their objectives, achieve long-term success (2), and so, stay relevant through leadership changes. ​

‍

Mitigate Turnover Risks

Those within the CAF and DND are already meticulous planners. When identifying potential pain points, make the assumption that leadership turnover is a risk that needs to be mitigated. Ask questions like: who will manage the project after delivery, and work on integration, training, and improvements? When the project manager is moved to another team, who will help his successor catch up and communicate the project’s value? 

Adopting new innovation isn’t done in a single step. Government projects often follow a waterfall approach, with a process that is very linear and rigid. Even within this framework, it is important to plan for change and iteration. The strength of good innovation is its flexibility. It lets you keep improving, without having to start over all the time. Clear objectives, defined milestones, and assigned responsibilities from the outset help signal when adjustments are needed. 

Extensive planning for a project of this magnitude can feel overwhelming. Again, that’s where working with a partner with deep experience in the area of your project can help you navigate the process with ease. Choosing ISED-approved companies via the Pathway to commercialization program (PTC) such as OVA, that offer government vetted solutions without the need for lengthy bidding processes, can help you be certain you’re making the right decision. These companies are Canadian companies, specifically selected to support the unique needs of defence at home. Plus, that way, you’ll be encouraging Canadian companies to grow right here at home.

‍

Choose Technology Built For Longevity 

Choose innovation that can evolve alongside your needs. In a survey, 70% of respondents mention technical debt (the cost of rework when quick delivery is prioritized over long-term maintainability) severely limits their ability to innovate. (3) 

Investing in adaptable and user-friendly technology is crucial to ensure the longevity and cost-effectiveness of a large-scale project. Traditional simulators often require specialized knowledge and significant resources to update, leading to potential abandonment or a complete redo when they become obsolete. High turnover rates exacerbate this issue, as the loss of institutional knowledge complicates maintenance efforts. 

That’s where technology like StellarX can come in handy, since it lets you be the sole owner of your innovation and make changes whenever you see fit. Regular updates and maintenance keep it relevant, reducing the risk of it becoming obsolete and prematurely retired. 

‍

‍

Mandate Transition Plans 

Concentrating all knowledge and authority in one individual’s hands can set the stage for costly consequences. 

Gather documentation about project decisions, design ,and processes, centralize it, and make it easy to distribute. Institutionalize handover protocols so knowledge is not lost when passing the torch to the next leader. By the time a new manager comes in, they’ll have a rich knowledge base and will be able to get up to speed quickly, and understand the project’s background and worth.

Technology such as AI agents, which can store and redistribute complex information without the need for human instructors, can make this truly easy to achieve. Such technologies help ensure no knowledge is lost and the innovation can endure. They also boost productivity, as knowledge workers are estimated to waste 5.3 hours every week either waiting for vital information, or working to recreate existing institutional knowledge. (4)

‍

Gather Actionable Data

To prove a project brings value to your organization, you’ll need numbers. While qualitative measures of success are a good start, they can fall to opinion without the backing of quantitative data. 

Don’t gather just any numbers though. Dashboards that display out-of-context numbers only provide a false sense of knowledge; alternatively, ones that provide real-time, context-rich data have been shown to significantly improve decision-making, reduce risks, and uncover insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. (5)

What you need are indicators that provide context to real-time data, from which you can pull insights about how the technology is impacting the organization, if it works, and if it is worth keeping alive. When training with StellarX, for example, the Royal Canadian Navy tracked pass/fail rates, trainee confidence before and after training, and time to train. StellarX’s built-in learning analytics, which you can personalize as needed and connect to your very own LRS, makes most of this tracking automated.

‍

How It’s Done 

When OVA was tapped by the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering (CFSATE), it was Julien Marceaux, our Director of Immersive Learning and Content Development, who worked hand in hand with them on adopting a series of VR trainings in StellarX. Below, he lays out how this project was made to last. 

In technical aeronautics training, an iterative approach and careful planning are essential: they ensure that innovations are integrated effectively into the curriculum and that all content remains accurate and meets the highest quality standards, necessary for the safety of both technicians and pilots. 

Because the accuracy of information and procedures is paramount, each module we produced underwent a rigorous and iterative review cycle, continuously refined through CFSATE instructor feedback. Close collaboration throughout the process cements stakeholder alignment, commitment, and imparts knowledge about how the technology works — reducing delays, overwhelm, and shelving. 

In under five months, OVA delivered precise, realistic, and fully standardized simulations that meet CFSATE’s training requirements and are now integrated into the school’s curriculum. Multiple rounds of user testing ensured the experiences were engaging and comfortable, providing an optimal user experience. 

Finally, recognizing that digital transformation is demanding, our VR experts guided CFSATE through the rollout, sharing best practices for VR integration and supporting every pilot session to guarantee a smooth adoption. We then trained a project champion within CFSATE who would be capable of scaling, training, and evolving the experience on their own with ease, without being reliant on OVA.

…

‍

The core theme is resilience: in architecture, in technology, in teams, and in alignment with evolving goals. A well-designed project is like a sturdy ship that can adjust its sails through political storms rather than capsizing with each wave. Having a partner with the specific experience you require is what can make the difference in how you are able to weather the process.

If you are interested in launching a digital training project with Virtual or Mixed Reality, or are considering moving away from traditional simulators, the OVA team is here to help. We have extensive experience partnering with government organizations to future-proof their technology initiatives — we know what works, and what doesn’t. Schedule a consultation today and we’ll help ensure your innovation delivers lasting impact, well into the future.

‍

See pdf for full reference list.

‍