The Federal Innovator Podcast: Accelerating Innovation

Imagine trying to work from home when you’re responsible for wiring repair or elevator shaft inspections thousands of miles away. While it may seem impossible, this is what the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) was tasked with last year. When experts who typically traveled abroad to build and maintain facilities like U.S. embassies were confined to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the OBO’s Technology Accelerator Program (TAP) made their jobs possible from afar. By piloting mixed reality headsets that allowed their experts to provide remote assistance to on-site workers via live point-of-view video calls, OBO was able to bring the world into their employees’ remote work environment.

But what did it take to get this innovative technology up and running? And what is its future at the State Department?

That’s what hosts Tim Irvine, managing director and lead and Accenture of the Federal Studio and Stephanie Wander, deputy director and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council GeoTech Center discuss on this episode of The Federal Innovator, a podcast for and about the innovators taking on the biggest challenges in the federal government, and making change that is more human, simple and enduring.  

Joining to discuss those issues is Danilo Stapula, chief information officer for the Overseas Buildings Operations for the State Department and Erica Jaume, technology accelerator program manager at the State Department.

Check out what they have to say by listening to the full episode below. Or download and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or SoundCloud to take The Federal Innovator with you on your favorite device.