Dr. Aaron Drew, Technical Director for the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Product Line at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Information and Technology, joins Carolyn to discuss the challenges of supply chain, modernization and risk management. Dr. Drew outlines the steps an organization can take to modernize and maximize applications for end users as well as capitalize on data analytics to better prepare our nation for times of need.

Key Topics

• [01:15] - Scale of Veterans Affairs
• [05:21] - Supply Chain Tools and Challenges
• [13:54] - Advice for Supply Chain Management
• [20:24] - Tech Procurement
• [24:10]- User Acceptance
• [27:37] - Risks of not Modernizing
• [32:29] - Security Requirements
• [36:13] - Steps to Acquisition
• [40:10] - Tech Talk Questions

Quotable Quotes

On identifying a need for a new tool: "If the tools you had before don't address that shift [in business], that change of dynamics, then that's when we have this gap. That's that delta between how you did business then and how I expect to do business tomorrow that will signify or call that ignition of this solution acquisition process." - Dr. Aaron Drew

On understanding user needs: "Either you are meeting them [users] where they are, which is very important, or you've lived it, which allows you to relate and commiserate with those who are working across a day-to-day basis, that's what's going to bring you organically to the problem. That's going to allow both parties then to own the solution." - Dr. Aaron Drew

About Our Guest

Dr. Aaron J. Drew is the Technical Director for the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Product Line at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Previously, Dr. Drew simultaneously served as the Chief Engineer & Chief Architect for the Financial Management Business Transformation Special Program Office (FMBT-SPO) and the Chief Engineer & Chief Architect for the Supply Chain Modernization Program. 

Episode Links

• MITRE
• Smithsonian Museums
• Holocaust Museum