Best Way to Brief Public Sector Leadership on IT Strategy 

When technology leaders brief executives, they have an opportunity to do more than share updates – they can build trust, ensure alignment, and create space for valuable feedback. A good briefing structure makes IT plans understandable and compelling, without overwhelming or oversimplifying.

This template is designed to be thorough enough to be repeatable and effective, but flexible enough to work across multiple use cases – from IT roadmaps to new purchases to project plans.

A Simple Briefing Structure

Use this flow to present your current plan or recommendation in a way that connects with executive leadership:

1. Definition (Here’s what it means)
   Quickly define the project, tool, or initiative in plain language. Executives should be able to repeat back in one sentence what you’re talking about. No jargon, no implied solution yet. 
2. Context (Why it matters now)
   • Current state
   • Trigger (why now?)
   • Why it’s relevant (link to mission, timing, or external pressure) 
3. Options and Recommendation (What we recommend, plus alternatives)
   Provide a concise, plain-language summary of available paths forward. Highlight your preferred option, but show viable alternatives to demonstrate partnership and flexibility. 
4. Risk (What’s at stake).
   Frame risks in three dimensions:
   • Risk of doing nothing
   • Risk of an alternate path
   • Risk of the proposed plan (and how you mitigate it)

Risks can include service disruption, public trust, compliance, financial exposure, cost, staff bandwidth, or missed opportunity.

1. Opportunity (What we gain).
   Highlight the upside in tangible terms. Modernization, improved resilience, or measurable service outcomes. Use metrics if possible – percent improvement, time saved, reduction in incidents. 
2. Mission Impact (Why it matters).
   Translate the technical into outcomes the public or staff will feel. Faster processing, greater reliability, stronger trust. Make it clear why these outcomes matter. 
3. Next Steps (How we’ll execute).
   Lay out the practical steps to move the plan forward, who will lead them, and the time window. Use “Support Needed” to highlight what others must provide (funding, executive buy-in, policy alignment, etc.).

One-Page Brief Template

Use this as a worksheet to prepare your talking points or as a simple leave-behind. One page, clear and confident.

Title (Outcome-Oriented Headline):
e.g., “Cut 311 Wait Times by 50% Before Winter”

Definition:
Quick, plain-language description of what the initiative is.

Context:

• Current state:
• Trigger (why now?):
• Why it’s relevant:

Options and Recommendation:
Short, clear description of what you are recommending and at least one alternative path (e.g., purchase of X tool, adoption of Y vendor solution, or launch of Z project)

Risk (3 angles):

1. Risk of doing nothing — [Consequence + why it matters]
2. Risk of alternate option — [Consequence + why it matters]
3. Risk of proposed plan — [Consequence + mitigation]

Opportunity:
Short description of the positive change this plan enables (e.g., modernization, resilience, measurable outcomes).

Mission Impact (2–3 outcomes):

• Outcome 1: [baseline → target, why it matters]
• Outcome 2: [baseline → target, why it matters]
• Outcome 3: [equity or CX note, why it matters]

Next Steps:

• Key actions to get moving:
• Time window:
• Owners:

Support Needed:

• Funding:
• Executive buy-in:
• Policy/authority:

Expanded Example — Cybersecurity

• Mission Headline: Protect eligibility systems ahead of open enrollment.
• Definition: Eligibility systems have privileged access gaps that must be remediated. The project is to close those gaps and ensure stronger access controls.
• Context: 
  • Current state: Privileged access gaps flagged in a recent audit expose sensitive citizen data.
    Trigger (why now?): Open enrollment begins in 60 days with tens of thousands of residents depending on timely benefits.
  • Why it’s relevant: This impacts more than IT operations—it directly affects families’ ability to receive support on time and shapes public trust in digital services.
• Options and Recommendation: 
  • Preferred option: Enter into a short-term contract with a cybersecurity vendor to implement stronger access controls, monitor logins, and close audit findings before enrollment starts.
  • Alternative path: Attempt to remediate internally with existing staff.
  • Alternative path: Defer action until the next fiscal year.
• Risk:
  • Doing nothing → Citizen data (like Social Security numbers and income records) could be exposed, leading to identity theft, lawsuits, and a severe loss of public trust.
  • Alternate option → Attempting internal fixes would stretch staff capacity and likely leave systems exposed during enrollment, risking outages that delay benefits and draw legislative scrutiny.
  • Proposed plan → Higher upfront cost, but if completed before enrollment, prevents outages that could stop families from accessing benefits when they need them most. 
• Opportunity: Demonstrate a stronger security posture and close audit findings while improving confidence with oversight bodies. If completed, the agency could reduce critical vulnerabilities by up to 80% compared to last year’s baseline.
• Mission Impact:
  • Zero critical findings → Audit passed, avoiding penalties and public criticism.
  • No outages during enrollment → Families receive benefits on time, preventing financial hardship.
  • Strengthened security posture → Protects sensitive data and reinforces public trust in digital services.
• Next Steps:
  • Assign internal IT team for this project.
  • Evaluate and select vendor within 2 months.
  • Conduct system access workshop and finalize remediation plan
• Support Needed:
  • Budget allocation to cover vendor costs.
  • Executive sponsor to reinforce urgency with agency staff.
  • Quick-turn procurement approval.

Keep These in Mind

• Lead with the mission outcome executives care about—services delivered, trust maintained, money saved.
• Show both sides: the risks avoided and the opportunities gained.
• Keep impacts grounded in real-world consequences for residents and staff.
• Frame your plan as a confident recommendation that welcomes feedback.
• Make next steps concrete: actions, timeframes, owners, and support needed.