On June 18th, 2025, Bússola Tech hosted a high-level panel discussion titled “Preparing Parliamentary Staff to Work, Adapt, and Thrive in the Digital Transformation.” The session convened senior parliamentary officials and technology experts to explore how legislative institutions can support their staff in adapting to increasingly digital and AI-enabled work environments.

Moderated by Luís Kimaid, Executive Director of Bússola Tech, the discussion featured the following distinguished speakers:

• Catherine Szpindor, Chief Administrator Officer at the U.S. House of Representatives;
• Jonathan Ruckert, CEO of NovaWorks Australia;
• Luiz Fernando Bandeira de Mello, Legal Director for the President of the Senado Federal of Brazil;
• Federico Fernandes, Head of Institutional Strengthening at the Senate of Argentina.

The panel began with opening presentations in which each participant shared institutional perspectives or relevant experiences on preparing parliamentary staff for the challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation. These included considerations related to internal capacity-building, structural adaptation, and the role of external expertise in modernisation processes.

The discussion then turned to a series of targeted questions addressing some of the most pressing topics in this domain. The first focused on the widespread concern among staff about potential role displacement due to AI. The second explored which new technical skill sets — such as prompt engineering, AI oversight, and data literacy — are becoming increasingly important within legislative institutions. The third question examined how parliaments can enable non-technical staff to make use of no-code and low-code platforms as part of broader digital reforms.

Each speaker contributed their perspective to these questions, grounded in their institutional context or professional expertise. The session concluded with brief final remarks from each participant, summarising key takeaways and practical considerations for parliaments aiming to build more digitally resilient and future-ready teams.

The panel reinforced the importance of intentional staff development, cross-functional collaboration, and the careful integration of new technologies into legislative environments. It highlighted the need for sustained investment in both technical capacity and institutional culture to ensure that parliamentary staff are equipped not only to adapt, but to lead in the digital era.