Don’t Hide the Issue

In the children’s movie, Robots, Rodney Copperbottom grows up hearing his role model, Mr. Bigweld, teach the world, “see a need, fill a need.” I won’t ruin the movie for you, but let’s just say that he ends up living this mantra out to its fullest. What I love about the movie (aside from itsRead… Read more »

Accepting the Unexpected – Lessons from the Pope’s Visit

The pope is in D.C. and I got to see him yesterday during the Papal parade. Although the experience was unforgettable, the events leading up to the parade were nerve-racking and stressful. How could something so joyous bring me so much stress? As I strolled the streets of D.C. (at 5 AM) to head toRead… Read more »

Exploring the Role of the Big “D” Designer in Government

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog arguing that everyone designs. In that post, I talked about how those of us with little to no design experience are still designers (just little “d” designers), as we work to improve situations and experiences around us. Big “D” Designers, on the other hand, are those individualsRead… Read more »

Great Management and Efficiency are Not an Oxymoron

It’s the ultimate catch-22. With limited time in the work day and an ever-growing stack of projects and assignments, how much time do government agencies really have to put into energizing their employees. Considering the gap between worker satisfaction in the private sector versus the public sector has nearly tripled since 2010, it is aRead… Read more »