Zipcar releases new app for Android users

Car-sharing service Zipcar added an Android app to its mobile portfolio, which allows members to search for, find, and reserve Zipcars in their area. Original post

On Minorities, Majorities and Years of Experience

I attended the President’s Breakfast for the Public Service yesterday (a fund raising event for the Ottawa Hospital), the Clerk gave the opening remarks. After the event I happened to run into him on the escalator. I had literally 240 seconds alone to speak with him. I asked him what he thought a majority parliamentRead… Read more »

Here comes Noot – the public sector social business tool

I’ve written loads in the past about the importance of using social technology in the workplace, especially in the public sector. It’s great for tearing down silos, sharing knowledge, making the most of talent, completing projects successfully and maybe making life a bit more interesting. One bit of technology I have had my eye onRead… Read more »

Social Media Sweet Spot: When to Respond

People ask me all the time how we commit staff time to responding to comments. But it often depends on circumstances, and can change even hour to hour. Your goal is to find a sweet spot between responding to everyone (often poses impossible time demands) and responding to no one (not taking advantage of opportunitiesRead… Read more »

Customer Satisfaction… In Government?

On April 27th President Obama issued an Executive Order that shook the public sector… You can read this ground breaking direction here, but the gist is that we need to improve customer service in government. Not feeling shaken? Not stirred? I’m not shocked. Since 1993, all three Presidents from both parties have added their personalRead… Read more »

Need to find a venue for an Event?

Hi Everyone! My name is Laura and I am with Cvent; the market leader in Event Management Software. We have a completely free venue selection tool which helps meeting planners find event space and room blocks for any and all events. The Cvent Supplier Network has over 150,000 venues worldwide, in which you can submitRead… Read more »

Improving CBP’s Acquisition Workforce, Pt. 2: CBP’s Acquisition Structure

CBP’s Secure Border Initiative (SBI) was officially cancelled in January of 2011, but had already been re-organized at the beginning of the fiscal year as the Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition (OTIA). As part of the transformation, our boss became the Component Acquisition Executive, or CAE, for all of Customs and Border Protection. WhatRead… Read more »

Room for the halves

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve forgotten that non geeks can have good ideas too. Forgotten that it’s not just developers who see opportunities to make things better. In local government, the deelopers are so far away from the front line that they need analysts in the middle to translate. The same, I think is trueRead… Read more »

Harvard Public Health & Tech Conference: What Does the Patient Want?

The following is a guest post from Jodi Sperber regarding last week’s Harvard School of Public Health conference. Patient centered care is a concept that seems so easy to understand, yet we debate time and time again what it means, and how it should be defined. On April 25, the Harvard School of Public HealthRead… Read more »

Harvard Public Health & Tech Conference: What Does the Patient Want?

The following is a guest post from Jodi Sperber regarding last week’s Harvard School of Public Health conference. Patient centered care is a concept that seems so easy to understand, yet we debate time and time again what it means, and how it should be defined. On April 25, the Harvard School of Public HealthRead… Read more »