Improving CBP’s Acquisition Workforce, Pt. 3: Forming the IPT

For those unfamiliar with the term, Integrated Product Teams, commonly called IPT’s, are cross-functional working groups that design a specific product, document, or process. The difference between an IPT and a regular working group is the authority vested in an IPT by its sponsors (usually senior leadership), and that its mission, vision, and goals areRead… Read more »

Code for America Fellows at OpenGovWest

Four Code for America fellows are excited to be attending OpenGovWest ’11, North America’s West Coast Open Government conference. Jeremy Canfield, Max Ogden, Alan Palazzolo and Chach Sikes will be speaking on several panels, and checking out the code-a-thon and unconference on Saturday. Sessions include: Open Source & Community Sourcing: How sharing code is improvingRead… Read more »

The Performance Alchemist

PMS: As a performance leader I had to implement a performance management system (PMS) that only the Human Resources Officer and I wanted (because her performance was contingent on it). I brought 3,000 people on board. Yes it works best if you have ethical, emotionally intelligent, appreciative inquiry, coaching leaders who compel their employees toRead… Read more »

The Pew Trusts Measure Transportation Investments

The Pew Trusts have put together 50 transportation investment fact sheets divided into six categories. There’s good reason to evaluate the policy; Pew estimates that states spent a combined $131 billion on transportation in 2010. The goal of this assessment of the 50 states and Washington, DC, is to identify which are doing the bestRead… Read more »

Illinois awards 10 year, $114 million Sole Source contract to Motorola

INPUT Senior Analyst Jeff Webster reports on Illinois’ mega sole source contract with Motorola Yesterday, the state of Illinois announced it received final approval from the Sole Source Hearing Panel to move forward with a 10-year, $114 million sole source contract with Motorola for the continued operation of the state’s STARCOM 21 public safety radioRead… Read more »

Website For One

Bruce asked for some pointers about putting up a personal website. He’s a content consumer more than an author, and needed a personal website as a prototype for a new project. That would usually involve getting a domain, server space, hiring someone to do the work, building something, updating, and on it goes. I suggestedRead… Read more »

Under the Microscope: Dissecting the Georgia Anti-Obesity Campaign

This is a post that my friend/colleague Fran Melmed of [context communication] wrote recently, dissecting Georgia’s media campaign around childhood obesity. I really enjoyed how it was broken down and wanted to share with you all – with permission from Fran, of course (who by the way, enjoys lowercase writing). the georgia children’s health allianceRead… Read more »

Research and Best Practices eNewsleter

Research Creating great customer experiences (2011) – Customer experience is more important than ever to develop and maintain a consistent, effective connection between you and your customers. RightNow Technologies suggests we empower our customers and employees, as well as offer them multi-channel choice, to deliver a superior customer experience. Video: http://www.rightnow.com/resource-video-8-steps.php How We Use TabletsRead… Read more »

Washington passes health care reform package

Washington passed a package of legislation designed to implement health care reform in the state. Under the terms of the package, state health care payments will be based on patient outcomes, a new collaborative will be implement to cut waste, fraud and abuse and the state will begin requiring increased transparency of insurance providers. WashingtonRead… Read more »