Democs: Smart In-Person Process for Small-Group Consultations

Stephen Whitehead, researcher at London, UK-based New Economics Foundation (nef), recently alerted me to a new paper of theirs: Connected Conversations Reflecting on nef’s decade of experience in democracy and participation, this pamphlet argues that tackling the biggest issues, from climate change to social inequality, needs to start with small conversations between friends and neighbours.Read… Read more »

Top Ten Strategies For Managing A Virtual Workforce

Many of our clients are dealing with the challenges of managing the virtual workforce with colleagues spread out in different locations and multiple time zones. Since our inception 14 years ago, Strategic Partners has been managing a virtual workforce. What follows are 10 strategies that we have adopted to help our virtual workforce enhance theirRead… Read more »

Paperwork Reduction: Getting a Few Billion Hours of Our Lives Back

[This article was originally published on GovWin.] Authored by GovWin Founder, Jeff White. Ready for a big number that won’t shock you, but will leave you shaking your head? In 2009, the public spent 9.8 billion hours filling out federal forms. Nine-point-eight billion hours. That’s the equivalent of 408,333,333 days, or 11,188,721 years, that weRead… Read more »

Government Benefits Worth Your Money

Goal: Make sense of your benefits package and pick the programs right for you. How To Cover Your Benefits Bases: 1. Pick a health/vision/dental insurance plan that suits your working style (i.e. HMO for staying put/PPO for travelling Govvies). 2. Contribute 5% to your retirement account or enough to get the full employer match, whicheverRead… Read more »

Better Place Expands to Denmark

We’ve re-posted stories about Better Place on the CEIL website before, but we haven’t yet mentioned them on this blog. Today, though, Better Place has jumped on our radar because of a news story we recently saw at cnet. It seems the company has opened its first retail recharging station in Europe, and now driversRead… Read more »

“Gentoring” ™: Barriers to Bridging the Generational-Digital Divide – Traditionals and Boomer ‘Hot Buttons’” – Part II

Hi, Getting some enthusiastic and thoughtful response to the Gentor ™ and Gentoring ™ concepts: a) the legal magazine, KNOW, wants to publish my first “Gentoring” article (see link below), b) a Colonel at a military war college wants to brainstorm program ideas re: my “Bridging the Generational Divide” programs, c) another Colonel and colleagueRead… Read more »

Announcing moreopen micro-grants

Cross-posted from the new blog over on moreopen.org, here Steph announces some small-scale funding available for public sector-oriented digital events and projects: As UKGovcamp 2011 fades into the memory, and exciting events such as ShropCamp (19 April) hove into view, it’s time to formally lift the veil on our mini grant scheme to help getRead… Read more »

Follow the Technology Money: Priorities from the 2012 IT Budget Proposal (and Beyond)

Good morning, Fellow GovLoopers! Dan Chenok posted his thoughts on the FY 2012 IT Budget on the Business of Government Blog. I thought I’d share the highlights here (though you really should read the whole thing!) As occurs each year, the President’s Budget Proposal includes a Chapter on IT spending – it’s in the “AnalyticalRead… Read more »