A few weeks ago I wrote about my memorable December 2014, when I saw some original, founding historical documents. While I was busy time traveling, our City IT staff was spending the Christmas holidays struggling with a very nasty gift from a very bad Santa. It has passed into our lore as the “Christmas DDoSRead… Read more »
A common thread among the recent spate of state health insurance exchange rollout failures (e.g., Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon) was the states’ inability to effectively procure, manage and coordinate IT services from multiple contractors. In each case, the aftermath was a rash of finger-pointing between and among agency managers and contractors, and in someRead… Read more »
The launch of GovCMS for Australian Government websites is upon us for February, 2015. Whilst GovCMS promises to deliver a centralised content management framework for Australian Public Sector websites, a call for industry comment showcased some concern.
Lately I’ve noticed that whenever I watch a game or reality show with a cash prize, I get a little more engaged in the outcome in a way others most likely don’t. At the end, rather than just enjoy watching contestants celebrate that they’ve won what could be a life-changing amount of money, I findRead… Read more »
The Agile methodology has made an undeniable impact on the software development industry. With well-documented results, companies and professionals able to embrace Agile soon find themselves progressing far beyond what traditional (waterfall) methods were previously capable of delivering. The question then becomes not whether Agile should be adapted, but rather how to best adapt it.Read… Read more »
In addition to my Federal gig, I have a side job that I adore: I’m an adjunct professor at a local college. I don’t do it for the money (I often wonder if it costs more for them to prepare and print my W2 than to pay me for a semester). It’s a labor ofRead… Read more »
“We have to understand that the world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation. The hand is more important than the eye…The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.” (Bronowski, 1973) Designing government Like most governments right now, we’re very excited about the potential of design to transform service delivery and policyRead… Read more »
Can’t Break it To My Heart was a hit song co-written and sung by country music star Tracy Lawrence in 1993. It tells the painful story that most of us have experienced when we fall in love with someone who does not love us back. It is difficult to accept the reality that the relationshipRead… Read more »
Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) reveals the latest cutting-edge devices and gadgets poised to disrupt the consumer tech space. In 2015, it was evident that this would be the year of Bluetooth-enabled everything — wearables, smart watches, necklaces and toothbrushes – all becoming network endpoints, gathering and transmitting large volumes of data. ThisRead… Read more »
When I meet people I can always find something interesting and unique, either in their professional or non-work life. This extraordinary person is an example to all of you out there that the path you are on as a government employee can someday vault you into something unexpected and noteworthy. And there’s a very good… Read more »