Complex problems require new thinking, and sometimes that means stripping the question down to simple components. The New York Times detailed how Apple uses a series of Picasso’s lithographs to teach this concept. The artist moved from a full sketch to a minimal outline through the course of 11 prints. A spare collection of linesRead… Read more »
Talent acquisition for the federal government is a challenging proposition in this era of talent shortage. Despite the lingering effects of the Great Recession and the fact that for many it seems like we are still in a recession. According to Rahaf Harfoush, co-author of the New York Times best-seller The Decoded, 1 out ofRead… Read more »
A new report, “A Guide for Making Innovation Offices Work,” details the models, methods, and metrics of how government agencies are incorporating innovation into their bureaucracies. Innovation offices are being established by many governments—including cities (Austin, Philadelphia, Chicago), states (Maryland, Colorado, and Pennsylvania), and federal agencies (NARA, HHS, State Department). But not all offices areRead… Read more »
Innovation means doing something different to get a better result, to produce more value for a customer. Innovation solves problems that have eluded solutions. It can unleash commitment and change organizational cultures. So if innovation is all that, why not innovate? Government innovates every day. Legislation starts with a problem and ends with a solution. Then agenciesRead… Read more »
In the past year, state policymakers and Congress introduced nearly one thousand bills dealing with immigration. These bills cover a range of issues, from suspending deportations of legalization-eligible youth to proposing STEM green card programs for the employment of highly-skilled foreign workers in the information technology industry. Caving to pressure from the Democratic party, PresidentRead… Read more »
IT’S TIME TO RISE from your sleep in the rubber room. Today, you open the door and cross the threshold. It’s a big day. You will launch your product and its marketing campaign begins. You have a superb product—you—but some members of your audience have been turned off in the past. We’ll use the wordRead… Read more »
How do you learn? Do you take classes? Use Internet tutorials? Read books? Do you find useful tips and ideas on blogs and websites? Guess what? You have something to share, just like the authors of the blogs and sites that you gain new information from. Your experience, your perspective, your frustrations are all thingsRead… Read more »
Learning how to succeed in business can come from a variety of diverse sources. It may include mentors, managers and multiple teams of staffers that you meet during your career. Inspiration for solid business practices may also result from other life experiences, including sports. The three business lessons I learned from the batting cage coverRead… Read more »
…doggy in the window (arf! arf!) The one with the waggley tail (you’ll be humming that for the remainder of the day now, won’t you). Our focus in this post, though, is not on cuddly canines, rather it’s on the value of public services. Unlike private service whose value is often determined by whether theyRead… Read more »
Over the past few months, I have co-hosted Conversations on Big Data, a series of discussions about using analytics in creative and interesting ways. Today’s Conversation is with Lori Walsh, the Chief of the Center for Risk and Quantitative Analytics (the Center) for the Securities Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Enforcement. The SEC has severalRead… Read more »