IT Solutions with Speed, Savings

When I meet with agency customers, I hear about the struggles we face to get IT acquisitions done efficiently and smoothly. Most government agencies–federal, state or local—face similar acquisition problems: How do we acquire IT faster? How can we continue to find savings? Can you make it easier to acquire mission-critical IT solutions? Can youRead… Read more »

Government-ize Your Resume

If you’re considering applying for your first federal job (or if you’re hunting for a new one), don’t plan on using a traditional resume. There are a number of specific things the feds are looking for that don’t usually apply to the private sector. What follows are some tips on how to rework your resumeRead… Read more »

2 Free Twitter Network Visualization Tools

Lately, my associates and I have been doing quite a bit of social network visualization research for clients, typically using raw social data and comprehensive, fee-based custom tools. While these are great for deep analysis and strategic planning, sometimes a simple free tool can do the trick if all you are looking for is quickRead… Read more »

Does Gov Need an Exit Strategy for Facebook?

You want every selfie and status update to get attention from your friends. But are all your friends seeing your posts? If they are, are you engaging them? Government organizations face this same challenge. Given Facebook and Twitter’s popularity in the last few years, federal, state and local organizations have worked to engage people onRead… Read more »

How to Bake in Security

The Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) mandates very detailed security practices. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has an entire division focused on creating security guidance documents. As security becomes more of a focus the nomenclature of these documents seeps into your daily lingo. FIPS 199 and 200 describe the levelsRead… Read more »

Managing Online Comments: 10 Recommendations

Even though social media is fully integrated into the global culture and economy, many leaders are still reluctant to put themselves and/or their organizations in a position where they may have to listen to and/or engage with various stakeholders via these public channels. They tend to fear potential reputational harm and/or the stickiness of havingRead… Read more »

LinkedIn: Maximizing the Network

By Chuck Brooks, Vice President and Client Executive, Department of Homeland Security Since launching in 2003, the social networking service LinkedIn has become an increasingly popular avenue for professional networking and interaction. LinkedIn provides a valuable platform for business engagement in all industries, including government services, but its potential is wasted if you’re not properlyRead… Read more »

“Stat” Movement Turns Twenty

Harvard’s Bob Behn has been working on his latest book about the “-Stat” movement for more than a decade. I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release and told him I would read and share my impressions with others. In his inimitable response, he just asked that I spelled “Behn” and “PerformanceStat” correctly. Since 2001, Dr. BehnRead… Read more »