Declining Budgets, Staff, Doesn’t Mean Decline in Productivity

Too frequently, small government agencies are stifled by budget cuts, lack of funding, and the fear of being stonewalled by a higher branch. Congress and the Executive branch want these agencies (and the nation) to succeed, but sometimes unforeseen challenges prevent them from achieving maximum success. Too frequently, employees at an organization are stifled byRead… Read more »

Do you really want user feedback? Part 3

In this series of posts about feedback so far I have been talking about some external digital services. What about internal services? Surely you want some feedback on those as well? What kind of internal digital services could be relevant? Well intranets jump to mind. So does your intranet allow colleagues to leave feedback onRead… Read more »

How Should DATA Act Implementation Impact Federal Project Management Practices?

Introduction The recent passage of the DATA Act (Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014) got me thinking about the data management work that will have to be initiated to support its implementation. Since both standard and existing legacy systems and processes will be impacted it’s likely a variety of data related project work willRead… Read more »

A Place to Look for State Financial Transparency…For Now

As state governments move toward total financial transparency, there is at least one place to look for information on how the states are doing in providing constituents with data on where money is being spent and what results are being achieved with the investment. Earlier blog posts have elaborated on the current ‘shortcomings’ of stateRead… Read more »

Reflections of a Former Fellow: Sheba Najmi

Part-Pakistani, part-American, I was conceived half-way across the world in Malawi, and my roots spring from the villages of rural India. Until a college scholarship brought me to America, I was a complete product of the developing world. I grew up with a fierce desire to make things better, I often wished to be PrimeRead… Read more »

California’s Prop 42 & the challenge and opportunity for delivering on citizen demands

Civic software-as-a-service can make what seems like a new burden for cities an opportunity to collaborate Yesterday, citizens in the state of California amended their constitution to make it more open and transparent: Voters approved Tuesday a measure to give greater protection to California’s open meeting and public records laws by putting them in theRead… Read more »

Join Me on Federal News Radio Tomorrow Morning, As I Discuss the “Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014” and What it Could Mean For Feds!

Listen live to my radio interview tomorrow morning about U.S. House of Representatives’ Bill H.R. 4031 – the “Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014” and what it could mean for federal employees at VA and in other federal agencies. To hear that interview, tune in to the “Legal Loop” segment of theRead… Read more »

Community Engagement: Lessons from Boston

Around the country, folks are making the road by walking when it comes to civic innovation and they’re forming new relationships in the process. At Code for America, we get excited when people participate in the democratic process in meaningful and interesting ways. Two projects in Boston show the importance of collaboration between residents andRead… Read more »

The Real Measure of Social Media Success: Going Beyond Likes and Retweets

If you have been involved in anything with a social media component this past year, then you have no doubt heard people talking about social media metrics, ROI, ROE, etc. These are basically different measures that people are using to define success, or failure, in the use of social media channels. Not too long ago,Read… Read more »