On December 18th, 2013, the public was informed about one of the biggest data thefts in history; nearly one-third of American consumers were in jeopardy of their information becoming compromised via a massive Target hack. As more information unfolded, it became clear that Target was both the victim and the culprit. Evidently, hackers had begunRead… Read more »
We know that government is slow to adopt new technologies and change. But the technologies now exist to provide you as a constituent or as a state leader with the ability to see where state dollars are being spent and what results are being achieved virtually in real-time. It is now only a question ofRead… Read more »
‘Rumour Cascades‘, a joint study from Stanford University and Facebook, provides some fascinating insights that can serve as advice for public bodies on halting the spread of misinformation. This was first published on the Guardian website in mid May. A new study, jointly conducted by Facebook and Stanford University, has shed new light on howRead… Read more »
I’m Coding for America because I believe in complex problem solving. I believe in design thinking. I believe in incorporating user feedback, research, and rapid prototyping into important decision making processes as a way to bring about real improvement. Not just change for the sake of change– an improved and sustainable model for meeting theRead… Read more »
There has been a lot of discussion about how cooperative purchasing and co-ops help the public sector save time and money. One little known advantage of purchasing through a co-op is vendor and contract management. Well-run cooperative purchasing organizations are active in managing contracts and vendor performance. “We are seeing our members making contract andRead… Read more »
As part of the Vermont Digital Economy Project, our partners at the Snelling Center for Government have now successfully implemented new or updated websites for 15 towns across Vermont, and they plan to create another 10 by the end of the project. Through this process, we have learned that there are many more factors involvedRead… Read more »
Many Project Management Professional (PMP)® students have trouble understanding the difference between a planning package and a work package. Let’s turn first to A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) to clear up any confusion: Planning Package = A work breakdown structure component below the control account with known work contentRead… Read more »
Internships are time-honored ways to get your foot in the door at an organization you’d love to work for – but you’re only going to get out of it what you put in. Whether you’re a student doing an internship for credit, or a professional who’s exploring a different career option, here are some concreteRead… Read more »
My post on engagement from a few weeks ago, The Myth of Social Media Engagement in the Public Service, generated a healthy debate on the nature and inherent value of engagement in the public sector. Some interpreted my post as saying that I held little or no value in engagement for the public sector. ThisRead… Read more »
I have always been interested in happiness. Even before Pharrell Williams made it fashionable to sing about and dance to, I was interested in what made people happy. When I was given the opportunity to do some research for a Masters degree in Public Leadership (Virginia State Univ 2013) citizen satisfaction with local government becameRead… Read more »