Participating in the Civic Data Challenge

We want the NCDD community to know about a great opportunity to participate in the 2013 Civic Data Challenge: The Civic Data Challenge turns the raw data of ‘civic health’ into useful applications and visualizations that have direct impact on public decision-making. In order to achieve an exceptional level of real-world usefulness, designers, data scientists,Read… Read more »

Tips on How to Win the Government Proposals

To start with, firstly make sure your proposal seems to be and sounds professional. Next, let others represent you. make certain to incorporate verifiable reviews, referrals, descriptions of comparable comes that you just have antecedently completed, awards, skilled certifications and memberships, etc. – in different words, incorporate everything that shows that others believe you areRead… Read more »

Your Customers Are Talking. Are You Listening?

How do you really know what your customers want? One of the most common answers I hear is, “Because they told us….” Yet, for me anyway, this answer only invites more questions. Who? When? What did they tell you? How did they tell you? Was it an interactive conversation? Are you sure you really understoodRead… Read more »

A DoD Update: Taking the Pulse at SSC LANT

By ChrisScott Chris Miller, the Executive Director at SSC LANT had a busy week. On Wednesday, he briefed the Tidewater Association of Service Contractors (TASC) in Norfolk, VA and on Thursday he briefed the Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) in Charleston, SC. His message left the audience with mixed feelings. Obviously, budget constraints are severeRead… Read more »

Transforming a community with sustained dialogue

A recent post on the Everyday Democracy blog caught our eye. Written by NCDD member Janice Thomson and featuring the work of NCDD member Mary Jane Hollis, the article focuses on the power of sustained dialogue to tease out difficult issues such as race and to create lasting positive effects in our communities. The fullRead… Read more »

Nudge Theory

Fancy that; persuasion theory in action: “…relaxing the standard economic assumption that everyone in the economy is rational and selfish, instead entertaining the possibility that some agents in the economy are sometimes human… “Nudge theory is an attempt to resolve a classic Conservative dilemma: since they believe in the small state and low taxation, shouldRead… Read more »

Look Before Leaping

At NextGen+, Mark Pine, the Deputy Director at the, Griffith Observatory just gave his speech on jumping sectors in your public career. He has held positions at NASA, JPL, the Private Sector, a Non-Profit (Astronomy), and currently City Government (Griffith Observatory). The Griffith Observatory is a free to the public museum/planetarium in Los Angeles. Mr.Read… Read more »

How Tech Entrepreneurs and City Leaders Are Collaborating to Build “America’s Next Great City”: Free webinar from NLC

The National League of Cities, as part of its work with Knight Foundation, is hosting a free webinar highlighting civic engagement in Philadelphia this Wednesday (April 24) at 2pm Eastern. While many tech entrepreneurs are passionate advocates for their communities, most are ambivalent about city hall: neither expecting nor offering assistance, and often working aroundRead… Read more »