Posts By Kathryn David

Spreading Holiday Cheer With… Google Spreadsheets?

In the final season of 30 Rock, Liz Lemon finally finds something she can be excited about with her husband: spreadsheets. When her boss hands her an impossible schedule, she dives into the world of extreme organization and suddenly becomes very passionate about it. The show is a comedy and this plot is funny becauseRead… Read more »

Technology Across the Pond: Insights from CARTES 2013

One of the most important advantages of globalization is that governments can learn from each other. Oracle’s latest announcement in Europe has some important lessons from government agencies in the United States and around the world. At the CARTES 2013 in Paris, France, a conference on securing smart technologies, Oracle announced a new partnership withRead… Read more »

What’s the Best Way to Transform and Modernize Cities? The Debate in The Economist

I love debates, whether it is Lincoln vs. Douglas, Biden vs. Ryan, or Harry Potter vs. Twilight*. Listening to experts challenge each other’s views teaches us about a topic and makes us rethink preconceived notions. At the end of a debate you may not have changed your mind. But a good debate, at the veryRead… Read more »

Could Congress Pass A Budget in Bitcoins?

The New York Times calls them a “soaring, slightly scary virtual currency.” NPR described the phenomenon as “a lot like cash- for the online universe. It doesn’t actually exist in the physical world.” New Economic Perspectives mentioned many dismiss this emerging technology as “a Ponzi scheme.” If you have not guessed by now, we areRead… Read more »

Coding: All the Cool Kids Are Doing It

Teenagers are fairly notorious for making poor decisions. With the power of Facebook, I have many opportunities to look back at the outfits I wore as a teenager and cringe. However, your teenage years can also be the beginning of the passions and interests that guide your career. I became interested in government through participationRead… Read more »

Stay, Stay, Stay In Government: Insights from Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is famous for writing the songs to get you through a bad break-up, but you do not have to be a brokenhearted teenage girl to appreciate her wisdom. Looking back at 2013, it seems that federal employees have faced a rocky relationship with the government they serve. Fortunately, members of our GovLoop communityRead… Read more »

Failure to Launch: How to Fix Government IT Problems

We all know that there is no shortage of transformational ideas or exceptional public servants in government, working to improve how agencies operate. IT holds unbelievable promise to streamline processes and change the business of government. Although this potential is clear, we have seen agencies struggle to completely leverage IT. Instead of a gateway toRead… Read more »

Go Mobile Without Going Bankrupt: Cross-Platform App Development with HP

Optimizing your agency for mobile is a necessary step in today’s technology environment. In GovLoop’s recent mobile guide, we shared how government agencies are transforming internal operations and customer service by leveraging the power of mobile apps. For example, the Transportation Security Administration has created an internal app to keep employees aware of critical securityRead… Read more »