#OpenGovernment: How Open is too Open?

In the wake of the Open Government Directive issued by President Obama in December of 2009, agencies have been working to take specific actions to implement the principles of transparency, participation, and collaboration. However, do we want our National Security Agency (NSA) being transparent about all of their defense tactics and cyber plans? Does sharingRead… Read more »

No Medical Degree Required for these 5 Hot Careers!

“It’s no secret that careers in health care are booming. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor expects the health care and social assistance industry to add 5.6 million jobs from 2010 to 2020 – more than any other field.” The U.S. Department of Labor projects 68,000 new medical and health services manager jobs toRead… Read more »

Is social media blurring the non-partisan status of appointed public services?

A separation that is widely understood within governments, but often less well understood in the rest of the community, is the separation between politics and public service. Elected public servants, politicians, ascribe to specific political ideologies and policy positions which form the basis of how people select which politicians and parties to support and castRead… Read more »

Federal Government Reform Resources: The Tech Councils’ Report

Is technology an operating cost to be cut or an investment that creates large-scale savings? The latter is the premise being posed in a report by tech industry specialists in a new report. A non-profit, educational organization, the American Council for Technology, in conjunction with the Industry Advisory Council, engaged over 100 volunteers in preparingRead… Read more »

Rainmaker 17 – Breaking The Invisible Wall

Last month’s GMU Annual Startup Challenge Competition was the first I remember where I got to sit in the audience and watch… I wasn’t presenting. What I saw (and remembered) is an idea that because we are presenting, we have to respect that invisible wall that separates actors from the audience, the cast of CheersRead… Read more »

How Good Teaming Partners Are Like Parking Spaces

Once you have identified a few candidates for teaming, you should investigate them further to learn more about their capabilities and intention for this pursuit. Good teaming partners are like parking spaces in an office building’s parking lot. The closest ones to the building get taken by those diligent souls who arrive to work beforeRead… Read more »

Using Agile Project Management within the confines of Federal Government reporting structures

Hello. I’m curious if there’s anyone here who has tried to use Agile, or an Agile philosophy no Federal projects. Specifically, I’m interested in learning how people have managed to report project status within the structures that have traditionally been used for “waterfall” projects. Agile doesn’t seem to fit with the CPIC or Exhibit 300Read… Read more »

Leveraging the strengths we KNOW we have instead of worrying about the advantages we THINK others have

I drive a 2002 Kia Rio and over the last few years I have noticed countless others driving the same vehicle. Each time I see a Kia Rio, I cannot refrain from comparing our cars. Is my car in better shape? Does their car come with power windows with extra leg room? Although I continueRead… Read more »

Uber in Vancouver: Some Thoughts for the Passenger Transportation Board

So last week the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) effectively shut down Uber in Vancouver by compelling the rides they arrange must charge a minimum $75 a trip, regardless of distance. Shortly after being announced, twitter lit up as Uber notified its customers of the decision and the hashtag #UberVanLove began directing angry (and deserved)Read… Read more »