Posts Tagged: Accountability

Open Redistricting and Rebuilding Trust

Web-based GIS tools are already in use by governments and they have already proved their worth by providing citizens increased transparency and accountability. Now is the time to apply the same patterns and practices to redistricting, ultimately rebuilding trust in the process.

What’s The Government’s GPA? Part II

As discussed yesterday in part one of this interview, there is a lot to recommend testing government agencies to glean quantifiable results or grades. Having numerical values to analyze the government’s performance allows for a better understanding of the status quo, and improved decision-making. Deloitte University Press recently authored a report entitled “Accountability Quantified: WhatRead… Read more »

4 Reasons to Benchmark Against the Private Sector

I’ve always found it a bit disheartening how far-removed some government departments seem to be from any semblance of performance-based accountability. I ask, “would these folks survive a day out in the real world if there was an ounce of competition?” Considering that I work for the government as well, I have to assume that othersRead… Read more »

The Buck Stops… Where? Who Is Accountable in Gov?

It’s been more than eight months since CNN and the Arizona Republic began reporting about veterans dying while they were waiting for medical services—in some cases, on secret lists that clinics were maintaining to hide the long delays from authorities in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since then, Secretary Eric Shinseki has stepped down, bonusesRead… Read more »

Implementing the DATA Act: Encouraging Signs

President Obama has said he will sign new legislation that will have far-reaching effects on federal agencies and hundreds of thousands of recipient of federal funds – grantees, contractors, universities, non-profits, states, and localities. The new law gives agencies three years to implement a set of new reporting requirements to track federal spending, but itRead… Read more »

The Secret Sauce of Effective Progress Reviews

Agency chief operating officers are required to conduct quarterly progress reviews on priority goals. Sometimes called “PerformanceStat” meetings, they can be effective problem-solving sessions or terrifying blame games. So, how do you make PerformancStat meetings effective? OMB says that these review meetings should be constructive and focus on learning. Astute observers, such as Harry HatryRead… Read more »

President Obama: End Unfairness, Bullying and Retaliation by Public Officials

May 15, 2013, will mark the 11th anniversary of the Notification and Federal Anti-Discrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act. Congressed passed No FEAR on May 15, 2002, after hearing testimony that federal workforce abuse reduces government’s ability to effectively execute with integrity essential programs such as waste management, pollution prevention, water treatment, food inspection, Medicare,Read… Read more »