Yearly Archives: 2011

Houston plans new trip-planning app

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (TX) announced plans to release a smart-phone application by the end of the year. Houston TRIP, which stands for transit route information and planner, will allow METRO customers to find bus stops, schedules, and eventually next-bus arrivals. “There are a lot of other transit properties that have similarRead… Read more »

RTC launches website for visitors

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada launched a new website to make it easier for Las Vegas visitors to choose transit. Ridethestrip.com focuses on transit options serving McCarran Airport, Las Vegas Boulevard, and downtown Las Vegas and allows users to purchase a three-day transit pass in advance of their visit. “The launch of ridethestrip.comRead… Read more »

Your Technical Report Stinks

Your technical reports stink. There’s little doubt about it. Whenever I go into classroom training, it is universally felt by contracting officers and contracting specialists that technical reports are poorly done and add nothing to proposal analysis. After all, saying you accept everything the contractor proposes doesn’t give me insight into the technical knowledge youRead… Read more »

To Know the Cloud Is to Embrace the Cloud– Survey of Gov’t IT Professionals

My firm, Bluetext, just released a survey of government IT professionals that found, perhaps to no one’s surprise, that those most familiar with cloud services recognize that they can gain efficiencies and realize cost savings by moving to the cloud. What’s more interesting, however, is the perceived lack of support by managers and leaders forRead… Read more »

Are you a Gov IT Professional? Check out GovDefenders.com

Gov.Defenders.com just launched as a go-to resource for any government IT professional involved in cybserSecurity. It’s main feature is an on-line assessment of cybersecurity skills to determine whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced, and it also has a broad variety of resources, ranging from “Cybersecurity for Dummies” to detailed technical papers on everyRead… Read more »

Federal Coach: How to Overcome Bureaucracy so You Can Innovate

I am in a federal office that places a high value on innovation, yet there are so many bureaucratic obstacles to being innovative. Are there any good models you can recommend where federal programs have been both innovative and produced valuable results? -Federal Supervisor (GS-14), Department of Homeland Security I can share plenty of examplesRead… Read more »

Lessons Learned: Making Strategic Hiring Decisions

Director‘s Perspective Lessons Learned: Making Strategic Hiring Decisions In a downsizing environment, there are steps you can take to ensure your organization is positioned well to carry out its responsibilities. In the 1990s, the Federal Government downsized a considerable portion of its workforce using such strategies as attrition, buy-outs, early-out retirements, and some reductions-in-force. ItRead… Read more »

Federal Coach: Looking to Grow as a Leader? Then Look to the Past

No time has been more turbulent for leaders than the present. At least that’s what we like to think. Even a superficial review of our nation’s history, however, will show that we’ve encountered plenty of tough times. For developing leaders – often eager to move forward quickly – it’s important to slow down and studyRead… Read more »