Yearly Archives: 2011

SharePoint Salon: I.T. and SharePoint Governace

Last night friends and colleagues gathered at the Hilton during the SharePoint 2011 conference in Anaheim for 2nd SharePoint Salon. During the event several topics were brought to the table to discuss. It was, as the last Salon, exhilarating to engage in exchanges of ideas and opinions. Many of the participants were just as passionateRead… Read more »

Dirty Dozen Decision Process

When faced with a decision, young organizations tend to pick the least worst of two options. A better way is to enforce creating a list of a dozen alternatives. That can be done in a couple of hours. The process creates a better definition of the problem and also of the choices. The last choicesRead… Read more »

Good news snapshot: All-state IT budget projections (2010 – 2020)

Deltek Sr. Analyst Chris Cotner reports. Previous Deltek analyses and projections have demonstrated several key points with regard to state budgets. First, from FY 2009-2011, state budgets (all-funds, overall budgets) increased at an abnormal rate. Second, FY 2012 is the first projected overall state budget loss since Deltek began tracking in FY 1987. Third, andRead… Read more »

Open states: Transparency for state governments using open data

Where do you start to standardize legislative information for all 50 United States? Blazing an open data trail for one state government isn’t easy, so shifting 50 must be nearly impossible. Or is it? The Open State Project is making progress towards the impossible—and closing in on the goal. When I first heard about thisRead… Read more »

Countdown signs coming to CTA bus shelters

The Chicago Transit Authority (IL) has started to install electronic countdown signs at its busiest bus shelters. The agency expects to have 150 LED signs in place by March 2012; signs should be available at 400 shelters by the following September. Project costs were shared by the Regional Transportation Authority ($1.8 million), CTA ($1.4 million),Read… Read more »

Nonprofits test car-sharing market

As companies like Zipcar have popularized car-sharing, some localities are testing nonprofit models that they hope will expand the reach and scope of these programs. Chicago (IL) has I-GO, Boulder (CO) has eGO CarShare, and Syracuse (NY) has CuseCar, which is run by Synapse Sustainability Trust. “We’re not driven by dollars per share per quarter,”Read… Read more »

BART police to test clip-on cameras

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (CA) police are testing six small clip-on video cameras designed to create a permanent record of police actions in the field. Officers will activate the cameras to record interactions with the public in an effort to improve the agency’s transparency. “They are the next wave of technology in lawRead… Read more »

A Passion Project to Renew Our Enthusiasm – your vote needed

I’m hoping that my fellow GovLoopers can help a Govie out. I need your help to spread the awesome! I could use your vote – especially if you live in DC – for a side project I submitted to the GOOD Maker 30 day Challenge – a DC Passion Project. Voting closes this Thursday andRead… Read more »