Everyone knows that app contests are exciting. Ideas, fueled by caffeine and youthful energy, combined with the prospect of an eventual payday paint a picture that most organizations can’t resist. And for the open government community, it’s even more enticing, since app contest are an opportunity to engage residents in ‘doing good’ by enticing developersRead… Read more »
More hiring departments are turning to video interviews as a way to manage their time and get a better sense for a candidate than a simple phone interview can provide. Applications like FaceTime, Skype, and Google+ Hangouts make video interviews free and easy, and the ability to interview from the comfort of your home makesRead… Read more »
Developing a clear picture of the types of email subscribers you have is key to tailoring your messages to address the specific needs of each audience member. This means abandoning the traditional approach that “blasts” the same, long message filled with disparate content to your entire audience on a pre-determined schedule and employing a new… Read more »
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a tool used across almost every field bringing data analysis, efficiency, and cost-saving mechanisms to the government. Unfortunately, most federal employees do not understand GIS technology. Each government employee has the potential to heighten the quality of their work by taking full advantage of resources such as GIS. NASA, EnvironmentalRead… Read more »
We all make mistakes at work. Some are minor — and some are downright cringe-worthy. I made these six mistakes so that you don’t have to. 1. Don’t make waves until you’ve been on the job for at least a year. The time frames here aren’t what’s important, as every job is different, but I’ve learnedRead… Read more »
All employees want great managers, yet not everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy that luxury. But what really makes an awesome manager? Some people say that an inclusive and positive can-do management style is best to promote leadership and productivity. Others argue it’s more effective for a manager to use fear tactics to get resultsRead… Read more »
The Obama administration has only two more short years in office. These two years are often marred by an inability to get things done. The reasons for this lack of action vary – too much political pressure, not enough time or weight to get anything done or an administration that’s simply run out of steam.Read… Read more »
This is not news so much as awakening. In the deep recesses of my public servant heart I knew…felt…denied that the day of reckoning was here. Yet, it has arrived in the form of “Cities of the 21st Century,” a report published last month by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Zogby Analytics. TheRead… Read more »
Over the course of many decades of governmental work, as well as employment in the private sector and non-profit scene, I have witnessed first-hand and heard, second-hand, of the inherent dangers of saying something that is either unpleasant, reveals corruption, or otherwise is unpopular with the current ‘Powers-That-Be’. All of which leaves someone wondering whetherRead… Read more »
Last August, when the U.S. Digital Services was announced, I wrote a blog post with 7 Ideas for the USDS. Yesterday, the White House announced in their 2016 budget a $100M program to expand digital services teams into 25 agencies. This is quite an impressive proposal and it also follows my first general tip forRead… Read more »