Communications

3 Questions to ask before you make a big decision

Oftentimes l will have somebody come into my office and sketch something out pretty quickly and then look for a decision on the spot. Now if you don’t make the decision quickly you’re holding up progress but there’s always the risk that by making the decisions without the right information, you leave yourself open toRead… Read more »

Are we finally ready for shared services?

The concept of shared services has been around for decades. But now with tight budgets shared services are finally starting to get some traction. Dan Chenok is the Executive Vice Chair for the Industry Advisor Council and the Executive Director at IBM’s Center for the Business of Government. ACT IAC recently hosted a Shared ServicesRead… Read more »

EEOC & DOL Hosting Twitter Chat 9/25 on Disability Issues in Federal Sector

How much do you know about the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act) and disability-related issues in the federal sector workforce? Learn more on Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. (ET), when the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) host a live “Twitter Chat” in commemoration of theRead… Read more »

What do Mediators Do? Here is one example

I’ve been reading Kenneth Clokes great book entitled “Mediating Dangerously.” Chapter Three is titled “Honesty and Empathy: Speaking the Unspeakable.” I am often at a loss for words in explaining what Mediators do, and I believe Ken offers at least part of the answer here: “Increasing the depth and quality of empathy and honesty encouragesRead… Read more »

5 Ways to Build Your GIS Business Case

The following post highlights our latest guide on GIS, The Mapping Revolution: Incorporating Geographic Information Systems in Government. The report features case studies and best practices from the Census Bureau, Geoplatform.gov and United States Department of Agriculture and insights from Esri President, Jack Dangermond. (Download PDF or view online below). This blog post is anRead… Read more »

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations: The Importance of Workplace Diversity

Why is creating a diverse team important? Do you know how to create diverse teams? As the Vulcan’s say, “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” Diverse groups of individuals bring diverse ideas and experiences, diverse ideas and experiences contribute to increased sharing of thoughts and ideas, development of new solutions, and increased innovation. All this contributesRead… Read more »

Government of the Future – How Competitions Create Innovation

Some of the most innovative ideas in government aren’t coming from the C-Suite, but from university students. Each year Governing Magazine hosts a competition for university students looking to change the way government works. It’s called thePublic Policy Challenge and it’s goal is to think through the entire process of an idea, from concept toRead… Read more »

Designing Dashboards: Important questions everyone should be asking

I was talking to a client the other day about the particular dashboard we were putting together for them. We had a few different people in the room and we were discussing: What should go on it What should be left off What sort of decisions it will help support How often would different peopleRead… Read more »

Do You Text with Your Boss?

Perhaps five years ago, texting was mainly for teens. Now days, everyone texts. All ages for all reasons. I text with my mother, my sister, my wife, and my friends on all things from quick thoughts to photos. But I never used to text for work. Something about it just felt wrong. And then theRead… Read more »