It’s one solution or the other. If “A” is true, then we should definitely do “B” – it’s so obvious! Let’s solve this problem one step at a time. As government officials, we often feel our job duties are closer to those of an ‘inferno abatement specialist’ (government speak for “firefighter”) than those of aRead… Read more »
The triple aim continues to be the focus of payment and delivery reform. Predictive analytics and big data are poised to make an impact in achieving the triple aim. Recently, there has been interest in connecting predictive analytics with other tools to amplify impact in lowering costs, improving quality, and improving population health. Furthermore, itRead… Read more »
This is a continuation of an article about open311 use cases in which I looked at three cities using open311 solutions to communicate with their constituents. This week, I’d like to offer some advice about getting started with open311 technology. The best places to start are with mobile reporting applications and the constituent relationship managementRead… Read more »
It’s a long, sordid story, but the moral is simple: Beware what you ask for — you might get it! A little background: Back in 2007, I was so happy. The Presidential Management Fellowship program office “popped the cap”—they allowed universities to nominate an unlimited number of graduating students for the prestigious PMF program. Previously,Read… Read more »
Adding on to my last post on the Women’s Empowerment (WE) initiative in Kansas City, Missouri, we are looking closely at our internal practices to build a more inclusive, diverse city government. As a woman, a new mom, and coming from the male-dominated profession of architecture, I am acutely aware of some of the barriersRead… Read more »
Professionalism in the workplace is a hot topic. Being a “professional” portrays various images based on your perception of its definition. So, what’s your perception? We often think of a suited-up individual with a briefcase. Professionalism is often associated with competence and skill. However, being a skilled employee is not the same as being aRead… Read more »
There is a perception within the federal government that HR offices in most agencies are the place where people are placed when there’s no place else to put them. I have heard over the years that HR is the location where the “problem” people land. It’s often viewed that all HR employees do is processRead… Read more »
One of the current mantras for government online services is to say that they are customer focused. This is an excellent aspiration and it is becoming a standard protocol to build services around iterative user testing. However once a service is up and running how do we ensure that we are still meeting our userRead… Read more »
Most states have decided to list their expenses so their citizens can see where tax dollars are being spent. Listing the thousand, or millions, of individual transactions is good in theory, but these endless lists of expenditures fall dramatically short in providing the kind of transparency people yearn for as government continues to expand. GoodRead… Read more »
In launching our innovation program, my colleagues and I surprisingly received the most push-back from our most innovative colleagues. “We’re already innovating!” was the common refrain. True dat. We have jaw-droppingly talented colleagues who are doing amazing things to help U.S. exporters. However, these best practices aren’t often widely shared across an organization with officesRead… Read more »