Cognitive Category Management - Unlocking Value in Government

Submitted by on Fri, 12/22/2017 - 09:39

Cognitive Category Management (CCM) has the potential to drive $340 billion in value for the federal government. Category Management has been a proven capability for leading commercial companies to unlock significant ongoing savings. However, the complexity and autonomy of federal agencies present challenges that have limited the federal government from taking advantage of these proven practices. Recent advances in cognitive tools and digital services help bridge these challenges by offering insights into unstructured data and simplifying the process for government.

Cognitive Category Management - Unlocking Value in Government - Part Two

Submitted by on Fri, 12/22/2017 - 09:37

In my previous blog post, I discussed category management, cognitive, and how these two tools can be used to provide value in the federal government. By reviewing best practices in the private sector as well as initial pilots in the federal government, transformation is possible. 

Digging Out of a Digital Stone Age

Submitted by on Fri, 12/22/2017 - 09:35

The Government Accountability Office study went on to note: “Agencies reported 3,427 IT staff employed just to maintain legacy-programming languages, such as COBOL (1,085) and Fortran (613).”  In addition, the Office of Management and Budget recently observed that “43 percent of federal IT projects are reported to be over budget or behind schedule.”

Weekly Roundup: February 27-March 3, 2017

Submitted by on Fri, 12/22/2017 - 09:31

Michael J. Keegan

Disconnects in authority, accountability at VHA weakens retention, GAO says . A recent GAO investigation found that at a number of VHA facilities, lack of knowledge, skill and personnel in the human resources offices is hampering the administration in achieving its medical mission.

Insights from New Zealand's "Results" Programme

Submitted by on Fri, 12/22/2017 - 09:28

Nearly three decades ago, New Zealand pioneered government reforms to make individual single-purpose agencies – a “vertical” solution -- more accountable and effective.  While successful, it exacerbated another challenge facing government agencies -- addressing “horizontal” societal problems, i.e., those that span traditional agency boundaries.  So, New Zealand undertook a new round of reform in 2012 to address a handful of persistent societal and economic problems by creat

E-Rulemaking: Fix or Transform?

Submitted by on Thu, 12/21/2017 - 16:46

Yesterday I attended what I thought would be a yawner – a Brookings seminar on e-rulemaking.  But it turned out to be a carnival of different professional streams – administrative procedures lawyers, citizen engagement advocates, technology experts, transparency advocates, and regular civil servants trying to get their jobs done.  They even created a Tweet stream - #erulemaking!

Buying IT, Part 2: It’s the People

Submitted by on Thu, 12/21/2017 - 16:44

The IT Reform policies announced by OMB Deputy Director Jeffrey Zients and Federal CIO Vivek Kundra two weeks ago continue to have an impact on the IT community and beyond.  Their strategy drew in good measure from government and industry recommendations, one of the most prominent of which was a study by the TechAmerica Foundation, entitled “Government Technology Opportunity in the 21st Century” (www.techamericafoundation/gto21) (I served as an advisor to the Commission). 

Do-Gooders and Good Government

Submitted by on Thu, 12/21/2017 - 16:42

This election cycle saw record-shattering amounts of campaign spending, according to media reports.  Some, such as California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, spent their personal fortunes in their run for public office.  But there are others who are investing their personal fortunes in hopes that government can be better run, no matter who the elected officials might be.

Weekly Round-up: November 19, 2010

Submitted by on Thu, 12/21/2017 - 16:41

Gadi Ben-Yehuda

 

Re-Thinking the CFO Act

Submitted by on Thu, 12/21/2017 - 16:40

I originally had my doubts about the statutory provision in the stimulus bill that created something called the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.  I was concerned that it was going to be a huge “gotcha” machine.  But it looks like its chairman, Earl Devaney, has created the foundation for modernizing the CFO Act of 1990 in the way he created a website tracking Recovery Act spending, Recovery.gov.

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