All in Governance

A Project Manager's Perspective on the GAO’s Federal Data Transparency Report

A Project Manager's Perspective on the GAO’s Federal Data Transparency Report

Dennis D. McDonald
Collaboration, Data Access, Governance, Project Management, Standards, Transparency
While improving data transparency for both financial and non-financial data is an important goal, any effort requiring an enterprise level shift in data formats or associated business processes can also require a substantial early peak in required resources. If in fact we need to delay implementing data transparency programs, perhaps we can use our time wisely by doing a more detailed job of research and planning.
Understanding How Open Data Reaches the Public

Understanding How Open Data Reaches the Public

Dennis D. McDonald
Big Data, Collaboration, Data Access, Governance, Local, Open Data, , Transparency
In the long run, traditional top-down efforts at management control may be insufficient to ensure that both agency goals and the potential benefits of open data access — including unanticipated cponsequences — are realized in an efficient and cost effective manner. While leadership by the Federal government’s IT infrastructure will be necessary, it will also be necessary to ensure that ongoing efforts to advance open data access are managed efficiently both across agencies and in accordance with individual agency and program priorities; IT staff cannot do this on their own and will have to work closely with agency management.
When Does a Public Data Good Become a Private Data Resource?

When Does a Public Data Good Become a Private Data Resource?

Dennis D. McDonald
Accessibility, Big Data, Business Models, Copyright, Costs, Data, Data Access, , Governance, Policy, Transparency, eGovernment
It may be that the greatest challenge facing private entrepreneurs in developing new and valuable information products and services based at least partially on public data will be public resistance to paying for information, no matter how new, innovative, or unique these producrts or services are.
Developing Digital Strategies for Web-based Public Access to Government Performance Data

Developing Digital Strategies for Web-based Public Access to Government Performance Data

Dennis D. McDonald
Accessibility, Data Access, Governance, List05, Performance, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Transparency, eGovernment
On January 29, 2013 I was privileged to attend a meeting of the Government Performance Coalition at George Washington University in Washington DC. During that meeting Shelley Metzenbaum, OMB Associate Director for Performance and Personnel, discussed the “performance improvement” pages of the Performance.gov website.
Why I'm Uneasy about "Big Data" and Government Programs

Why I'm Uneasy about "Big Data" and Government Programs

Dennis D. McDonald
Acquisitions, Big Data, Data Conversion, Governance, Project Management, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment
I appreciate that scaling, discoverability, and innovation are all potentially enhanced when the size, variety, quality and number of data sets surrounding a particular process or function are aggregated and exposed. Jewels can become visible. Inconsistencies can be identified and resolved. Impacts can be tracked.
Developing a Collaborative Approach to Improving Project Management Practices, Part 1: Culture

Developing a Collaborative Approach to Improving Project Management Practices, Part 1: Culture

Dennis D. McDonald
Best Practices, Collaboration, Community, Google+, Governance, Management, Management Tools, Metrics, PMO, Project Management, Risk Management, SharePoint
In Agile grows up and new challenges emerge author Rick Freedman points out what project managers, sooner or later, learn from the School of Hard Knocks: changing and improving project management practices to improve the likelihood of project success involves not just improved management methods but also cultural changes within the sponsoring organization.
Audit of the VA's Project Management Accountability System (PMAS) Implementation

Audit of the VA's Project Management Accountability System (PMAS) Implementation

Dennis D. McDonald
Accountability, Governance, List_AR, Metrics, Project Management
Here’s some light reading: the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General’s “Audit of the Project Management Accountability System Implementation.” Known as “PMAS,” the system was put in place in 2009 to provide better oversight of the VA’s troubled IT development projects. This was done in light of a history of cost overruns and failed IT projects at the VA.
On the Need to Tolerate Communication Diversity

On the Need to Tolerate Communication Diversity

Dennis D. McDonald
Change, Collaboration, Demographics, Governance, Innovation, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Transfer, List_AR, , ,
IBM’s Luis Suarez’ blog post Social Media at Work presents basic arguments for why organizations, not just individuals, need to adopt social media as a normal part of their communication infrastructure. He suggests that organizations need to adopt social media because their employees and their customers are using social media.

For Government Contracting, Defining "Inherently Governmental" is Inherently Difficult

Dennis D. McDonald
Collaboration, Governance, Homeland Security, Information Technology, Innovation, Procurement, eGovernment
That’s one of the reasons I’m concerned about how President Obama’s proposed changes to Federal procurement rules might tip the scales even more in favor of the issuance of fixed price contracts in situations where insufficient detail on requirements and available budget aren’t readily available to potential bidders.

How Do Social Media Change the Economics of Process Automation?

Dennis D. McDonald
Best Practices, Cost Analysis, Governance, Management, Management Tools, Outsourcing, Process, , , Web 2.0
In September 2006 I published The Justification of Enterprise Web 2.0 Project Expenditures. It examined differences between the cost justification of current information systems compared with cost justification of older systems. It discussed how some of the rules for calculating and thinking about technology related costs have changed.
Can Government Procurement Be Streamlined By Using Collaboration Technologies and Social Media?

Can Government Procurement Be Streamlined By Using Collaboration Technologies and Social Media?

Dennis D. McDonald
Change, Collaboration, Governance, Procurement, , , Web 2.0, eGovernment
The report Six Practical Steps to Improve Contracting by Dr. Allan V. Burman, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, is based on a series of discussions co-sponsored by The IBM Center for the Business of Government and George Mason University concerning government procurement practices.
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