Managing & Technology — www.ddmcd.com

Website copyright © 2002-2025 by Dennis D. McDonald. From Alexandria, Virginia I support proposal writing & management, content and business development, market research, and strategic planning. I also practice and support cursive handwriting. My email: ddmcd@ddmcd.com. My bio: here.

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

Dec 18

Dec 18 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.

Panel Discussion: Transparency and the Obama Administration

Dec 6

Dec 6 Panel Discussion: Transparency and the Obama Administration

Dennis D. McDonald

ARRA, Accessibility, Big Data, Business Models, Cost Analysis, Data Access, Legislation, Open Access, RATB, Transparency, eGovernment

On Monday Dec. 3, 2012 at the invitation of Hudson Hollister of the Data Transparency Coalition I attended the “Transparency and the Obama Administration” panel discussion on Capitol Hill in Washington DC sponsored by the Congressional Transparency Caucus.

Dec 2
Dec 2 Why doesn't Google just 'fess up about INGRESS?

Dennis D. McDonald

Google, Ingress, Media, Privacy, Transparency, User Interface

In some ways, you might say that Google is just as secretive as Apple when it comes to customer data.

Better Org Charts Will Improve Government Agency Transparency and Accountability

Nov 29

Nov 29 Better Org Charts Will Improve Government Agency Transparency and Accountability

Dennis D. McDonald

Accountability, Call Center, Contact Center, Customer Care, Customer Communication, Customer Support, EPA, Org Charts, Transparency, eGovernment

Making sure that a meaningful org chart is available, precisely because it is a public statement about responsibility, might just be one of the simplest and most direct methods we have for promoting government program transparency and accountability.

Nov 27
Nov 27 The Limitations of Government Program Financial Transparency

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Cost Analysis, Data Access, Governance, Legislation, Management Tools, Policy, Transparency, eGovernment

What does it mean to say that something is “transparent”? That’s easy; you can see through it, like a window let you see through a wall and into — or out of — a room. What does it mean for a government program to be “transparent”?

Forget “Best Practices.” Think “Best People” Instead.

Nov 19

Nov 19 Forget “Best Practices.” Think “Best People” Instead.

Dennis D. McDonald

Best Practices, Big Data, Customer Communication, Customer Support, Enterprise 2.0, , , Strategy, Transparency, eGovernment

A major assumption is that “practices” needing improvement will actually stand still long enough to be measured, modeled, compared, then improved. That may not be a good assumption to make.

Data Cleanup, Big Data, Standards, and Program Transparency

Nov 13

Nov 13 Data Cleanup, Big Data, Standards, and Program Transparency

Dennis D. McDonald

ARRA, Big Data, Data Conversion, ETL, Offset, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment

Mary Shacklett’s 10 Roadblocks to Implementing Big Data Analytics will be familiar to anyone experienced with large data conversion or database construction projects:

What Makes a Government Program "Transparent"?

Nov 7

Nov 7 What Makes a Government Program "Transparent"?

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Data Access, Governance, Transparency, eGovernment, Definitions

What makes a government program “transparent”? I’ve been thinking about this while researching my framework for transparency program planning and assessment. Here are criteria to use when designing, modifying, or assessing a program’s “transparency”:

A Framework for Transparency Program Planning and Assessment

Oct 27

Oct 27 A Framework for Transparency Program Planning and Assessment

Dennis D. McDonald

Data Access, List05, Performance, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment, Data Program Management, Data, Big Data

I support the practice of transparency for government programs. People need to know and understand how their tax dollars are spent. At the same time, transparency is not an end in itself.

The "Open Movement" Continues: Big Pharma Company Opens Up Access to Clinical Trial Data

Oct 11

Oct 11 The "Open Movement" Continues: Big Pharma Company Opens Up Access to Clinical Trial Data

Dennis D. McDonald

Accessibility, Data Access, Elsevier, Journals, Open Access, Publishing, Research, Transparency, eGovernment, Research Data

I was serious when I suggested it would be to Apple’s advantage to open up to the public on how it is repairing its Maps app problem.

My Thumbs are Mixed on Linkedin's New Skill Endorsements

Oct 5

Oct 5 My Thumbs are Mixed on Linkedin's New Skill Endorsements

Dennis D. McDonald

Advertising, Linkedin, Process, Project Management, Reputation,

I have mixed feelings about Linkedin’s new skill endorsements.

Sep 28
Sep 28 What Should Apple Do To Fix Its Maps Fiasco?

Dennis D. McDonald

Apple, Google, Media, Mobile Tech, Project Management, Transparency, Trust, eGovernment

What’s next for Apple, now that Tim Cook has apologized for the new Maps app and has suggested alternate or competing products to use while things get fixed?

What Does "Open Access" Mean, Really?

Sep 26

Sep 26 What Does "Open Access" Mean, Really?

Dennis D. McDonald

Accessibility, Data Access, Journals, Libraries, Open Access, Publishing, Transparency

Having devoted part of my career to electronic publishing systems for scientific and technical publishing I’ve tried to follow the “Open Access” movement, but I have never quite understood what “Open Access” means.

Progress On Open and Collaborative Project Management

Sep 13

Sep 13 Progress On Open and Collaborative Project Management

Dennis D. McDonald

Collaboration, Project Blog Survey, Project Management

My friend Dave Witzel posted an article titled 12 Leadership Lessons of Internet Pioneers in which he summarizes the findings of a recent report he did for IBM’s Center for the Business of Government, Designing Open Projects: Lessons from Internet Pioneers.

Why I'm Avoiding Google+ Today

Sep 12

Sep 12 Why I'm Avoiding Google+ Today

Dennis D. McDonald

Apple, Google, Google+, Media, , ,

But I think I’m going to avoid Google+ today. Apple is announcing new products.

Sep 5
Sep 5 User Interface Design and the Value of Keeping it Simple, Stupid

Dennis D. McDonald

Media, Mobile Tech, User Interface, Web, rant

I’ve really enjoyed using my iPhone for web access, basic communications, and social media such as Google+, Twitter, and Linkedin. I’ve found the user interfaces and resulting user experience for many such smartphone apps tend to be simpler and more straightforward than the web versions. Increasingly I find myself actually preferring the smartphone experience over the web experience.

Aug 29
Aug 29 I Was Disappointed by Google's Nexus 7 Tablet Ad

Dennis D. McDonald

Advertising, Ethics, Google, Media, Trust

I was disappointed to see the Nexus 7 tablet ad on Google Search yesterday.

Aug 28
Aug 28 USDA: Another Federal Agency Seeks Input on Digital Strategy

Dennis D. McDonald

Architecture, Cloud Computing, Content Management, Governance, Mobile Tech, Strategic Planning, Strategy, USDA, eGovernment

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has joined other Federal agencies in seeking input on how to proceed with development of its “digital strategy.”

Aug 26
Aug 26 Why We All Benefit from the Apple-Samsung Court Decision

Dennis D. McDonald

Apple, Innovation, Mobile Tech, Patents, Samsung, iPhone, iPod

I remember at first ignoring the Apple vs. Samsung patent arguments. I thought they were just more examples of highly-paid corporate attorneys fighting over questionable intellectual property claims.