Analytics/Evaluation
Reducing fear-driven responses to program evaluation: Paul Decker, President of Mathematica Policy Research and outgoing President of APPAM
Andy Feldman, GovInnovator Blog
How can public leaders encourage greater use of program evaluation to learn what works and to improve outcomes for citizens? One important part of the answer is to address the frequent fear associated with program evaluation.
Better cost data can mean bigger cost savings
Nicole Blake Johnson, Federal Times
Cost data, when it is captured, can vary widely among departments and even bureaus and sub-agencies within the same department that are buying the same things. But the General Services Administration, at least among its customer base, is hoping to change that.

Leadership
Trend Six: Leadership
Michael Keegan, Business of Government
Governments today face serious, seemingly intractable public management issues that go to the core of effective governance and leadership. Government leaders are presented with difficult choices, but also unprecedented opportunities. The right kind of leadership approach and style can drive change in government.

Open Government
White House unveils new open-government goals
Adam Mazmanian, Federal Computer Week
The White House unveiled a new take on its open-government policy that includes consolidating Freedom of Information Act requests across agencies, updating policies governing federal websites and upgrading the way people can petition the executive branch.