Performance Management
How to Design Contracts that Deliver Results
John Kamensky, Government Executive
“Pay for success” is starting to take hold at the federal, state, and local levels, but a prerequisite is having some way of measuring success—and ensuring that funding models encourage it.
Defense Department begins new employee performance rating system
Eric Yoder, Washington Post
DOD will begin another overhaul of how it evaluates its civilian federal employees, this time with the support of employee unions whose opposition doomed the previous program.
4 issues the government needs to tackle to ensure accountability
Carten Cordell, Federal Times
Of all the buzzwords applied to how the federal government works, accountability is having a moment.
Why Public Executives Need To Focus On Obliterating Worst Practices
Robert Behn, Government Executive
Your worst practices might be undermining your best ones.

Analytics/Evaluation
‘Culture of evidence’ should be preserved as government prepares for new administration
Meredith Somers, Federal News Radio
Access to data and government transparency have built a “culture of evidence” that should not just be sustained during the presidential transition, but also continually promoted for federal accountability.
Crunch time for Data Act guidance
Zach Noble, Federal Computer Week
To implement the DATA Act agencies need clear guidance, and they should get some in the coming weeks.
Senate Author of DATA Act Presses Agencies on Follow-Up
Charles Clark, Government Executive
Standardization of spending numbers seen as crucial to efficient financial management.
Three strategies to promote relevance in program evaluations so that findings are useful to policymakers and practitioners
Andy Feldman, Gov Innovator
In program evaluation, using the most rigorous methods possible is essential for producing credible research findings. But beyond the goal of rigor, relevance is important too.

Customer Service
IRS Crowdsources Future of the Taxpayer Experience
Charles Clark, Government Executive
Designers, developers will reimagine future John Q. Public’s interaction with agency.
Driving Citizen-Centric Engagement
Mark Fisk, Business of Government
A citizen-centric government experience is going to be the new normal in today’s digital world.

Leadership
Why You Can’t Run Government Like a Business
George Bishop, Government Executive
While there are some leadership commonalities, there are plenty of key differences.