Performance and Management
Why’s It So Hard to Ax Bad Government Programs?
Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, Governing
Performance data hasn’t worked out the way it was intended.
What ever happened to CyberStat?
Derek Johnson, Federal Computer Week
Government auditors and a former top cyber official are concerned, but OMB says the numbers reflect a more substantive and collaborative cybersecurity review process.
How to Improve the Performance Appraisal Process
Stewart Liff, Government Executive
The federal practice of issuing uninformative mid-year reviews followed six months later by year-end appraisals is both painful and ineffective.
DHS ‘blew up’ its hiring system for cybersecurity talent
Dave Nyczepir, FedScoop
The new process will offer market-sensitive pay across the board and enable the department to make job offers more quickly.

Collaboration
How Breaking Down Silos in Government Can Make Things Worse
Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, Governing
Sometimes attempts to collaborate create unforeseen problems.

Innovation
How Federal Agencies Can Maximize Productivity—and Save Billions
Robert Schofield, Nextgov
Automation isn’t the stuff of fantasy but agencies should take note of best practices to make sure their projects are successful.

Open Government
Agencies Should Be More Transparent About Public Comments, GAO Says
Jack Corrigan, Nextgov
By defining and disclosing how they handle commenters’ information, agencies could help combat identity fraud and other abuses, auditors said.

Reorganization
White House Sees Path for Less Interference in Implementing Its Government Reorganization
Eric Katz, Government Executive
Administration officials are pleased with progress so far, though most efforts are not yet implemented.