Management
State Department Reforms Have Been Hindered by Changes in Staff and Priorities, Watchdog Finds
Courtney Buble, Government Executive
One initiative is complete, 13 are ongoing, two were stalled and one was terminated, GAO says.

Analytics/Evidence
Agencies are now required to have a chief data officer. Do they?
Tajha Chappellet-Lanier, FedScoop
As of July 13, all CFO Act agencies were to have appointed a nonpolitical chief data officer.
Draft Federal Data Strategy Action Plan a Good Start, but Needs Improvement
Data Coalition
The Draft Action Plan serves as a critical, cohesive document that has coalesced a government-wide conversation on the actionable priorities for supporting a successful Federal Data Strategy.
The Federal Data Strategy demands the right infrastructure
Nick Psaki, Federal Computer Week
The policies are now properly aligned, but successful execution will require structural changes.
A data scientist who is skeptical about data
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
Data can mislead but the most common risk factors are relatively easy to spot.

Customer Service
4 CX Lessons Federal Agencies Can Learn from Their Peers
Zachary Trojak, Nextgov
There are several agencies making major strides in customer experience and other agencies could learn from their programs.

Innovation
Hackathon Aims to Enhance Veterans’ Care through Public-Private Innovation
Brandi Vincent, Nextgov
To kick off a D.C. Hackathon, agency and industry insiders weighed in on driving innovation through federal collaboration.
How technologists in government could shape better tech policy
Andrew Eversden, Federal Times
Policymakers need help in the face of rapidly changing technology.