Analytics/Evaluation
How a new federal strategy will help government fuel its mission
Andrew Eversden, Federal Times
The way government operates is changing in a world that is driven by data.

Management
Weichert: Agencies Should Include Experts in Hiring Process
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
Guidance from the Office of Personnel Management encourages a renewed focus on competencies, rather than “minimum qualifications.”
Senate confirms Cabaniss as new permanent OPM director
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Network
The Senate confirmed Dale Cabaniss to be the permanent director of the Office of Personnel Management, following nearly a year of acting leadership from the Office of Management and Budget.

Collaboration
Filling the Gaps in Collective Impact
Jennifer Blatz, Meg Long, Justin Piff, and Bridget Jancarz, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Nine supporting activities that can help make “collective impact” approaches more nuanced and rigorous.

Customer Service
GSA Seeks to Simplify Citizen Survey Work for High-Impact Agencies
Frank Konkel, Nextgov
GSA will usher certain agencies through Paperwork Reduction Act regulations to meet the administration’s customer experience goals.

Innovation
GEAR Center’s First Projects Focus on Government’s Perennial Workforce Issues
Aaron Boyd, Nextgov
The research center’s first challenge winners aim to fill government openings with alternative talent and beef up the workforce’s data skills.
Government steps out on ‘nudges’
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
Years after OMB began pushing the idea of soft paternalism in federal programs, a GSA office is quietly leading cutting-edge efforts.
GAO Launches New Unit to Prepare Congress for the Future
Aaron Boyd, Nextgov
The Center for Strategic Foresight held its first conference, focused on two problems closer to the present than the future: deep space and deepfakes.

Leadership
Why agencies are mapping out new and improved leadership development models
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Network
Both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management are building new leadership development models for a modern era.