ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance

Performance Management
Emulating High Performance Companies Comes Down to One Thing
Howard Risher, Government Executive
It’s not the management systems or technology. It’s the way people are managed.

Analytics/Evaluation
Rise of the Data Chiefs: Meet the Federal Officials Aiming to Usher in Government’s ‘Golden Age’ of Data
Jack Moore, Nextgov
Interviews with several agency chief data officers in which they discussed the mission of the CDO and whether there’s room on the federal organizational chart for yet another “chief.”
Commerce’s Chief Data Officer on Leading ‘America’s Data Agency’
Hallie Golden and Camille Tuutti, Nextgov
Ian Kalin brings both a business background, as the former director of open data for the startup Socrata, and government experience, as an Energy Department presidential innovation fellow.

Innovation
An Intriguing New Approach to Funding Social Programs
Feather O’Connor Houstoun, Governing
Pay-for-success programs seem to hold promise as a way to find the up-front investments for programs that save money in the long run.
Think You Know Which Agencies Are Most Innovative?
Charles Clark, Government Executive
A new study points to a handful of other agencies that probably aren’t top of mind when people think about creativity in government.
Millennials leaving government over lack of innovation, study finds
Jory Heckman, Federal News Radio
Agencies more willing to take on innovative projects and ideas are more likely to get the attention of millennials looking for jobs.
The Building Blocks of Local Government Innovation
Jerry Newfarmer, Governing
There’s a lot more to it than a light bulb moment. It won’t happen without the basic foundations in place.
Government in Your Pocket
Charles Chieppo, Governing
Denver is pioneering an innovative website that promises to save taxpayers money while improving the services they get.
Multi-City Innovation Campaign Improves Upon Traditional Hackathon
Jason Shueh, Government Technology
Twenty-five localities and one accelerator have launched a $220,000 campaign to seed civic health apps for residents, with the ultimate goal of taking good ideas and giving them a platform to scale up and be sustainable as a solution.

Performance Management
Unleashing Evidence-Based Management in Government
John Kamensky, Governing
By training 100 mid-level staffers as ‘Data Fellows,’ New Jersey’s child-welfare agency has found a formula for improving outcomes.

Analytics/Evaluation
Using analytics to tackle tough agency challenges: An interview with Dean Silverman, former head of the IRS Office of Compliance Analytics
Andy Feldman, Gov Innovator Podcast
How can public agencies at the federal, state and local levels use analytics — including test and learn strategies — to tackle their toughest challenges?

Customer Service
Tech Alone Can’t Solve Government’s Customer Experience Clunkers
Frank Konkel, Nextgov
Technology is helping select agencies improve their customer service, but it’s important to realize that technology is an enabler, not a cure-all.

Innovation
18F is growing up fast
Mark Rockwell, Federal Computer Week
The General Services Administration’s digital incubator group is advanced for its age.

Performance Management
Government That Works: Making It Safe to Report Bad Results
John Bernard, Government Executive
The failure to meet targets is a golden opportunity.

Analysis and Evaluation
Cost-benefit analysis 101 for policymakers & public managers: An interview with Henry Levin, Professor, Columbia University
Andy Feldman, Gov Innovator Podcast
Knowing “what works” in policy is important, but so is knowing what policy alternatives cost.
The importance of administrative data for learning what works in public policy: An interview with Raj Chetty, Professor, Harvard University
Andy Feldman, Gov Innovator Podcast
Why is administrative data, also known as big data, important for learning what works in public policy? And what steps can help the U.S. strengthen its data infrastructure for policy-relevant research?

Collaboration
What Does It Really Take to Get Things Done?
John Kamensky, Government Executive
Research shows why cross-functional collaboration is so important.

Risk Management
Five Ways to Avoid GAO’s High-Risk List
Robin Camarote, Government Executive
The challenge isn’t just performance measurement, but also communication.

Performance Management
New York City’s VendorStat initiative for social services
Andy Feldman, Gov Innovator Podcast
How can public agencies give contractors — such as social service providers — more flexibility to design their own strategies while also ensuring greater monitoring of, and accountability for, results? New York City aims to do just that in the area of welfare-to-work services through its VendorStat initiative.

Customer Service
Behind Philly311: Six Steps to Innovative Customer Services
Jason Shueh, Government Technology
Philadelphia has created a blueprint for developing 311 services that are both innovative and supportive.

Open Government
Participatory Democracy’s Emerging Tools
Beth Noveck, Governing
What started as groupware in the business world is providing better ways for governments to collaborate with citizens.
Open Data Evolution: From Increasing Transparency to Engaging Citizens
Pamela Martineau, Government Technology
Small, medium and large cities share how open data efforts are evolving in their communities.

Performance Management
Buried in the Budget: Ways to Rev Up Performance
John Kamensky, Government Executive
What agencies need to measure what works and change what doesn’t.

Analytics/Evaluation
Closing the Federal Data Skills Gap
Innovategov
Turning ideas into action will require overcoming agency obstacles, including lack of training, cultural barriers, and funding.
Chief Data Officers: Shaping One of the Newest Positions in Government
Adam Stone, Government Technology
CDOs discuss the work they do and the meaning of their jobs in the overall structure of civic governance.

Customer Service
Another highly cost-effective management tool
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
Steve Kelman spotlights the way some hospitals are using survey results to radically improve customer service.

Efficiency/Reorganization
The Paradoxical Truth About Efficiency Commissions
Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene, Governing
Many states have them, but few evaluate whether efficiency commissions are themselves efficient.

Innovation
The nation’s first Pay for Success initiative for early education: An interview with Ben McAdams, Mayor, Salt Lake County
Andy Feldman, GovInnovator Blog
The initiative involves a $7 million investment in private capital to fund the expansion of the early education for at-risk children. The goal is to increase school readiness and academic performance among 3- and 4-year-olds and reduce the number of children who require special education and remedial services.

Leadership
Government’s Management Failures to Come
Paul Posner, Governing
They’re inevitable for a host of reasons, and the blame will fall on top elected officials. Can they fix problems before they become full-blown crises?