ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance

Management
People Don’t Always Behave Rationally—Agencies are Learning to Plan for That
John Kamensky, Government Executive
Officials are increasingly leveraging the power of behavioral science to enhance program performance.
After successful first cohort, CIO Council looking to expand, sustain cyber reskilling academy
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Network
The first cohort of the Cybersecurity Reskilling Academy has helped the administration identify some promising successes and some tough challenges, which federal CIO Suzette Kent said will inform future iterations of the program and other training initiatives.

Analytics/Evidence
4 Recommendations for a Strong Federal Data Strategy
Dan Tucker, Nextgov
We can expand upon the recommended actions to ensure federal agencies leverage data to advance their missions.

Collaboration
Defense Department Inaction Is Hurting Effort to Improve Pentagon Efficiency
Courtney Buble, Nextgov
Officials are nearly two years late in meeting some congressional requirements.

Customer Service
The Problem With One-Stop Government
Stephen Goldsmith, Governing
It was a big improvement for permitting and other forms of service delivery, but it’s already outdated. The new goal should be no-stop government.

Innovation
Agencies have a lot of options to find innovation, it’s a matter of using them
Jason Miller, Federal News Network
Officials coordinating the implementation of the Customer Experience Cross-Agency Priority Goal and OMB’s GEAR Center are spearheading different approaches to bringing new thinking into the government.
4 modernization best practices
David Egts, Federal Computer Week
To support long-term modernization initiatives, agencies must invest in skilled staff and open, automated and collaborative processes.

Analytics/Evidence
The Opportunity Agencies Should Seize
Andrew Feldman, Government Executive
Federal agencies are now required to produce learning agendas. Here’s how to make them useful.

Collaboration
Better Collaboration Tools Need Better Security
Joe Lazzaro, Nextgov
Building new technology on a faulty foundation can be a recipe for disaster.

Customer Service
Why CX in government is no longer optional
Allison Mataya, Federal Computer Week
In the era of big data, comprehensive CX programs are recommended for any enterprise to understand every aspect of customer interaction and perception.

Innovation
Decoding the Language of Behavioral Science for Government Officials
John Kamensky, Government Executive
Before the techniques can be used to improve program outcomes, it’s helpful if we can agree on what the terminology actually means.
Energy Department’s New Innovation Center Will Be a Testbed for New Reactor Tech
Aaron Boyd, Nextgov
The National Reactor Innovation Center will bring all stakeholders together to build and test—and ultimately field—new ideas in nuclear energy production.

Leadership
First-Ever Winners of Theodore Roosevelt Government Leadership Awards Announced
Tom Shoop, Government Executive
Honorees are an all-star team of distinguished federal officials and industry partners.

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.

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.

Analytics/Evidence
OMB Moving Ahead to Steer Agencies on Evidence-Based Policymaking
Charles Clark, Government Executive
Acting budget chief’s memo sets up three-year timeline, interagency council.
The new way data will be managed in federal agencies
Andrew Eversden, Federal Times
New Office of Management and Budget guidance directs a new data management structure within agencies.
Small Agencies Need Shared Services Providers to Step Up DATA Act Support
Aaron Boyd, Nextgov
Large departments are assisting smaller agencies in meeting their DATA Act requirements through shared services providers. But that help isn’t always so helpful.
OMB: How Can We Enhance Federal Data to Boost AI Research?
Brandi Vincent, Nextgov
Artificial intelligence runs best on strong datasets and the White House wants the public to weigh in to improve both.

Management
Why Government Needs to Invest in Workforce Metrics
Howard Risher, Government Executive
Agencies can’t fix problems they haven’t first clearly identified. Better data is essential.
Agencies seek betters ways to track past performance
Mark Rockwell, Federal Computer Week
Federal officials want new methods to get feedback on their vendors into the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System.
Agencies encouraged to adopt ‘rigorous’ employee evaluations
Jessie Bur, Federal Times
OPM has encouraged agencies to create defined metrics for determining whether an employee fulfills, fails or meets the expectations for their positions.
Rebuilding Government’s Human Capital Should be a Priority
Howard Risher, Government Executive
Too often, the argument for reform is vague or the benefits unclear; on balance employees expect to lose.
High-Level Vacancies Are Weakening Agency Management and Oversight, Lawmaker Says
Courtney Buble, Government Executive
Rep. Gerry Connolly’s comments marked the release of a bipartisan report recommending ways agencies can deliver better on their missions.

Collaboration
Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Improve Federal-State-Local Coordination
Courtney Buble, Government Executive
Bipartisan bill would create an updated version of a former intergovernmental commission.

Innovation
Government Trends 2020
Deloitte Center for Government Insights
Major technological advances have prompted innovation in the private sector—how is government similarly adapting to this change? Nine trends illustrate the most sweeping transformation in governments worldwide.
Shifting culture is the best way to reignite public-sector innovation
Jim Whitehurst, Federal Computer Week
Agencies that embrace transparency, collaboration and meritocracy as foundational values will have more success adapting to a fast-moving and increasingly ambiguous future.