ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance

Analytics/Evaluation
How Social Services and Performance Contracting Fit Together
Hanna Azemati, Governing
Turning around the lives of at-risk populations requires a focus on outcomes, evidence and rigorous evaluation.
Official: Upcoming Data Strategy Shouldn’t Mean More Work for Feds
Aaron Boyd, Nextgov
The strategy’s action items will focus on how agencies can make better use of the data and programs already in place.

Customer Service
These 3 agencies are leading the way in customer experience
Jessie Bur, Federal Times
Three agencies are leading the way with the administration’s priority to improve citizen experiences with the government.

Innovation
20 years of government going digital
Dan Chenok, Federal Computer Week
Progress on digital government has moved through three major phases over the past 20 years.
White House pitches tech giants on civic service
Chase Gunter, Federal Computer Week
The Office of American Innovation hosted some of the biggest names in U.S. tech to explore ways to inject government with tech expertise from the private sector through “tours of duty.”
Federal CIO: Artificial Intelligence Initiatives Will Flop Without Quality Data
Jack Corrigan, Nextgov
The government’s AI adoption must go hand in hand with improvements to data management.

Management
OPM: Federal Happiness Stagnated in 2018, While Survey Participation Tanked
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
This year marks the first time the annual governmentwide survey of employee attitudes was conducted as a census.
Feds are confident in mission, less so in performance recognition
Jessie Bur, Federal Times
Most federal employees believe that their work is making a difference in their agency’s overall mission and are willing to put in extra effort for that work, but they do not think agencies appropriately reward employees for good performance.
Greater Use of Talent Exchange Programs Tops New List of Proposed Federal Workforce Reforms
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
The Mitre Corp. also suggested expanding hiring authorities and training programs, and a more collaborative relationship with federal employee unions.

Analytics/Evaluation
Why the push toward evidence-based policy doesn’t have to be scary for feds
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Network
Agencies are at vastly different stages today in implementing their own learning agendas and building evidence-based policy.
Evidence-based policymaking uneven across government
Chase Gunter, Federal Computer Week
Since the evidence-based policymaking commission unanimously approved its report, backers are waiting for new legislation or an administrative push.
Distracted by Data
Stephen Goldsmith, Governing
With all the new information governments have available, it’s too easy to focus on improving existing processes rather than on better ways to address underlying problems.

Customer Service
GSA Releases Customer Experience Playbook
Frank Konkel, Nextgov
The government released a go-to guide for customer experience practitioners.

Management
Learning from Government’s Past to Anticipate Its Future
Dan Chenok, Government Executive
Stepping back to view progress over decades reveals an evolution in government management and provides valuable perspective on the future of public service.
Improving Employee Engagement
Stewart Liff, Government  Executive
The author suggests that agencies look at their FEVS results from a different perspective.

Reorganization
These Are the 15 Trump Reorganization Proposals Agencies Can Advance Without Congress
Eric Katz, Government Executive
A majority of the proposed reforms will require legislation, and lawmakers appear poised to block others.
Trump Demands 5 Percent Spending Cuts From Every Cabinet Agency
Eric Katz, Government Executive
President Trump has previously called for spending reductions at most federal agencies in his budget proposals but Congress has declined to go along with those proposals.

Analytics/Evaluation
OMB’s Weichert: Government ‘paralyzed by the embarrassment of data’ it cannot use
Jory Heckman, Federal News Radio
After President Trump named her the acting director of OPM, Margaret Weichert, also the Office of Management and Budget’s deputy director for management, outlined some of her top priorities in the new role.
How the administration is tackling data challenges
Jessie Bur, Federal Times
Over 50 federal employees across four teams are working to develop strategies for government that will promote transparency and effective uses of federal data.

Innovation
If You Want To Foster Innovation, Support Curious Employees
John Kamensky, Government Executive
Most breakthroughs result from inquisitive workers, not an innovation office staffed by specialized “innovators.”
New innovation awards get DoD, industry and academia in the same room
Scott Maucione, Federal News Radio
The Pentagon is pairing its people with lead researchers at universities and businesses to reduce the time it takes to develop products.

Leadership
Executives Association Wants to Fill in the Gaps in Federal Training and Development
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
Group hopes that efforts to boost professional development for agency leaders will eventually be adopted by agencies.

Management
Why workforce is the ‘stuck gear’ in government innovation
Jessie Bur, Federal Times
The government’s need for a greater IT- and data-knowledgeable workforce is the reason that federal innovation is not moving forward as quickly as officials would like it, according to the OMB Deputy Director for Management Margaret Weichert.
OPM targets improved job satisfaction scores
Chase Gunter, Federal Computer Week
The Office of Personnel Management is targeting low employee performance and engagement scores within agencies and setting milestones for action.
How Attempts at Fixing the Civil Service System Have Made It Worse Off
Eric Katz, Government Executive
Federal human resources officials said that congressional efforts to fix an outdated civil service system have complicated it as much as they have improved it.

Reorganization
IRS Rebrands Obama-Era ‘Future State’ Efficiency Reorganization
Charles Clark, Government Executive
The name of the initiative has changed but goals remain similar.

Analytics/Evaluation
How Agencies Can Make the Most of Their Data
John Kamensky, Government Executive
Government likes to tackle challenges by designating new management chiefs: The latest to join the C-suite is the chief data officer.

Collaboration
Sustaining Collaborative Action
Paul Reville and Lynne Sacks, Stanford Social Innovation Review
As more cross-sector collaborations gain traction, we must understand what it takes to keep them running over the long term and ensure that progress continues despite changes in leadership.

Leadership
OPM Calls on Agencies to Implement Coaching Programs for Employees
Eric Katz, Government Executive
Coaches provide confidential format to assist in career development, OPM says.
Employee Engagement and Professional Development Top Management Agenda Progress Report
Erich Wagner, Government Executive
The Trump administration said it has been laying the groundwork for several priorities, including promoting employee engagement, reskilling workers and improving the federal hiring process.

Open Government
Think tank alums look to build tech expertise for Congress
Chase Gunter, Federal Computer Week
A new private-sector resource hub is hoping to reverse Congress’ declining institutional knowledge of technology issues.

Reorganization
Senate Panel Advances Measure to Give Trump Reorganization Authority, With Caveats
Eric Katz, Government Executive
A Senate committee on Wednesday advanced a measure to ease the process for President Trump to reorganize the federal government, but lawmakers included a provision to ensure any such reforms would require bipartisan support.
Senate oversight committee settles differences with government reorganization bill
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Radio
The bill authorizes OMB to prepare a government reorganization plan and establishes a process for Congress to vote on those proposals and pass them into law.
After a Slow Start, Trump’s Civil Service Reformers Connect With Experts
Charles Clark, Government Executive
The Office of Management and Budget hosted agency alumni, corporate specialists, and academics for an off-the-record symposium on fixing what ails the federal government.

Analytics/Evaluation
Social Science? Data Science? Evidence-Based Government Needs Both
Andrew Feldman, Government Executive
Results-focused leaders need to get savvy about both if they want to catalyze a culture of continuous improvement.
When That Pay-for-Success Project Ends
Stephen Goldsmith, Governing
Early adopters have a lesson for the next generation of PFS projects: It’s important to plan from the start for what comes next.

Customer Service
Feedback Is Not a Fad
Larry Kramer, Stanford Social Innovation Review
Listening to beneficiaries should be part and parcel of any initiative that seeks to help others.

Leadership
What Managers Should Do With 2018 Employee Viewpoint Survey Data
Max Stier and Danny Werfel, Government Executive
It is critical for executives to closely examine this data, not only to assess the overall level of employee engagement at their organizations, but to get a sense of how employees feel about specific aspects of their work life.