ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance

Performance Management
The Real Problem With Inflated Performance Evaluations
Howard Risher, Government Executive
For government, there is a very real question about the value of requiring annual ratings.
Are 99 percent of feds actually successful at their jobs?
David Thornton, Federal News Radio
Either federal employees are successful at their jobs 99 percent of the time, or the ratings systems used by federal agencies to measure their performance are flawed.
Outcomes Matter More Than Ever in Services Contracting
Tim Cooke, Government Executive
Performance-based acquisition is central to defense and civilian agency initiatives to improve the outcomes of the 63 percent of federal procurement spending that goes to acquire services.

Analytics/Evaluation
Republicans Deploy an Old Tool in Combating Poverty: Evidence
Patrick Lester, Government Executive
The GOP is turning to evidence-based policy to address a host of challenges, but lawmakers in both parties have a long track record of politicizing outcomes.
The Hill, Feds Can Learn Lessons from States About Using Data to Inform Policy
Ingrid Schroeder, The Hill
Many states have developed innovative approaches for using data to inform policy, approaches that federal decision-makers can learn from and emulate.

Innovation
Digital Government and the Virtues of Simplicity
William Eggers, Governing
The face government presents to the public is far too complex. If the public sector isn’t to become increasingly irrelevant, that has to change.

Performance Management
Implementing Performance Measurement Initiatives In Government
Prajapati Trivedi, Business of Government
The author, who was responsible for the design and implementation of the government of India’s performance monitoring and evaluation system, offers lessons learned from his experience about not only what governments need to do but also what they must not do.
Plan to Improve Government Performance Would Actually Undercut Progress
Donald Moynihan, Government Executive
The author argues that Congress should commit to the system in place, rather than burden agencies with a duplicative set of reporting mandates.

Collaboration
Are agencies collaborating with each other more than they used to?
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
Kelman reflects on how the perception of collaboration across federal agencies has evolved over time.

Customer Service
99 percent satisfaction at TSA? Congressman questions agencies’ customer service data
Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Radio
Agencies are too selective about what they choose to include — and omit — in their quarterly customer service reports. Rep. Henry Cuellar wants agencies to start holding themselves to higher performance standards, preferably measures they don’t create for themselves.

Innovation
Using Design Thinking to Make a Difference
John Kamensky, Business of Government
The corporate world is all abuzz with “design thinking” – where services are organized around a customer’s needs. In the federal government, US Digital Services teams are fanning out across the government to promote the concept as well.
Why Didn’t E-Gov Live Up to Its Promise?
William Eggers, Nextgov
Technology was supposed to transform government 15 years ago; an “era of electronic government” was poised to make government faster, smaller, digitized and increasingly transparent.
Getting government to go digital
Chase Gunter, Federal Computer Week
A new book from William Eggers details the necessary steps for applying new technologies to the government’s processes and procedures.

Presidential Transition
White House Steps Up Presidential Transition Planning
Charles Clark, Government Executive
As required in the presidential transition law enacted in March, the White House in June has begun meeting with designated agency officers to accelerate preparations for the handoff to the next administration.

Performance Management
Are the Performance Pieces Finally Falling Into Place?
John Kamensky, Business of Government
It’s taken over 20 years, but the pieces seem to be finally falling into place for the use of performance information to inform decision making.
Twelve “better practices” that can help public leaders tackle key organizational challenges and boost results: An interview with Bob Behn, Professor, Harvard Kennedy School
Andy Feldman, GovInnovator Podcast
Bob Behn recommends twelve practices or leadership skills that can help organizations strengthen their performance.
Infusing Government with a Data-Driven Culture
Stephen Goldsmith, Governing
Philadelphia’s former mayor explains the steps his city took to make effective use of data and bring it to bear on performance.

Analytics/Evaluation
Warner ‘cautiously optimistic’ on DATA Act rollout
Meredith Somers, Federal News Radio
Sen. Mark Warner said he wants to see agency updates and a plan to ensure the law’s rollout isn’t lost amid the election season.
Getting “Moneyball” Right in the Social Sector
Srik Gopal and Lisbeth B. Schorr, Stanford Social Innovation Review
The rigorous use of data to guide social funding decisions is essential, but to do it well, we need to broaden the evidence base, focus on principles of practice, and embrace adaptive integration over fidelity.
What can the government do about big data fairness?
Bianca Spinosa, Federal Computer Week
Big data analytics are used in making determinations for credit, employment, and even criminal sentencing. Should the government make sure they are used fairly?

Open Government
CitizenScience.gov: Not your grandfather’s GSA
Steve Kelman, Federal Computer Week
Steve Kelman checks in on the bootstrap effort to better crowdsource government research.
Hackathon, policy moves designed to apply tech to foster care programs
Aisha Chowdry, Federal Computer Week
The White House launched a two-day hackathon to develop better data tools for foster care providers and social workers and announced a host of policy initiatives to back up the effort.

Performance Management
OMB Gets High Marks for Pursuing Cross Agency Priority Goals
Charles Clark, Government Executive
GAO suggests a bit more transparency would help interagency cooperation.
The Path to Better Performance Reporting
Shelley Metzenbaum, Route Fifty
What are the lessons learned and what are we still learning about performance and evidence-based management in government?
More Executives Aren’t Going to Solve Government’s Performance Problem
Howard Risher, Government Executive
A proposed law aims to bolster program management but agencies already have the necessary tools—they just need the commitment.

Efficiency/Reorganization
Want a $10,000 Bonus? Start Looking for Ways to Cut Waste in Your Department
Kellie Lunney, Government Executive
Bipartisan bill that would reward feds who save the government money advances in the Senate.

Presidential Transition
White House Transition Survivors Regret Neglecting Congress
Charles Clark, Government Executive
The candidates’ teams must begin now to prepare for the next crisis.

Analytics and Evaluation
What went wrong with DATA Act pilot?
Carten Cordell, Federal Times
Four senators want to know why OMB is behind on a pilot program meant to increase transparency and cost savings.
Using Data for Action and for Impact
Jim Fruchterman, Stanford Social Innovation Review
There is a growing urgency in the social sector to make better use of data to inform decision-making and evaluate performance, but many organizations struggle to do this. This article provides a framework to help organizations do better.
Social Media’s Place in Data-Smart Governance
Stephen Goldsmith, Governing
Cities are learning to mine this trove of information to predict the impact of future events and significantly improve operations.

Open Government
How HHS is spurring data innovation both inside and outside the agency
Greg Otto, FedScoop
The director of the HHS Health Data Initiative says the administration’s Open Data initiatives have been a catalyst — but more needs to be done.
House Republicans want to change the way agencies make rules
David Thornton, Federal News Radio
H.R. 5226 would require an agency to publish online every public communication it makes regarding a proposed rule, along with the date, method and intended audience of the communication.

Risk Management
The Secrets to Getting Off the GAO High Risk List
John Kamensky, Business of Government
Over one-third of agency programs on GAO’s high-risk list have gotten off. What’s the secret?