Recent articles by Stephen Goldsmith from governing.com http://www.governing.com/authors/rss/rss/?a=87483702 Stephen Goldsmith is a professor of government at the Harvard Kennedy School. He was formerly the two-term mayor of Indianapolis and deputy mayor for operations for New York City. Data Analysis and the Promise of Speedy Government http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-data-analysis-speedy-government-faster-more-effective.html Combining data with new analytics techniques can help governments react nimbly and purposefully. It's hard work, but the potential payoff is worth it. Beyond Customer Service: Cities and the Breathtaking Promise of 311 http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-311-customer-service-system-converging-technologies-data-analytics.html These customer-service systems are evolving into far more than a way to get a pothole filled or graffiti cleaned up. Asset Management: a Framework for Unlocking the Value of Infrastructure http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-asset-management-unlocking-value-infrastructure.html Roads and bridges and utilities should be financed, built and managed as the assets they are. How Some Cities Are Creating Permanent Pipelines of Innovation http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-long-game-framework-permanent-pipeline-innovation-government.html Some cities are finding ways to create the urgency and political will to produce permanent pipelines of innovation. How Louisville, Ky., Is Using a 'Stat' Program to Transform the Culture of Government http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-efficiency-louisville-louiestat-performance-metrics-improvement-transform-government-culture.html Louisville, Ky., is showing how a performance metrics initiative can transform a government's operational culture. Big Data, Analytics and a New Era of Efficiency in Government http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-big-data-analytics-government-efficiency.html The ever-growing volume of information created and captured by the modern digitized world is an opportunity for government to reinvent itself. When Data Drives Innovation http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-innovations-awards-top-25-initiatives-data-driven-innovation.html Many of the top entrants for Innovations Awards demonstrate that technology applied creatively can shift governments from reactive service delivery to prescriptive solutions. Infrastructure at the Speed of Light http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-indiana-public-private-partnership-ohio-river-bridges-project.html It took just a year for Indiana officials to put together a major public-private bridge project. How did they do it? Building a Culture of Efficiency in Government http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-building-culture-efficiency-government.html Small savings can add up to real money--and better services. Maximizing the Value of Infrastructure http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-maximizing-long-term-value-infrastructure.html To realize the most long-term value, governments must take a sensible approach to asset management. Public Debt and the Quest for Efficiency http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-public-debt-pensions-workforce-infrastructure-efficency.html All government debt is not the same. Pension debt starves government of the people and tools it needs, but creative borrowing for infrastructure can save more money than it costs. Giving Citizens the Tools to Grade Their Governments http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-grade-dc-gov-washington-citizen-satisfaction-public-services.html Washington, D.C., is pioneering a system that takes performance and accountability to a new level. A Reinvention Drama in the Air http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-federal-aviation-administration-nextgen-air-transportation-system.html The FAA is working to transform the nation's air transportation system in dramatic ways, deploying new technology collaboratively with an array of stakeholders. Kansas City, Google and the Leveraging of Public Value http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-kansas-city-mayor-sylvester-sly-james-google-fiber.html To Mayor Sly James, the first-in-the-nation Google Fiber project is about a lot more than blazing-fast broadband. How a Smart Grid Can Get the Lights Back on Faster http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/col-smart-grid-meters-electricity-outage-hurricane-sandy.html Smart meters are playing a crucial role in speeding the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. They have the potential to do much more.