June 4, 2019
When Work Is Disrupted by Digital Progress
As technology-driven job displacement accelerates, governments have a big role to play in managing its impact.
February 6, 2019
The Job-Transition Engines We Need
As automation disrupts the workforce, we can look to places as diverse as Sweden and Singapore for better ways to cope with it.
October 24, 2018
Technology and the Difficult Issues of Governance
In setting digital priorities, public leaders need to think about productivity, equity and trust.
July 11, 2018
Getting the Most Out of Government’s Learning Loop
The digital tools are getting better all the time. It's a critical opportunity to improve judgment and decision-making.
April 10, 2018
Transformative Technology’s Challenges for Government
Accelerating digital disruption requires new approaches to governance and leadership.
February 13, 2018
Digital Tools and the Need for Better Governance
Delegating IT to the techies isn't the way for governments to get the most out of today's increasingly powerful technology.
March 1, 2017
How Smaller Communities Can Survive in an Age of Disruption
As one Georgia city has shown, it's about getting the right people to address the right issues.
April 27, 2016
A Real Opportunity for Cross-Boundary Digital Government
Our state, local and federal governments need to ramp up the sharing of technology and data beyond their enterprises.
January 27, 2016
How Government Can Mine the Value of IT
We should use technology to improve what the institution does, building societal value and public support.
January 7, 2015
Lessons from the Feds on Managing IT (Really!)
A new federal law aims to balance innovation and efficiency. It could serve as a guide for other levels of government.
May 28, 2014
How Governments — and the People Who Run Them — Can Learn and Improve
Digital technology has given us tools that make a methodical approach to institutional learning more useful and powerful than ever.
March 5, 2014
Government's Slow Takeoff into the Cloud
There are hurdles that are keeping governments at all levels from realizing the full benefits of cloud computing. To overcome them, we will need new kinds of collaboration.
August 28, 2013
Getting the Strategic Value Out of IT
Technology can solve problems and contribute to solutions. The key is getting IT people into the process at the start.
June 5, 2013
How to Think About Technology in the Work of Government
The key to performance is information that makes work accountable, provides guidance, coordinates over distance and seeks out innovation.
March 20, 2013
Technology Fiascoes and the Failure of Analysis
There are too many IT project failures in government. Getting the upfront analysis right could prevent a lot of them.
January 9, 2013
Technology's Real Value for Government
IT investments bring their own direct productivity improvements, but the big payoff is in the much larger productivity boost that digital tools can give to government services.
August 15, 2012
The Governance Trinity, and How Information Can Power It
Governments are getting much quicker and clearer feedback than ever before. It’s data that could be better used to solve problems.
June 6, 2012
The Gathering Momentum to Collaborate Across Boundaries
Global forces are pushing governments to work together as never before, and especially to take advantage of IT-enabled economies. There is much to be gained.
March 28, 2012
IT and the Perils of Hunkering Down
Now — not after the November elections — is the time to prepare to leverage technology to improve productivity across government.
January 11, 2012
Technology and the Productivity Promise
IT is the most important tool for improving government output. Budget directors need to be ready to answer some important questions.
November 2, 2011
Leading in Distrustful Times
At a time when government is held in low esteem, public service needs people with the qualities that Canada's Reg Alcock had in abundance.
September 7, 2011
Spend More—Not Less—on IT
Cutting technology spending along with everything else is a false economy. IT-enabled productivity improvements can save more than they cost.
June 29, 2011
Is Better Education Finally Possible?
IT-enabled innovation has long passed education by, but cost pressures may finally change that.
April 27, 2011
Social Networking and Recruitment
Tough times and the growing need for innovation require the use of social media to attract the best and brightest.
March 9, 2011
The iPad: Risky Game-Changer
Will the iPad, and competing tablet computers, help us manage information overload or add to the distractions?
November 3, 2010
Managing Change Post Election
How to avoid the impulsive and shallow commitments that have too often characterized IT investments in the past.
September 29, 2010
The Last Shall Be First
The historic trend of information technology applications going first to big governments and only later to the small ones is about to flip.
September 29, 2010
Targeting Small Governments for Technology Innovation
Given ongoing technology developments, the most efficient scale for technology service operations is small government.
August 11, 2010
How to Make $1,900 a Year for Everyone?
It's simple: Use IT to implement a cost-effective shared services model.
IT Drives Shared Services
What's the quickest way to make $1,900 a year for each man, woman and child in the country? Use technology to implement a cost-effective shared services model.
Three IT Challenges for the 2011 Transition
Looming political transitions and tough economic times create an unusual window of opportunity for IT-enabled innovations.
June 16, 2010
2011's 3 IT Challenges
With political transitions looming, a unique opportunity to innovate presents itself.
Government's Budget Myopia
Governors, mayors and budget directors need to update the budgeting process to ensure IT-enabled innovations.
The New Economy: A Glitzy Future?
Michigan's massive new data center is the right technology for these tough economic times.
Creating See-Through Government
Transparency and accountability are more important than ever. There are steps managers should take to achieve those goals.
Democratizing Data
The District of Columbia is making practically all of its data available to the public. The effort to promote transparency and trust is generating excitement.
Civic Engagement: Your Next Technology 'Sweet Spot'?
Online services are fine, but they've become old hat. It's time to use new technology tools to make government more transparent and collaborative.
Will Massive Collaboration Work for You?
It offers ways for governments to tap the wisdom of crowds.
There Is Nothing Permanent Except Change
In turbulent times, institutions must respond with increasingly energetic, leadership-driven innovation.
Showing the Way To Shared Services
Public managers know all too well the barriers to sharing services across jurisdictional boundaries. One county in Michigan is knocking them down in ways others may soon need to emulate.
What Does Your CIO Really Need to Know?
They really need to know, writes Jerry Mechling, how to earn a role as a trusted member of the leadership team.
Time to Change Your Value Chain?
With electronic infrastructure now so widely available, writes Jerry Mechling, the next step for government is reorganizing, re-allocating and redefining agencies and functions.
Innovation Clues from Cleveland
Cleveland is unique in its approach to broadband, its emphasis on entrepreneurial innovation and its focus on the region rather than on the city, the state or the nation, writes Jerry Mechling.
The Future of IT-Enabled Change: Are You Ready?
Information technology is critical for innovation, but the IT-driven innovation of the future will be much more difficult than anything we've done so far.
The Transition: A Dark-Horse Opportunity
Transition time is the right time to transform the government and economy -- as enabled by information technology.
Digital Leadership Moves
As we move deeper into the Information Age, leaders must help us move forward on the risks and returns of innovation.
Shared Services 'Trickle Down' from Canada?
A workshop analyzing where shared services are now found Canada was a leading example of where things may be heading next.