Feb 20

Feb 20 Transparently Speaking, Are Bad Data Better than No Data At All?

ARRA, Big Data, Data, Data Conversion, ETL, Legislation, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment

I’ve been researching government program transparency and the hype surrounding “big data.” Given OMB’s recent statement of support for improving access to accurate Federal spending data I’ve also been giving some thought to what improved access might actually mean, based on my own experience with data conversion and consolidation projects.

Feb 11
Feb 11 What Will Forrester's 'Top 15 Emerging Technologies' Mean to You?

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Change, Data, Data Conversion, Data Web, Forrester, Future, Industry Analysis, Knowledge Management, Statistics, Transparency

In Forrester’s Top 15 Emerging Technologies To Watch: Now to 2018, Brian Hopkins provides a peek at the results of an online survey conducted in 2012 to answer a question about what respondents feel the most “disruptive” technologies will be.

Jan 29
Jan 29 Recouping “Big Data” Investment in One Year Mandates Serious Project Management

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Data Access, Project Management, Transparency

I chuckled when I first read the title of John Weathington’s recent TechRepublic article, Recouping your big date investment in one year. Nevertheless, this short article provides useful food for thought about the importance of effective project management.

Jan 14
Jan 14 The Link Between Mobile Tech and Government Transparency

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Customer Communication, Data Access, Mobile Tech, Transparency, eGovernment

It’s no secret that mobile technologies are disrupting traditional IT management approaches. Industry analysts such as Gartner acknowledge this. But what’s the link between the public’s increasing use of mobile technologies and the governments agencies at all levels are making their programs — and their data — more open and accessible?

Dec 18

Dec 18 Why I'm Uneasy about "Big Data" and Government Programs

Dennis D. McDonald

Acquisitions, Big Data, Data Conversion, Governance, Project Management, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment

I appreciate that scaling, discoverability, and innovation are all potentially enhanced when the size, variety, quality and number of data sets surrounding a particular process or function are aggregated and exposed. Jewels can become visible. Inconsistencies can be identified and resolved. Impacts can be tracked.

Dec 6

Dec 6 Panel Discussion: Transparency and the Obama Administration

Dennis D. McDonald

ARRA, Accessibility, Big Data, Business Models, Cost Analysis, Data Access, Legislation, Open Access, RATB, Transparency, eGovernment

On Monday Dec. 3, 2012 at the invitation of Hudson Hollister of the Data Transparency Coalition I attended the “Transparency and the Obama Administration” panel discussion on Capitol Hill in Washington DC sponsored by the Congressional Transparency Caucus.

Nov 27
Nov 27 The Limitations of Government Program Financial Transparency

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Cost Analysis, Data Access, Governance, Legislation, Management Tools, Policy, Transparency, eGovernment

What does it mean to say that something is “transparent”? That’s easy; you can see through it, like a window let you see through a wall and into — or out of — a room. What does it mean for a government program to be “transparent”?

Nov 19

Nov 19 Forget “Best Practices.” Think “Best People” Instead.

Dennis D. McDonald

Best Practices, Big Data, Customer Communication, Customer Support, Enterprise 2.0, , , Strategy, Transparency, eGovernment

A major assumption is that “practices” needing improvement will actually stand still long enough to be measured, modeled, compared, then improved. That may not be a good assumption to make.

Nov 13

Nov 13 Data Cleanup, Big Data, Standards, and Program Transparency

Dennis D. McDonald

ARRA, Big Data, Data Conversion, ETL, Offset, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment

Mary Shacklett’s 10 Roadblocks to Implementing Big Data Analytics will be familiar to anyone experienced with large data conversion or database construction projects:

Nov 7

Nov 7 What Makes a Government Program "Transparent"?

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Data Access, Governance, Transparency, eGovernment, Definitions

What makes a government program “transparent”? I’ve been thinking about this while researching my framework for transparency program planning and assessment. Here are criteria to use when designing, modifying, or assessing a program’s “transparency”:

Oct 27

Oct 27 A Framework for Transparency Program Planning and Assessment

Dennis D. McDonald

Data Access, List05, Performance, Standards, Transparency, eGovernment, Data Program Management, Data, Big Data

I support the practice of transparency for government programs. People need to know and understand how their tax dollars are spent. At the same time, transparency is not an end in itself.