All in Standards

Recommendations for Collaborative Management of Government Data Standardization Projects

Recommendations for Collaborative Management of Government Data Standardization Projects

Dennis D. McDonald
Collaboration, DATA Act, Data, Data Access, Data Conversion, ETL, Project Management, Series S, Standards, Data Program Management
Standardizing how the U.S. government collects, manages, and publishes budget and expenditure data, as required by the DATA Act currently before the U.S. Congress, is an example of a long-term and complex project. It will be require careful planning, management, and sufficient resources to be successful.
How Important Is ‘Total Cost of Standardization’ to the DATA Act?

How Important Is ‘Total Cost of Standardization’ to the DATA Act?

Dennis D. McDonald
DATA Act, Data, Data Access, Data Conversion, ETL, Open Data, Policy, Project Management, Series S, Standards, Strategy, eGovernment, Data Governance
Last week I attended a meeting in DC sponsored by the Data Transparency Coalition, PwC, and Intel. Representatives of the Federal agencies likely to manage implementation of the evolving DATA Act presented their thoughts on implementing the Act’s requirements for standardizing and reporting on Federal financial data.
A Project Manager's Perspective on the GAO’s Federal Data Transparency Report

A Project Manager's Perspective on the GAO’s Federal Data Transparency Report

Dennis D. McDonald
Collaboration, Data Access, Governance, Project Management, Standards, Transparency
While improving data transparency for both financial and non-financial data is an important goal, any effort requiring an enterprise level shift in data formats or associated business processes can also require a substantial early peak in required resources. If in fact we need to delay implementing data transparency programs, perhaps we can use our time wisely by doing a more detailed job of research and planning.
The State of Government Data Transparency, 2013

The State of Government Data Transparency, 2013

Dennis D. McDonald
Big Data, Data Access, Open Data, Sequestration, Standards, Transparency
What I found most interesting and useful about the Data Transparency 2013 conference held September 10 in Washington DC was the diversity. The ability of Hudson Hollister’s Data Transparency Coalition to bring together such a high-quality group of speakers and attendees representing so many different perspectives was quite an accomplishment.
Transparently Speaking, Are Bad Data Better than No Data At All?

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

Dennis D. McDonald
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.
Why I'm Uneasy about "Big Data" and Government Programs

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.
Facebook Connect Raises Complex Data Portability and Data Sharing Issues

Facebook Connect Raises Complex Data Portability and Data Sharing Issues

Dennis D. McDonald
DataPortability, , FriendFeed, Industry Analysis, Personal Data Management, Personal Data Ownership, Privacy, , , Standards
Successful system operation frequently depends on the quality of the data it contains. Social networking systems rely on the ability their members have to manage and keep up to date information about their identities. They also rely on the ability to describe and act upon data about relationships with other network members. If identity or relationship data are faulty, unstable, or inconsistent, the operation of the social network, and the performance of network based transactions related to it, will suffer.

There's Nothing Wrong with the Social Networking Industry that Some Honest (Cost) Information Won't Fix

Dennis D. McDonald
Change, Collaboration, Cost Analysis, DataPortability, Enterprise 2.0, , , , Software, Standards, Strategy, Web 2.0
Jeremiah Owyang’s LiveBlog: What’s Wrong with the White Label Social Networking Industry?, especially if you read the comments, delivers a good snapshot of the gaps that still exist between product evangelism and the realities of implementing specialized online social networks.
What Comes After Web Sites and Online Social Networks?

What Comes After Web Sites and Online Social Networks?

Dennis D. McDonald
Blogging, DataPortability, , Google, Identity, Internet, OpenSocial, Personal Data Ownership, Semantic Web, , , Standards, Tagging, , Web 2.0
Today we use the web in many ways. Traditional web sites — “places we go” on the web to do things — still exist. But increasingly, web based transactions also depend on the nature of our online relationships with other people.

Personal Data Portability: What Happened to End Users?

Dennis D. McDonald
Collaboration, DataPortability, Definitions, OpenSocial, Privacy, , , Software, Standards
I’ve made some attempt to keep up with public discussions of DataPortability.org. I’ve had a suspicion that the project is experiencing the growing pains that technology industry standards groups sometimes experience when there is no single strong and deep-pocketed voice willing to weigh in, knock heads, and force progress along a single path.
Social Data Portability, Privacy, and DRM

Social Data Portability, Privacy, and DRM

Dennis D. McDonald
Copyright, DRM, Industry Analysis, OpenSocial, Personal Data Ownership, Privacy, , , Standards
When Bob Weber published his post-CES DRM 3.0 Has Arrived he made the point that, while DRM for music may be dying, the entertainment industry’s interest in Digital Rights Management is still quite strong. This got me to wondering whether this “next generation DRM” might have some relevance to current interest in social network portability.
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