People
Favoritism in the federal workplace: Wishful thinking or cold hard truth?
FCW readers take issue with a recent blog post suggesting that favoritism is not as prevalent as many feds think.
People
Employees and the public are full of good ideas that agencies can tap
Agencies must be ready to solicit ideas from the public and provide incentives for that participation.
Acquisition
The rise of the 'critical function': A new way to think about acquisition
The critical function stole the importance of the inherently governmental function because the Obama administration has said it wants less outsourcing.
People
VA takes a leap of faith into telehealth
The Veterans Affairs Department is a step ahead of the rest of the federal government in promoting telehealth, also called telemedicine. Now VA is proposing to double its telehealth investment over two years. But without a broader federal strategy behind it, VA’s leap into telehealth is, to some degree, a leap of faith.
Modernization
Feds look for their avatars in 3-D
The Agriculture Department plans to acquire software that agencies across government can use to build its own virtual world for collaboration and training.
Cybersecurity
DHS falls behind in issuing HSPD-12 ID cards, IG reports
Poor management and not enough funding have caused the Homeland Security Department to fall behind in its distribution of HSPD-12 identification cards to employees and contractors, according to a new report.
Cybersecurity
SBInet's caretaker shares frustrations about delays, snafus
Mark Borkowski is in the unenviable position of overseeing SBInet, the border protection system that is as noteworthy for its ambitious scope as it is for technical glitches and schedule delays.
Cybersecurity
Why information sharing is not always enough
The job isn't done when information is shared but rather when it is thoroughly analyzed by people not only collecting the dots but also connecting them, writes Zoe Baird of the Markle Foundation.
Digital Government
You can't separate the 'social' from social media
Social networking has always been and will continue to be a vital part of any organization, whether it happens online or on the softball field, writes Steve Radick.
Acquisition
Agencies should not fear talking to contractors
Columnist Steve Kelman writes that communication between government and industry is key to saving money and and preventing misunderstandings in contract language.
Modernization
Dispatches from the federal blogosphere: Apple's iPad, broadband and blogging advice
A NASA blogger on blogging; broadband's national hookup; and the USPS IG ponders the implications of the iPad.
Digital Government
Committee makes recommendations on electronic health records use
Federal Computer Week
Digital Government