Civic Tech
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Software Delivery Platforms: The Original Low-Code Platforms
At their core, both low-code platforms and software delivery platforms share a common goal: making it easier to build digital solutions that meet the needs of users. Continue reading
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Searching For Patterns in Digital Modernization
We need to find new patterns to guide the work of digital service teams in government to lay the foundation for the next generation of public services Continue reading
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Using generative AI to transform policy into code
Last week, I took part in BenCon 2024 — an annual two-day conference hosted by the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University focused on charting the course to excellence in digital benefits delivery. Continue reading
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The end of the beginning for IRS Direct File
The next challenge for the IRS, and for other federal agencies working to deploy new digital services, is to sustain the momentum after they are rolled out and ensure that these new solutions continue to meet the needs of users in the years ahead. Continue reading
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Parking Signs and Possible Futures for LLMs in Government
Government agencies adopting generative AI tools seems inevitable at this point. But there is more than one possible future for how agencies use generative AI to simplify complex government information. Continue reading
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Government Agencies Need AI Laboratories
Governments need ways to safely experiment with new generative AI tools to discover for themselves what works best for those they serve. Continue reading
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Engineering smaller burdens
The performance of a website or digital service has direct implications for the size of the burden placed on users. Reducing the size of this burden requires agencies to think carefully and to engineer services to make potential burdens as small as possible. Continue reading
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The Hidden Costs of Robotic Process Automation in Government
Robotic process automation is increasingly popular as a way to speed up government work. But this isn’t always the answer — and at times, it may cause an agency unforeseen headaches down the road. Continue reading
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JavaScript for Policy Makers
This is a highly technical talk focused on the tradeoffs facing front-end developers as they make decisions around how to use JavaScript in their applications. I think it is a perfect talk for government policy makers to watch – even those that don’t have a clue about building web apps. Continue reading
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Requiem for Procurement Reform
Much of the work that is done to build, deliver, and support government digital services comes from private vendors. It’s naive to think that we’ll ever improve these services as much as we hope without changing the outcomes that are possible through existing procurement rules and practices. Continue reading
About Me
I am the former Chief Data Officer for the City of Philadelphia. I also served as Director of Government Relations at Code for America, and as Director of the State of Delaware’s Government Information Center. For about six years, I served in the General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS), and helped pioneer their work with state and local governments. I also led platform evangelism efforts for TTS’ cloud platform, which supports over 30 critical federal agency systems.
Civic Innovations 