Development Tools
Category for discussing development tools and IDE’s for VoiceXML and voice applications.
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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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Two clear signs that you might be under-investing in your software delivery platform
As agencies use platforms to support these efforts, issues occasionally crop up. In this post, I talk about two common issues, what they mean, and how they can be fixed. 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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What to know about no code development tools
Low-code and no-code tools present an attractive option for government agencies under pressure to deliver new digital solutions quickly. But they also come with tradeoffs. Understanding these tradeoffs is important for agencies to position themselves to most effectively deliver new and improved digital services. Continue reading
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Friction as Security
Too often, the concept of friction as a control mechanism finds its way into the software and technology platforms that are used by government agencies. There is a better way. 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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How DevOps Improves the Customer Experience
DevOps is an approach that agencies can use to deliver high-quality, secure software to their customers. In the end, this is what matters most for government agencies and those they serve. Continue reading
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How AI and LLMs will change government websites
With the rise of AI and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, government websites will need to change again in response to these new technologies. 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
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 