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The Nation’s C.I.O.: Government Needs a Dashboard

15 points by robg 17y ago

pragmatic 17y ago
That's a relief. For a second, I thought we might be trying to save some money. Instead we're creating more overhead on top of the government overhead. Please read "The Systems Bible" http://generalsystemantics.com/SystemsBible.htm http://generalsystemantics.com/SystemsBible.htm. There really is no way to tame the bureaucracy. "The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of an expanding bureaucracy"
- donaldc 17y ago
  I disagree. Making more information available is virtually always a win. It often causes organizations to moderate their own behavior, for fear of looking bad. When this does not happen, it makes it easier for those outside to know what needs to be improved and where to apply pressure. All without actually mandating any change in behavior beyond publishing some data.
pmorici 17y ago
"the biggest complaint he’s gotten so far is the pace of reporting" That's funny, I suspect they are weary of reporting on a monthly basis because it would show that nothing is really being accomplished.
pasbesoin 17y ago
Coming out of past experience, the term "dashboard" automatically sets off my b-llshit meter. I've never seen an honest implementation and use of one. In brief, in corporate settings there seems to be a strong inclination to "teach to the test", to mix metaphors. The dashboard influences how things are reported, more than it influences underlying behavior or generates true net improvements. As for the government initiative described, if they want to produce some rolled-up summaries, fine. But I am looking for public access to the raw data, as much as this is possible. There will always be members of the public (and media, if they can get their houses in order) willing to put in the time and effort to produce their own, independent analyses. It's the data we need, and not (solely) some bureaucrat's summation, subject sooner or later to political influence and manipulation, whether at the top or in the inputs.

15 points by robg 17y ago

That's a relief. For a second, I thought we might be trying to save some money. Instead we're creating more overhead on top of the government overhead. Please read "The Systems Bible" http://generalsystemantics.com/SystemsBible.htm http://generalsystemantics.com/SystemsBible.htm. There really is no way to tame the bureaucracy. "The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of an expanding bureaucracy"

donaldc 17y ago
I disagree. Making more information available is virtually always a win. It often causes organizations to moderate their own behavior, for fear of looking bad. When this does not happen, it makes it easier for those outside to know what needs to be improved and where to apply pressure. All without actually mandating any change in behavior beyond publishing some data.

pmorici 17y ago

"the biggest complaint he’s gotten so far is the pace of reporting" That's funny, I suspect they are weary of reporting on a monthly basis because it would show that nothing is really being accomplished.

pasbesoin 17y ago

Coming out of past experience, the term "dashboard" automatically sets off my b-llshit meter. I've never seen an honest implementation and use of one. In brief, in corporate settings there seems to be a strong inclination to "teach to the test", to mix metaphors. The dashboard influences how things are reported, more than it influences underlying behavior or generates true net improvements. As for the government initiative described, if they want to produce some rolled-up summaries, fine. But I am looking for public access to the raw data, as much as this is possible. There will always be members of the public (and media, if they can get their houses in order) willing to put in the time and effort to produce their own, independent analyses. It's the data we need, and not (solely) some bureaucrat's summation, subject sooner or later to political influence and manipulation, whether at the top or in the inputs.