Managing & Technology — www.ddmcd.com

Website copyright © 2002-2025 by Dennis D. McDonald. From Alexandria, Virginia I support proposal writing & management, content and business development, market research, and strategic planning. I also a practice and support cursive handwriting. My email: ddmcd@ddmcd.com. My bio: here.

Data Transparency Needs Data Strategy!

Jun 11

Jun 11 Data Transparency Needs Data Strategy!

Dennis D. McDonald

Big Data, Collaboration, Open Data, Project Management, Standards, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Transparency

We want systems and processes to be more effective and transparent, we want to be able to take advantage of improved standards and technologies when they make sense — but we also need to balance the cost benefits of change in a fiscally austere and change resistant environment.

Jun 3
Jun 3 How Should DATA Act Implementation Impact Federal Project Management Practices?

Dennis D. McDonald

DATA Act, Data Access, Data Conversion, Project Management, Transparency

While a central program management operation can define detailed technical requirements, technical approaches, and management tools, implementation work needs to be occurring locally – while the “train is still running.” How this overall governance process is managed will determine how long DATA Act implementation takes, how much it costs, and whether or not it is successful.

May 28
May 28 Possible Pitfalls in Comparing Performance Measures Across Programs

Dennis D. McDonald

Best Practices, Collaboration, Data Access, Open Data, Performance, Standards, Strategy

You do need to avoid adopting standards and processes developed by other organizations without first understanding how and why they were developed. That requires research, communication with the other organization, and thoughtful planning.

Government Performance Measurement and DATA Act Implementation Need to be Coordinated

May 23

May 23 Government Performance Measurement and DATA Act Implementation Need to be Coordinated

Dennis D. McDonald

Cost Analysis, Costs, DATA Act, Data, Data Access, Performance, Standards

Hopefully a coordinated data management strategy is something that Treasury, OMB, GAO, and the White House are already working on.

May 21
May 21 Open Data and Performance Measurement: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Dennis D. McDonald

Data, Data Access, Metrics, Open Data, Performance, Standards, Statistics

Now we’re seeing more attention being paid in the public sector to data management strategy as data assets become a more visible — and public — components of government action. That’s a good thing.

Is It Possible To Have Too Much Technology and Too Much Data?

May 16

May 16 Is It Possible To Have Too Much Technology and Too Much Data?

Dennis D. McDonald

Attention, Augmented reality, Glass, Media, Mobile, Mobile Tech, Technology, Wearable

The irony is that, in experimenting with various ways to augment our attention with useful and targeted information, we may actually be reducing, not increasing, our ability to pay attention to the really useful information we need to interact with the people and the world around us.

Real World Project Management: The Communications Management Plan

May 9

May 9 Real World Project Management: The Communications Management Plan

Dennis D. McDonald

Business Models, Collaboration, List_AR, Project Management, communications, Communications

you need an online place to go where all the project “basics” are available to all team members and stakeholders as well as up to date information about ongoing work.

Apr 29
Apr 29 DATA Act Implementation: Where’s the Plan?

Dennis D. McDonald

DATA Act, Data Access, Data Conversion, Open Data, Project Management, Standards

On balance I believe passage of the DATA Act will be a good thing as long as its implementation is effectively planned and managed. Before commenting on its ultimate success or failure, though, I’d like to see a detailed work plan with resources, responsibilities, a timeline, and deliverables. That’s just good project management.

Apr 28
Apr 28 Is the “Sharing Economy” Really Here to Stay?

Dennis D. McDonald

Airbnb, Lyft, Media, Mobile, Mobile Tech, Shared, Uber

The data presented in Kevin Roose’s The Sharing Economy Isn’t About Trust, It’s About Desperation doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship between a deteriorating job situation and the rise of “sharing economy” services like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. Correlation isn’t the same as causation.

“Google Glass Isn’t Dead It’s Just Resting”

Apr 22

Apr 22 “Google Glass Isn’t Dead It’s Just Resting”

Dennis D. McDonald

Change, Glass, Google, Innovation, Mobile, Mobile Tech

I’m not a Google Glass User but even I can spot the shortcomings of Gene Marks’ Forbes online article How Google Screwed Up Google Glass.

Some Implications of the Overlap Between Project and Process Roles

Apr 18

Apr 18 Some Implications of the Overlap Between Project and Process Roles

Dennis D. McDonald

Innovation, Management, Process, Project Management, R&D Management, SoftPMO

Pixar's Lessons for Project Communication & Collaboration

Apr 10

Apr 10 Pixar's Lessons for Project Communication & Collaboration

Dennis D. McDonald

Collaboration, Innovation, List_AR, Project Management

Increasingly I’m of the opinion that, while systems that add communication functionality to project tools can make great deal of sense in some circumstances, what’s more important is to enable staff and stakeholders to use the communication tools they’re comfortable with using.

Why I Like the New COSMOS

Mar 31

Mar 31 Why I Like the New COSMOS

Dennis D. McDonald

Imagination, Media, SETI, Science, Science Education, Genetics

I’ve seen three of the new COSMOS programs so far. I’m really enjoying them. I like the host, the graphics, and how the programs look on a large screen TV.

Who Will Pay for Open Data?

Mar 24

Mar 24 Who Will Pay for Open Data?

Dennis D. McDonald

Cloud Computing, DATA Act, Data Access, Information Technology, Open Data, Policy, Standards

Alicia Green’s Open data is the next iteration of public records shows how the definition of “open data” continues to evolve.

Why I Still Read the Newspaper

Mar 19

Mar 19 Why I Still Read the Newspaper

Dennis D. McDonald

Kindle, Media, Newspapers, Publishing, Reading

What do I like about the paper edition? I can assure you it’s not the smell of the newsprint.

White Paper: Assessing Readiness for Enterprise Social Software

Mar 5

Mar 5 White Paper: Assessing Readiness for Enterprise Social Software

Dennis D. McDonald

Change, Collaboration, Enterprise 2.0, Jive, , , Web 2.0

This White Paper was developed under contract to Jive Software. This is from the introduction:

Engaging with the Millennials on Your Project's Team

Mar 1

Mar 1 Engaging with the Millennials on Your Project's Team

Dennis D. McDonald

Collaboration, Demographics, Engagement, List_AR, Millenials, Project Management, ,

We’ve always known that you need to engage with target market segments where they live and communicate. It’s also useful to consider, if you’re a project manager, your project’s engagement strategy including how your project’s staff members and stakeholders communicate.

White Papers, Market Engagement, and Email Discrimination

Feb 21

Feb 21 White Papers, Market Engagement, and Email Discrimination

Dennis D. McDonald

Advertising, Email, Engagement, , , White Papers, Yahoo!

I’ve had a Yahoo! email address for about ten years.

Getting Real About "Open Data”

Feb 20

Feb 20 Getting Real About "Open Data”

Dennis D. McDonald

Accountability, BaleFire, Best Practices, Big Data, Data, Data Access, Definitions, Open Access, Open Data, Socrata, Transparency

If the “geeks” on your team understand all this that’s great. If not, you need to seek out and involve other areas of expertise, starting with people who understand what enhanced data services can do for your target users and the problems you are trying to solve.

The Fundamental Problem with Windows 8: One Non-User's Perspective

Feb 13

Feb 13 The Fundamental Problem with Windows 8: One Non-User's Perspective

Dennis D. McDonald

Change, Linux, Mobile Tech, User Interface, Windows

James Kendrick really nails one of the biggest problems with Windows 8 in The disconnect with Windows 8.1: Hiding the Utility. His summary: