Weekly Roundup: October 27-31, 2014

Dan Chenok Big Data helps government move toward sustainability goals: http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2014/10/governments-sustainability-efforts-present-big-data-opportunity/97844/?oref=ng-HPriver As Cyber Security Awareness month concludes, a view of how to build a strong cyber team: http://fcw.com/articles/2014/10/31/building-top-notch-information-security-teams.aspx Agency FISMA reporting adapts with greater reliance on continuous diagnostics and mitigation (CDM), says former CISO Pat Howard: http://www.federalnewsradio.com/239/3731156/Why-this-years-FISMA-drill-is-different John Kamensky GSA to Help Share Shared Services. According to Emily Kopp, Federal News Radio:” The General Services Administration is setting up a program office to help agencies get over the most common hurdles to using shared services. . . . Dominic Sale, who is the acting associate deputy administrator in GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy, agreed to launch the program at the request of the Chief Information Officer's Council.” 18F Innovators to Help Out. According to Adam Mazmanian, Federal Computer Week:”: 18F, the digital delivery team housed at the General Services Administration, plans to launch an agile development and acquisitions planning group called 18F Consulting that will serve as an agile coach and solutions architect for agencies. Computer Chaos at 20. Paul Brubaker, a pioneer in federal IT reform who worked with Sen. William Cohen in drafting a 1990s era reform law, writes in Federal Computer Week: “I think it is fair to say that we were both dismayed and disappointed that almost two decades later, the government has failed to take full advantage of the tools provided by the law that bears his name.” Red Tape in Hiring. IT rockstar Mikey Dickerson was recruited to head a new $20 million US Digital Service team within the Office of Management and Budget. Adam Mazmanian, Federal Computer Week, writes: “Dickerson faces headwinds in standing up the U.S. Digital Service. For starters, he said, 750 people have expressed interest in joining the service. ‘Our bottleneck is processing them. It's not budget, it's not demand. The bottleneck right now is processing hiring paperwork.’” Past Czars Offer Advice to the Newest. Charlie Clark, Government Executive, interviews three former federal leaders who had been dubbed “czars” by the media. Their insights? Ron Klain, the new Ebola czar, has a long road ahead! The Business of Government Radio Show: Conversation with Air Force Lt. General Douglas Robb, Director, Defense Health Agency. How is the Defense Health Agency changing the way DoD delivers healthcare? What are some of the key challenges faced in restructuring such a complex system? How is DHA transforming its health information technology portfolio? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with LTG Douglas Robb, Director, Defense Health Agency. Broadcast Schedule: The show airs Monday at 11 a.m., and Wednesday at noon, on Federal News Radio 1500AM WFED If you can't wait, though, you can listen to (or download) this week's program and all our previous interviews at businessofgovernment.org and by searching our audio archives.