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ededdneddyfan's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.5
Great start, the conclusion chapter was a slow meandering lecture on an ideal future state that was too boring to read.
thesixthstation's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
kjroelke's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
TL;DR if you'd vote for Leslie Knope or Ron Swanson, you'd probably get down with this book.
This is a book for the curious, the empathetic, and those who interact with the American government in any way. It is as much about technology and the US government as Creativity Inc is about making a computer animated movie.
Ever had to fill out paperwork for any level of government in America and wondered, "Aren't we in the 21st century? Why is this so hard?" This book gives insight to these questions, and highlights both who is already doing something about it and what the general public can do about it.
I found myself a bit lost amongst policy / department acronyms, and there was actually a lot less tech talk than I expected / hoped for (currently a web developer for a Native American tribe), but the stories that highlight the problems and how they were solved (or are still being solved) are highly engaging.
This book could be read as "an argument against waterfall project management," but overall I found myself hopeful and delightfully refreshed to hear thoughts on the American government that weren't entrenched in "left vs right" ideology / reaction. It was reminiscent of some of the great NASA-oriented movies where a team of highly skilled individuals solves a big problem (like going to the moon). Though the problems solved may not be as sexy as landing on the moon, it was still a fun and engaging ride.
This is a book for the curious, the empathetic, and those who interact with the American government in any way. It is as much about technology and the US government as Creativity Inc is about making a computer animated movie.
Ever had to fill out paperwork for any level of government in America and wondered, "Aren't we in the 21st century? Why is this so hard?" This book gives insight to these questions, and highlights both who is already doing something about it and what the general public can do about it.
I found myself a bit lost amongst policy / department acronyms, and there was actually a lot less tech talk than I expected / hoped for (currently a web developer for a Native American tribe), but the stories that highlight the problems and how they were solved (or are still being solved) are highly engaging.
This book could be read as "an argument against waterfall project management," but overall I found myself hopeful and delightfully refreshed to hear thoughts on the American government that weren't entrenched in "left vs right" ideology / reaction. It was reminiscent of some of the great NASA-oriented movies where a team of highly skilled individuals solves a big problem (like going to the moon). Though the problems solved may not be as sexy as landing on the moon, it was still a fun and engaging ride.
taraetrask's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Absolutely a must read for anyone who wants to work in government, work on anything related to government, or is just a citizen of a government. All of us.
alexdpar's review
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I feel confounded by this book. On one hand, it kind of enraged me. There was a deep dive (literally the whole book) into the combination of antiquated bureaucratic systems designed from top-down policy makers without user-focused engagement that explains why so many of our meant-to-be-beneficial governmental programs are broken or un-functional. When it came to discussing expungement and SNAP benefits, oh I wanted to scream. But at the same time there is an optimistic perspective as one traces the stories of how to beat these waterfall-styled systems that produce checklist results rather than actual measurable success. I think if you work for any sort of large bureaucratic system, if it be in the government, advocacy, nonprofit, think tank, or the likes, then this is a necessary read for you. It completely reoriented my thinking on our approach to national policy and how legislation is crafted.
kshertz's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I’m not in the tech field but I learned so much. It was so interesting to see what challenges there are in layman’s terms. I could not believe how much goes on behind the scenes. The layout of what’s happening and how to solve it made so much sense to me. It’s frustrating to think government might not take this advice. But good on the author for trying. If nothing else, one day she could at lease say I told you so .
Content Warnings
Minor: Gaslighting