Plus why the timesheet and benefits portals at your job are so bad As I logged into two separate government “vendor portals” to submit invoices and type in the same business information I have input dozens of times before, I was reminded of how frustrating the software we are forced to use every day can be. For the most part, […]
At Civilytics, we’ve seen firsthand the higher burden advocates face when seeking to use data to make change. That’s why we were excited to partner with Tableau on creating a 5-step guide to #defendyourdata.
In memory of Jim Knowles Content warning: grief, loss of a parent A little over a month ago, on May 7th, my dad, Jim Knowles, passed away unexpectedly. He was 66 years old. For me, the world just kind of stopped. My dad and I were very close and I’m still figuring out my way forward. I’m breaking from our […]
Or why we need to rescue the Rescue Funds I have a new habit when I’m brushing my teeth at night – counting vacant houses. Last night I counted 6 vacant units visible out my window. This is in the middle of one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. Vacant houses are on my mind personally (I […]
Understanding how state and local governments are spending their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds can be challenging, but several groups have put together excellent trackers to aid in this quest. This post highlights key features (and a few limitations) of four trackers.
A retrospective on the use of data in the school closure debate This edition of The Civic Pulse I want to talk about something close to my heart – the debate about expertise, empiricism, and their role in public decision making. I’ll explore this topic through the public debate about school closures and COVID-19 because it serves as an excellent […]