May 9, 2008
FedPitch solicits ideas on how to improve the federal government
Robert Tobias, left, FedPitch winner Robyn Dingledine, and event moderator Tim Clark, editor of Government Executive (Photo by Jeff Watts)
Like many great ideas, the beauty of Robyn Dingledine’s lies in its simplicity.
“People are always asking me about federal jobs,” said Dingledine, a program analyst with the Office of Personnel Manafgement in Denver. “I think there should be a way to automate the process.”
Dingledine’s idea, creating an online quiz at USAjobs.com in order to better direct job seekers to positions they’re qualified for and interested in, was the best of a plethora of intriguing ideas floated during FedPitch, an event held May 7 on the National Mall. Part of Public Service Recognition Week, FedPitch offered a forum for anyone inside or outside the government to propose a way to improve the federal workforce. A panel of five judges, including SPA professor Robert Tobias, director of the Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation (ISPPI), which cosponsored the event, evaluated 16 finalists, each of whom had two minutes to pitch their idea without the use of props or even notes. Standing on a stage under a tent with the Capitol looming in the background, each presenter was armed with just the microphone and a vision.
“The quality of the ideas and the skill of the presentations has been truly impressive,” said event moderator Tim Clark, editor in chief of Government Executive.
The FedPitch concept was conceived by 13L, a leadership collective of 13 midcareer federal employees with a strong interest in issues related to leadership in the federal government. The group solicited ideas for ways to attract and retain people for federal service. It winnowed those down to the top 16. The contestants were judged on whether their idea addressed a demonstrated need, its feasibility, originality, potential impact, and the quality of their presentation. Among the finalists’ ideas:
- creation of a Federal Employee of the Year award
- an interagency leadership exchange program
- allowing high-performing federal workers a sabbatical
- creation of audio-visual programs to give prospective employees a better idea of what their job will be
- bringing the concept of a social networking site to the federal government
- incorporating the concept of community service into the lives of federal employees by offering vacations during which they can volunteer their time
- overhauling the performance evaluation systems
- offering college scholarships to high school students in exchange for a commitment to work for the federal government after they graduate
- incorporating gaming and role playing into emergency preparations
- expediting the federal hiring process
All the ideas were well received, but it was Dingledine’s that ultimately prevailed. She will be invited to a dinner with the judges at which they will discuss how to further advance her proposal, which she would like to add to the federal government’s official jobs Web site.
“It’s never been suggested before,” Tobias said. “It’s one of those idea that when you hear it, it’s like, ‘Why didn’t they think about that?’
