Here's an example of the kind of expensive
data disconnect that need never happen. A centralized authority makes a series
of difficult decisions about spending. These are then bundled up into a program
which is then authorized. The program is then shattered into a huge number of
pieces as it is passed to the organizations tasked with execution. They do they
their own thing. Finally, the creators of the program try to put the smashed
vase back together, to see if it was worth buying.
Michael Wood of the Recovery Blog puts it like this:
“A big test will come in the coming months as the Recovery Board, the Inspector General community, others in law-enforcement, and state and local communities join forces to monitor the $60.2 billion Congress set aside to rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy. A major challenge will be the lack of a central data system for this spending information. Thus, it’s imperative that agencies, IGs, and state and local governments share their data on spending and contracts. Time will tell.”
Wood is eloquent on the need for data standards across government. It's clear from his reports that his colleagues in various agencies also appreciate the degree to which fragmentation is leading to wasted resources. One obstacle is the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, which “provides limited privacy benefits while restricting oversight activities”.
Reading Wood's comments on workshops he's attended, I recognize the frustrations he and his colleagues are facing. But I'm encouraged that tools like the web - and the culture of sharing it has engendered – mean we're all party to the standardization efforts of this group. Wherever we see and hear people dealing with the costs of fragmentation, we find additional support for our own standards projects. Recovery Blog
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