Technology + Engagement in D.C.

If you’re in the D.C. area + interested in technology-focused events, Digital Capital Week kicks off in a few days.  Browsing the lineup, quite a few events caught  my eye.  For example, Ignite D.C. on Wednesday night and Tech Cocktail on Thursday.

In addition, a few Computech’ers have already signed up for “Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Increase Citizen Participation” and “Apps and Animation – All things Interactive.”  Not surprising, really… Both of these topics are near + dear to our interests.  In fact, if you’ve spent time on our site, you’ll know that we develop data-driven dashboards that incorporate business intelligence with change/transformation management wrapped around heavy UX.  Yup, a marriage of these two event’s focus.

True, dashboards can be as simple as a report or spreadsheet; however, when we talk “DDD,” we go deep + detailed. The dashboards we construct provide near real-time aggregation and analytical transformation of operational data with drill down and roll up capabilities.  Our team has architected and designed numerous data-driven dashboards for our clients.  Case-in-point, at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), dashboards facilitate the internal exchange of data and ideas while providing an interactive site for communication between the regulator and U.S. public.  More than a simple, out-of-the-box reporting tool, these dashboards enable:.

  • Process Optimization;
  • Decision Support for Multiple Stakeholders;
  • Messaging and Communication;
  • Information Analysis; and
  • Citizen Engagement.

Rather than go into more detail here, we added project descriptions for DTV.gov, Openinternet.gov and Broadband.gov to our website (take a look under “Federal Experience“).  The common thread between all three: sharing heretofore inaccessible data and information.  And tying back in to DCWEEK, each dashboard, constructed to support distinct FCC initiatives, engages the public using social media and web 2.0 techniques.

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Heading to some of the events this week + next?  Drop us a line and let us know where you’ll be.


Posted on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 at 4:19 pm and is filed under Data Driven Dashboards, News.

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By: Computech

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Spectrum Dashboard: a Visual Powerhouse

The recent flurry of FCC activity drummed up from the unveiling of the National Broadband plan, included the release of an innovative new tool aptly named the Spectrum Dashboard.  With the dashboard being the new industry buzz word, what better way to peg this visual powerhouse and spark interest and intrigue?  It sure is a new world here at the FCC.

As defined on the Spectrum Dashboard home page, the Spectrum Dashboard provides a public means of reviewing how spectrum bands are allocated and for what uses, and who holds licenses and in what areas. The beta version provides basic, plain language information about frequencies generally deemed appropriate for mobile broadband (225 MHz to 3700 MHz.).   In addition, the beta version of the Spectrum Dashboard contains more detailed information, mapping, and research capabilities for the bands where broadband service is either already available, or potentially could be provided.

Perhaps it could be thought of as the “favorite aunt” of the Broadband plan – there to lift the veil on information and display it through “cool” innovative features including a simulated spectrum band and interactive map.  It was even mentioned by name in the National Broadband Plan!

We are quite proud to put our stamp on this fine new tool.  We worked tirelessly with the FCC to gather, implement, and verify all requirements for the Dashboard.  The launch of the tool in conjunction with the plan was vital – resulting in many late nights and weekends up to March 16.  But the result could not be any better!  The tool gives a taste of what future initiatives at the FCC can resemble – clean designs, innovative features and state of the art technology.

But don’t just take our word for it, check out the tool and let us know your thoughts.  Trust us, you are bound to learn more about spectrum than you thought possible (and you just may have a little fun in the process)!!


Posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 9:47 am and is filed under Data Driven Dashboards, Online Auctions.

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By: admin

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Organization Transformation through Dashboards

Dashboards enable the meaningful inspection of a complex system to support decision-making. A complex system can be a portfolio, a business unit, a government agency, or an industry. In this 5-min video, Rita Hadden talks about why dashboards are NOT just the new face of Business Intelligence, and HOW dashboards can deliver transformation in your organization. Rita has built many dashboards and has more than 35 yrs experience in IT management. Rita specializes in organization transformation.
Read the rest of this entry »


Posted on Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 5:04 pm and is filed under Data Driven Dashboards.

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By: Computech

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Speed please

During my baseball playing days at W&L;, we had a rallying cry that was simple (yet oddly effective): “speed kills.”  While not personally the fleetest of foot, most athletes agree that speed confers a real competitive advantage.  Of course, speed counts in the business world too.  Case-in-point: the FCC today introduced two new testing tools for the country’s broadband and smartphone users.  Why?  To help them gauge real connectivity speeds — not just the numbers promised by the nations’ telecoms.

On Tuesday, I spent some time detailing how the data-driven dashboards we build aggregate data from heterogeneous systems (coupling business intelligence with change/transformation management wrapped around heavy UX).  So, it’s pretty cool to see these new testing tools unveiled on the broadband.gov dashboard we built for the Commission.  Bringing an even bigger smile to our faces, today’s issue of Wired acknowledged the genius for crowd-sourcing this data, writing:

“Broadband connection testing isn’t new, and is freely available online, but this might mark the first time that individual tests help to lead to informed policy making… Given that telecoms have long fought against telling federal regulators what areas they cover and at what speed, arguing that information will be used by competitors to poach their customers.  The data can also be used as a way to prevent telecoms from over-promising and under-delivering on upload and download speeds.”

Interested to learn more about dashboards, their value to an organization like FCC and what we’re doing in support of the country’s broadband rollout?  Checkout the FCC’s website, contact me by email or Linkedin, or visit www.computechinc.com for more info.


Posted on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 7:05 pm and is filed under Data Driven Dashboards.

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By: Computech

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Take the shackles off

Computech 101: What DDD means to us
When you hear business leaders lament their lack of consolidated, real-time online information, what comes to mind? For the folks at our software development firm, an amped-up, online and data-driven dashboard that contain KPIs, metrics, charts, trends and data visualizations, that’s what.

But what makes today’s data-driven dashboards (“DDD”) different from yesterday’s off-the-shelf BI packages?  Class, consider yourself in session.

In “simple” terms, we define our dashboards as aggregating data from heterogeneous systems, business intelligence coupled with change/transformation management wrapped around heavy UX.  To go a bit deeper, we fully integrate the online experience to help our federal clients shape policy — and practice good government web 2.0.  So when you think of Computech + dashboards, expect more than a simple, out-of-the-box reporting tool.  Get ready for:

  • Process optimization;
  • Decision support for the masses;
  • Empowering the stakeholder network;
  • Data integration;
  • Information analysis; and
  • Citizen engagement.


The practical value of data-driven dashboards can be found at a number of government agencies where we work.  For example, a dashboard we built for the FCC supports this month’s national broadband rollout.  Another, for a commercial client keen to grow through acquisition, provides a platform to manage its portfolio of projects.

Be it enterprise mashup dashboards or executive-level, data-driven dashboards, organizations turn to us to provide services like interaction design, information architecture, Geographic Information Systems, visual design, Search Engine Optimization, and social media analytics — all in the names of transparency, transformation and information organization.

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So now that you know a bit more about dashboards, what’s ahead for Concomitantly this week?  This Thursday, we’ll share a video on data-driven dashboards that builds on this post, and close the week out with an entry that shows how our DDD team’s work on Broadband.gov benefits the U.S public.  Interested to learn more about dashboards and their value to an organization’s leadership and can’t wait for either post to go up?  Contact me by email or Linkedin, or visit www.computechinc.com for more.  Next week?  Auctions, St. Patrick’s Day, and combinatorics.  What could be better?


Posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 6:52 am and is filed under Data Driven Dashboards.

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By: Computech

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