Blog

May 2, 2016

From spreadsheet to API to app: A better contract forecasting tool

By Alla Goldman Seiffert , Steven Reilly

Executive branch agencies of the federal government are required by law to tell vendors if and when they plan on making purchases. The General Services Administration (GSA) was forecasting using a crowded spreadsheet containing dozens of columns and hundreds of rows. 18F helped create a new, open-source tool to display contract forecasting opportunities.

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April 28, 2016

A guide to the 18F Writing Lab

By Kate Garklavs , Andre Francisco

The guide is designed to equip 18F staff with the information they need to quickly and easily request writing and editing help from the Lab, and also to provide our Lab editors with guidance on editing styles and workflows so we can provide a smooth experience for staff who request the Lab’s help.

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April 27, 2016

Making a distributed design team work

By Jennifer Thibault , Meghana Khandekar

There are now over 30 of us on the Experience Design team. Often, designers on the same project are not in the same location. Here are some techniques we’ve developed to help us work effectively when we aren’t in the same room or even the same times zone.

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April 26, 2016

Thinking about the future of the post office: An interview with Amanda Weaver

By Melody Kramer

“Amanda Weaver’s team at the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General operates like a government think-tank. They write white papers on everything from 3D printing to the Internet of Postal Things. We talked to Amanda about the futuristic things her office is dreaming up for the post office of the future.”

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April 25, 2016

Lean on me: Asking for help on the content team

By Emileigh Barnes

Our content squad is made of folks with a wide range of backgrounds and skills — we put this to good use by regularly asking each other for help with projects. Here’s a look into some of our recent collaboration.

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