Blitzscaling 06: Jennifer Pahlka on Founding Code For America and Starting the US Digital Service | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Code for America aims to transform government by advocating for innovation and technology, fostering partnerships with local governments, and seeking to improve public services through user-centered design.

Key Insights

• 👤 Code for America focuses on transforming government by fostering innovation, advocating for user-centered design, and leveraging technology to improve public services.
• 😑 The organization partners with local governments to tackle pressing challenges, such as healthcare, safety and justice, economic development, and communications and engagement.
• 🐕‍🦺 Code for America's service year program helps build capacity within government departments and encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing across cities.

Transcript

• [John] Alright, so hi. So we're gonna only do an hour today 'cause our guest needs to jet, and so do I. So what I thought we'd do is for a few minutes we would talk about a couple of observations, and then we'd have Jenifer come up and talk about Code for America, which I will probably call CFA for the rest of the time. And then we'll do question... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Code for America start and what is its mission?

Code for America was founded by Jennifer Pahlka, who saw the need for technology and innovation in government. Its mission is to transform government and improve public services by leveraging technology and advocating for user-centered design.

Q: How does Code for America work with local governments?

Code for America partners with local governments through its service year program, where technology professionals work on various projects to improve government services. It also fosters collaborations and provides expertise to help governments adopt innovative approaches to problem-solving.

Q: What metrics does Code for America use to measure success?

Code for America uses a range of metrics to measure success, including the number of sustained projects, the impact on people's lives, and the number of redeployments of successful initiatives. The organization focuses on achieving durable, lasting change in government processes and services.

Q: How does Code for America address cultural barriers to innovation in government, particularly in less accepting areas?

Code for America aims to make innovation and technology in government the norm rather than the exception. By showcasing success stories and emphasizing the positive impact of innovation, the organization seeks to change the perception of these initiatives and garner greater support from local communities.

Summary

In this video, John and Jenifer discuss Code for America and its mission to bring technology and design professionals to work in government. They talk about the early days of the organization, how they got cities and governments to apply, and how they raised funding. They also discuss the products and services offered by Code for America and their impact on government services. Jenifer talks about her decision to leave the organization temporarily to work in the White House and the challenges and opportunities she faced during that time.

Questions & Answers

Q: What did people want more of after the feedback?

People wanted more specifics and stories about specific situations.

Q: What do operators talk about most of the time?

Operators talk about what's on their mind all the time and are in the guts and details of things.

Q: How did Alan feel after the discussion about community being the key to growth?

Alan was concerned about over-generalizing and felt that community is not the only way to grow.

Q: What is the focus of the lightweight framers?

The focus of the lightweight framers is to provide specific ways of thinking about structures and abstractions, as well as providing specific details.

Q: Why did Code for America focus on non-profits initially?

Code for America focused on non-profits to highlight the importance of community-oriented organizations and showcase their impact in the class.

Q: What made the first year of Code for America challenging?

The first year of Code for America was challenging because of the uncertainty and building things as they went. They also faced setbacks, such as the project in the District of Columbia getting cancelled.

Q: How did Code for America recruit professionals for their fellowship program?

Code for America made it a competition and positioned it as an award rather than asking people to contribute without fair compensation. They received a lot of interest and had multiple cities apply.

Q: How did Code for America decide on the pricing for their services?

Code for America based their pricing on the amount they were paying fellows and added a little bit more. Some cities paid the full price while others paid a lower amount.

Q: When did Code for America realize they had a product-market fit?

Code for America realized they had a product-market fit when one of their fellows in Boston developed an application called Discover BPS. It solved a pressing problem for parents and received positive feedback from the mayor's office.

Q: How did Code for America expand its range of products and services?

Code for America focused on four key areas: health and human services, safety and justice, economic development, and communications and engagement. They built products and services within these areas to provide a more comprehensive solution.

Q: Why did Code for America focus on these specific areas?

Code for America focused on these areas due to the importance and urgency of the problems they addressed in government and the potential for positive impact. They also had previous experience and successful experiments in these areas.

Q: Why did Jenifer start Code for America?

Jenifer started Code for America because she saw a need to improve government technology and the process of delivering services. She was frustrated by the inefficiencies and poor technology she encountered in government and felt compelled to make a change.

Q: Why did Code for America choose to be a non-profit organization?

Code for America initially chose to be a non-profit organization because they were inviting professionals to participate in a service year program. Being a non-profit helped attract people who were willing to contribute their skills without a high-income incentive. They also wanted to build an ecosystem that includes for-profit companies but focuses on creating lasting impact.

Q: How did Code for America overcome skepticism from city governments and gain their trust?

Code for America built legitimacy by creating a professional-looking website, making it a competition for cities to apply, and demonstrating the value of their programs and projects. They also leveraged relationships with thought partners and organizations like the Sunlight Foundation.

Q: How did Code for America deal with the challenges of raising funding and closing deals?

Code for America made use of deadlines, competitions, and forcing functions to drive cities to make a decision and sign contracts. They also relied on relationships with philanthropic foundations and individuals who shared their vision and were willing to support their work financially.

Q: What was Jenifer's experience like when she left Code for America to work in the White House?

Jenifer initially had no intention of leaving Code for America but was persuaded by Todd Park, the CTO in the White House, to help run the Presidential Innovation Fellows Program. Although it was a difficult decision, she saw the opportunity to make a bigger impact and advocate for good technology within federal government.

Takeaways

Code for America started as a non-profit organization to bring technology and design professionals into government. They focused on delivering specific products and services to address pressing problems in areas such as health and human services, safety in justice, economic development, and communications. By leveraging competition, collaborations, and strategic partnerships, Code for America gained the trust of city governments and successfully raised funding. Additionally, Jenifer's temporary departure to work in the White House highlights the importance of seizing opportunities for greater impact and advocating for innovative solutions within government.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Code for America is a non-profit organization that works with local governments to improve public services through technology and innovation. It provides a service year program for technology professionals to work in government and focuses on areas such as health and human services, safety and justice, economic development, and communications and engagement.

• The organization helps governments adopt an iterative, data-driven approach to problem-solving and aims to create durable, lasting change in the public sector.

• Code for America has grown significantly and has expanded its impact through initiatives such as the Presidential Innovation Fellows Program and its own government market-focused accelerator program.