Tech's Role in Saving Government

David Walker, president of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and a former comptroller general of the United States, for years has been warning that the government’s inability to reduce the nation's debt and to control spending on programs such as Medicare and Social Security threaten the nation’s future. His solutions are varied, but he told an audience of government and industry technology managers attending the annual Executive Leadership Conference on Monday that they also involve technology. Some of his ideas:

--Provide key economic indicators on outcomes using Web 2.0 technologies that will inform policymakers and citizens “on areas that are doing well and those that are not doing so well. Get beyond the point of talking.”

--Encourage the public to engage in discussions and collaboration to find consensus on how the difficult solutions to reduce the debt, and make Medicare and Social Security solvent.

--Use technology to support the creation of supplemental individual accounts in addition to Social Security.

--A concerted effort to focus on setting realistic requirements based on an agency’s needs â€" not wants, not dreams â€" that are on time and on budget.

--Better align risk and reward, understanding that you cannot fully eliminate risks, rather look to mitigate them.

--Hire more civil servants who have knowledge and skills to manage cost, performance and schedules for projects that are outsourced.