Developing an Agile Federal Regulatory Process (In Progress)
When the Grand Challenges in Public Administration were announced in November 2019, the Academy established the Agile Government Center (AGC) in partnership with the IBM Center for the Business of Government. Agile government applies the lessons of agile software development to how public organizations are managed. The AGC's purpose is to serve as the hub of a network that brings together public agencies, nonprofits, foundations, academic institutions, and private sector partners to develop and promote agile government principles, develop case studies, and share effective practices. Over the past two years, this network has been a source of advice and guidance on how to use agile concepts to improve public service delivery, meet customer needs, and build public trust.
Expanding on a December 2020 white paper, Building an Agile Federal Government: A Call to Action, the Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust and the Project Management Institute have engaged the Academy to develop a white paper that seeks to determine how federal agencies can use agile principles and practices to create regulations more quickly, effectively, and equitably. The white paper will address the following questions:
What are the major issues and challenges with the current federal regulatory process that a more agile approach would help resolve?
What are the key principles and components of an agile federal regulatory process?
What are the issues and concerns about developing an agile regulatory process, and how should these be addressed?
To what topic areas is agile regulation most appropriately suited?
What steps should the Office of Management and Budget, the General Services Administration, and other such agencies take to authorize and promote an agile regulatory process?
Within the existing statutory framework, what are the most significant actions that the executive branch can take on its own to make the regulatory process more agile?  What are the most significant actions that would require approval from Congress?
Sponsor: Partnership
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Study Fellows
Michael Fitzpatrick
Suzanne Logan
Dan Sokolov
Anne Rung