Ariel Silbert Mandell Judges Info Challenge 2023 On March 4, 2023, I headed out to University of Maryland College Park (UMD) to judge teams of students for Info Challenge 2023 (IC23). The goal of IC23 is to give students of all backgrounds an opportunity to solve complex problems by leveraging their analytical skills and creative… Continue Reading ITC in the Community
I promised that when I started out writing this series, I didn’t mean to make the consideration review so long. I really am excited about the innovative possibilities of AI. ITC makes use of AI internally and for our customers. I do hope that this transformation and the innovative pace continue at the level it… Continue Reading ChatGPT | Hype or Here to Stay? (Part 4 of 4)
There are some things that do worry me and it’s not the hype around taking jobs away (really those in danger are ones that are always in danger – Buzzfeed writers notwithstanding). Some of it comes from me testing out the platform, some from reading others, and some just inherent in all AI. Let’s dig… Continue Reading ChatGPT | Hype or Here to Stay? (Part 3 of 4)
ChatGPT is already moving us all towards transforming how we think about work, automation, and content generation. 100 million users in five days! People are integrating the ChatGPT API with other APIs and developing novel use cases. Innovation is taking place (this is amazing!). Google, which was the driving force behind generative AI with their… Continue Reading ChatGPT | Hype or Here to Stay? (Part 2 of 4)
What an exciting time to work in computing and artificial intelligence with transformative technologies focused on artificial intelligence working their way into the mainstream – from Generative Transformation models to stable diffusion to deep learning – all are in the forefront of media and casual conversation. Loaded promises like “increased productivity”, “saving time”, “automation of… Continue Reading ChatGPT | Hype or Here to Stay? (Part 1)
Does ITC block Tik Tok | The short answer is – yes. I was asked by a fellow employee if our IT network blocked TikTok because she had read a recent article about the Federal/State governments and university bans. The underlying issue is data collection and the lack of privacy safeguards, lack of media regulation,… Continue Reading Data Privacy in a TikTok World
This year, four ITC employees set out to Las Vegas to attend AWS re:Invent – an opportunity for tech workers of all stripes to meet and be inspired by cloud technology, new applications, and the experiences of our peers. We were lucky enough to spend time in Vegas learning, networking, and enjoying ourselves – all… Continue Reading ITC Goes to AWS re:Invent 2022
With data powering more and more decision-making, questions around the collection and use of data in the public and private sectors abound. While data may seem like the best basis for objectivity due to its quantitative nature, data still appears to be harmful, inaccurate, and biased. Data bias can skew conclusions built on data insights,… Continue Reading The Issue with Data
Scrum is one of the most common Agile frameworks used today. Agile is the continuous testing and development through the lifecycle of a project to deliver incrementally in lockstep with customer requirements and changes to improve satisfaction. So, what is Scrum? Scrum teams break their work down into small time periods and tasks called sprints.… Continue Reading My Journey to Becoming a Scrum Master
Innovation starts with culture. Accessibility is a part of innovation and culture. Accessibility simply means that goods and services are attainable for all. Accessibility is the key to a normal life and work experience for those with disabilities. Accessibility is the cornerstone for diversity, inclusion, and profitability. Accessibility is also a legal necessity – not… Continue Reading How to Make Accessibility Part of Workplace Culture
As federal clients continue to wrestle with inherent challenges in traditional waterfall development — lengthy delivery, inflexibility, backlogged security elements, and limited opportunities for further automation — more agencies are turning towards embracing DevSecOps development. In particular, cybersecurity can and should evolve toward continuous risk management framework (RMF) delivery such as continuous authority to operate… Continue Reading 4 Steps for Implementing Continuous ATO: A Guide for Achieving Success with Innovation
Authority to Operate (ATO) is an essential part of the Risk Management Framework, which is necessary to: Certify that a system’s hardware, software, and connections are well established Justify the software has clear purpose or use for the organization, and that the benefits of adopting the system outweigh the risks. Traditionally, as shown in “How… Continue Reading How Achieving Continuous ATO Can Elevate the Production Environment
Government operations require tight security protocols. While these protocols protect agencies from malicious attacks and poorly performing products, they delay new software systems from reaching the production environment. This can lead to employee frustration, wasted investments on unapproved software, and more. Traditional ATO Processes (and Their Pitfalls) ATO is an essential part of the Risk… Continue Reading How Manual ATO Processes Can Limit Digitization and Innovation
Many organizations struggle with having a full and “on time” understanding of their workforce engagement and needs. Without this understanding, organizations risk losing high-performing personnel, hiring the wrong people, fostering toxic workplace dynamics, and underperforming. Luckily, many government organizations’ human resources (HR) offices issue workforce engagement surveys, wherein a large portion of the organizations’ employees… Continue Reading How NLP Analysis of Workforce Engagement Surveys Can Boost HR Strategy
Recent years have been transformative for the IT industry, as technology infuses the foundational and practical processes of applying automation, analytics, and artificial intelligence to support organizations to standardize, optimize and innovate. At IT Concepts (ITC), we have the privilege of working with customers who are incorporating cutting-edge technologies like AI and RPA automation into their workflow, improving the way they conduct business. One area of technological innovation we’ve recently seen… Continue Reading IT Concepts Prepares for Digital Twin Transformation
In a Government-wide Multiple Award IDIQ contract vehicle, a vehicle is created for use across the Government, with an intended use of purchasing goods or services to support the procuring customer’s mission while reducing costs and streamlining administrative requirements. The Government takes advantage of streamlining defined acquisition and administrative requirements, as well as benefiting from… Continue Reading IT Concepts’ Government-wide, Multiple Award IDIQ Contract Portfolio; and a Discussion on BIC Designations and Category Management
When I started writing this post, I thought it would be easiest to start by organizing my thoughts in my trusty ITC notepad. I wanted to avoid saying why I personally think it’s the best place to work, so instead I began writing down all the great things I have heard from ITC employees over… Continue Reading Top Ten Reasons Why ITC is the Best Place to Work
The world has already accepted many of the concepts behind digital currencies although not in widespread general use beyond simple transactions. While large challenges exist for the commercial and financial sectors, full acceptance and integration into the world economy is inevitable. While Bitcoin began essentially as a “protest” and was founded as a way to… Continue Reading Is the World Ready for Digital Currencies?