Managing Money, People, and Technology Course

Module 1: Strategies for Financial Management in the Federal Government

• Align budgets with mission, strategic plans, and GPRA/GPRAMA requirements through APPs and APRs; distinguish efficiency vs. effectiveness.
• Map the federal budget cycle (formulation, appropriations, execution) and analyze the mission→goals→outcomes→outputs→inputs→budget cascade (see diagrams on pp. 11–12).
• Analyze financial data with techniques like midyear reviews and year-end closeout; apply Antideficiency Act safeguards and required reporting.
• Strengthen accountability and transparency via internal controls (A-123), audits (financial/compliance/performance), KPIs (e.g., burn rate), and open-data/FDTA practices.

Module 2: Enhancing Management Through Technology

• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies (AI, blockchain, hybrid cloud, advanced data management/analytics), weighing opportunities and risks.
• Plan implementations around Federal IT Operating Plan priorities: cybersecurity, IT modernization, digital-first customer experience, and data as a strategic asset.
• Integrate tech with data culture, governance, infrastructure, visualization, and technical architecture; progress from “doing digital” to “being digital.”
• Apply cybersecurity best practices and Zero Trust principles (verify explicitly, least privilege, assume breach) against common attack vectors (phishing, malware, DDoS, SQL injection, credential attacks).

Module 3: Improving Systems for Financial, Human Capital, and Technology Management

• Assess current practices using the Federal Financial Management Maturity Model, OPM’s Human Capital Framework, and GAO’s 8 IT workforce planning steps.
• Define indicators/KPIs for efficiency and effectiveness (variance and cost analyses, productivity/turnover, burn rate) and monitor/report progress.
• Implement improvements: finance (transparency dashboards, automated reporting, ops-finance partnership, activity-based views), human capital (recruit/retain, training, mentoring/coaching), and technology (cyber, modernization, digital experience, FedRAMP/ICAM/RPA).
• Manage change with recognized models (Lewin, Kotter, ADKAR, McKinsey 7S, Bridges, Nudge, Kübler-Ross, Satir), supported by clear scope, stakeholder engagement, risk/metrics, and reinforcement.