Without effective security practices, our achievements and innovations are easily lost, stolen, or misused.  There is only so much I can do from my organization.  The NASA community must take security considerations into account if NASA is going to maintain its technological and innovative edge, and to help ensure that NASA’s important work in furthering aeronautical and space research and technologies does not fall into the hands of others who may use it against our nation and our nation’s citizens.

The safety and security of NASA data is determined by actions taken, or in some cases not taken, every day by members of the NASA Community.  While you may consider it cliché, NASA truly is only as strong and secure as its weakest link.  During the month of October our focus is directed towards the important role day-to-day security practices play in securely enabling the NASA mission.  We aim to help everyone in our NASA community to become a stronger link in the security chain.  NASA kicks off cybersecurity awareness month with the NASA National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Training Event on October 3^rd at NASA Headquarters.  Throughout October, NASA will host a series of cybersecurity awareness activities at each Center.  These awareness events are designed to highlight cybersecurity roles and responsibilities, and provide the opportunity to ask cybersecurity professionals the IT security questions you have always wanted to ask (e.g., “You really expect me to remember 24 passwords, each with 12 unique characters, without writing them down.  Why/How?”). 

Understanding and implementing the fundamentals of cybersecurity is a critical component of our ongoing success.  I want to remind everyone in the NASA community to STOP – THINK – CONNECT, as NASA Leaps forward … in Cybersecurity.

Linda Cureton CIO, NASA

“Mobility” is not just about embracing the newest technology, but rather reflects a fundamental change in how, when, and where our citizens and employees work and interact. Mobile technology – the devices, infrastructure, and applications required to support a mobile citizenry and workforce – is a critical enabler of mobility, but is only part of the profound environmental shift that mobility represents.

Well, well, well … the IT Revolution is here.  Who knew?  Well, CIOs did, of course.  It really feels that way anyway. 

I was the accidental recipient of an email this week.  It was about me, but not intended for me.  Basically, the writer of the email said, “Can you believe it; she is trying to take over our meeting?”  Well, excuse the heck out of me for trying to help by offering my conference room.  It’s no surprise that a CareerBliss.Com survey reveals that this job is rated the worst. 

 But, it’s no time to whine about how hard the gig is.  It’s really time for CIOs to perhaps take on the same role as our founding fathers did during the infancy of our government.  It wasn’t easy back then, and it’s not easy now for CIOs to lead in times of change, stay focused on mission, and implement the right changes in their IT Governance to establish perfect unions. 

After the American Revolution, our government was basically in a big mess.  There was no money and threats were all around us – the unknowns of a western frontier, pirates threatening marine commerce, and an unhappy motherland back across the pond.  Furthermore, the citizens in the nascent country still wanted to feel the benefit of their new independence and the resources available were meager. 

Citizens back then, were concerned about having a government that was focused on its citizens and ensured that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” would maintain its strategic importance.  Having just recovered from the centralized rule of a monarchy, the notion of a federation that would “provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty” was now an absolute right. 

In the IT Revolution, we see the same things happening.  The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) craze, gives us IT citizens who want the freedom of accessing data with any device they want, anywhere they want, and any time they want it.  Furthermore, the cyber threats are increasing beyond anyone’s individual ability to provide a credible defense.  

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is asking its Federal CIOs to be the founding mothers and fathers of this IT Revolution in supporting a Digital Government Strategy, a cross-cutting Cybersecurity Strategy, and framing cost-saving strategies that leverage cloud computing and smart consolidation.  

Yes, the IT Revolution is here.  It calls for a new IT Governance that is of the end-users, by the end-users, and for the end-users.  It requires CIOs to lead with courage, emotional intellect, and political resolve to give the people they serve what they really want and need. 

Linda Cureton CIO, NASA

We mostly think of diversity and inclusion issues as it relates to people and organizations.  The benefit of thinking in this dimension comes from bringing in groups of people with a broad range of experiences, styles, and approaches to solve organizational problems in creative ways.  

The same applies to sourcing strategies for plugging in outside organizations with our own.  This is relevant to contracting, partnerships, and strategic alliances.  Sourcing strategies give us the opportunity to reflect on the strengths and challenges of our organizations and be intentional about what kind of outside company can provide the biggest advantage.  These successful strategies are key to building an organization that is constantly learning and organically innovative. 

Clayton Christensen in “Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” talks about the factors that affect an organization’s ability to be creative and innovative.  These three factors which “…affect what an organization can and cannot do [are] its resources, its process, and its values.”  He goes on to say that large companies usually reject promising opportunities because smaller companies are better positioned financially, culturally, and process-wise to pursue them.  

Many of us spend a lot of time bemoaning the fact that it is so difficult to innovate or leverage technology in government because of how we budget, procure, and bureaucratize.  But is it really that bad?  

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) put out an intriguing memo.  For those non-bureaucrats, we live and die by OMB memos – we even give them names and numbers.  It’s sort of like when your mother tells you to do something – always listen to your Mom.  This memo is commonly known as Mythbusters.  Here, myth #10 tells that tells us to that getting broad participation from a variety of vendors is good for us.  If we do this, we’ll grow up to be big and strong – Mom, uh… I mean OMB has a point here.  Here’s the fact: 

”The government loses when we limit ourselves to the companies we already work with. Instead, we need to look for opportunities to increase competition and ensure that all vendors, including small businesses, get fair consideration. “

Successful leaders will create an ecosystem where strategic partnerships exist in which each partner or vendor has an important role to play.  Consider a shipping analogy – after all, for those who know me, it’s all about cruising. 

Large ships tend to be slow and difficult to maneuver.  They are like agencies or large companies with entrenched cultural traditions and a heritage of processes.  These ships need the help of pilot boats or tug boats to help them maneuver tight channels or clear reefs in order to have a successful journey.  These smaller ships are like smaller agencies or small businesses that are able to go into places the big guys can’t fit and are nimble, quick, and flexible.  Finally, we have yachts and other small pleasure boats that can run circles around everyone – like the tender boats that ferry people back and forth to shore much more effectively and safely than the big guys can.  

Whether you’re a Harvard Business School professor, a Mom, or a frequent cruiser, the value of the variety and capabilities that we apply to sourcing work in organizations is a key to success.  

Linda Cureton, CIO, NASA

NASA’s Open Government Team saw a great turnout in citizens from around the world gathering for 48 hours to develop software code, technology, and solutions.  Teams from every continent gathered to solve challenges that were relevant to both space exploration and social need.   From 4/21-22, 2,083 collaborators from 111 organizations in 25 cities and 17 countries addressed 71 challenges.  They created 101 unique solutions in 48 hours with 50 submitted for global judging.

I had the pleasure of manning the San Francisco site.  It was unseasonably warm in SFO – a sweltering 85 degrees.  The coders consumed massive quantities of waffles, bagels, and pizza to fuel their passion for space and their strong desire to contribute to outcomes that improved life for all of us on this amazing blue marble.  Tech Shop, which gives the initial impression of a high school shop class, provided the perfect atmosphere for the makers and shakers.