Recoding America

December 1, 2022

Former deputy chief technology officer of the United States and in that capacity founder of the United States Digital Service--a gathering of top technologists tasked with improving government operations--Pahlka also founded Code for America, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization aiming to help the public sector catch up with the private sector in its effective use of technology. Here she provides a blueprint for how that can be done. With a 60,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 27, 2023
Onerous government software is spooking millions out of legal, financial, and medical aid they’re entitled to, according to this impassioned debut from Pahlka, founder of the nonprofit Code for America. Contending that the government should think of people seeking social services as users on a platform, Pahlka calls on officials “to put the needs of government’s many users ahead of the needs of the bureaucracy,” and argues that such an overhaul would mean that unemployment checks get written sooner, Medicare works for both patients and doctors, and veterans stop feeling like they’ve been told “to go fuck themselves.” Instead of outsourcing the planning and building of these new administrative systems to private tech companies, Pahlka, who founded the United States Digital Service under the Obama administration, calls for the creation of government positions “charged with digital strategy and product management.” Though she admits that “increasing that government’s capacity to function in a digital world will be long, hard work,” Pahlka expresses optimism that decades of innovation by the private sector will help smooth the transition. Throughout, she enriches her lucid technical discussions with concise history lessons and vivid profiles of government employees pushing for reform. Comprehensive and persuasive, this call for change inspires.

April 14, 2023
When government bureaucracies screw up or bog down, most people simply chalk it up to old-fashioned ineptitude. Sometimes that's so, but as Pahlka points out in Recoding America, in today's digital age, the reasons are usually far more complicated. Pahlka, an information technology specialist who has worked with several governmental agencies, explains that as government programs have ballooned in size and complexity, they have grown increasingly reliant on IT. Unfortunately, as the decades have passed the demands on IT have far outpaced its modernization. Drawing from her personal experience in the field, Pahlka explains that many of the computer systems being used today were designed for the needs of decades ago, and that government agencies and workers are constantly scrambling to update systems. Also, politicians tend to create programs and agencies with little thought to the complexities of implementation. Pahlka clearly knows her subject well, and her analysis of the problems and possible solutions is thorough, indeed. However, the casual reader may find the deep dive of her approach difficult to navigate at times.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from April 15, 2023
The founder of Code for America digs into the pitfalls of government technology. Beginning with "I'm Just a Bill," an animated musical introduction to the American legislation system from Schoolhouse Rock!, Pahlka, the deputy chief technology officer during the Obama administration, delivers an eye-opening and accessible examination of why online interactions with government in America work--or, often, do not. The author provides numerous examples of failures, including a form for Veterans Affairs health insurance that only really worked on certain computers with certain versions of software; the development of healthcare.gov, where "the full set of rules governing the program they were supposed to administer wasn't finalized until the site was due to launch"; or an "application for food stamps that requires answering 212 separate questions." Through these and many other illustrative cases, Pahlka effectively shows that "when systems or organizations don't work the way you think they should, it is generally not because the people in them are stupid or evil. It is because they are operating according to structures and incentives that aren't obvious from the outside." Indeed, by tracing the requirements of any technology developed by or for the government, it becomes increasingly apparent that simply adding new laws or throwing money at the problems fails to alleviate the confusion or waste. Throughout this empowering book, the author makes compelling, clear arguments, revealing inefficiency, bureaucracy, and incompetence, whether it stems from legislators, administrators, or IT professionals. "The good news is that software and the US government have something very important in common: they are made by and for people," writes Pahlka. "In the end, we get to decide how they work." Anyone dealing with the implementation of technology in government should pay attention to the author's suggestions. An incredibly readable look at the fraught intersection of technological innovation and government bureaucracy.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2023

Pahlka (founder, Code for America) analyzes the gap between U.S. government technology requirements and implementation. The author argues that government technology failures, such as the infamous launch of healthcare.gov, are due to a number of factors and not solely the fault of the codebase. Often, systems are created to meet stringent regulations and inflexible requirements, which limits technologists' control over the final product. Many technology modernization mandates add new features without reworking the underlying code, which leads to a clunky user experience, adds to maintenance, and requires experienced staff to operate. Staff also lack the incentive to take risks and are constrained by legalistic thinking. The book looks at rules and the changes that caused the U.S. government to fall behind in technology innovation, where they previously had been pioneers. Pahlka uses case studies and interviews with public servants to illustrate the problems, offers recommendations for fixing the situation, and asks technologists to consider a career in public service. VERDICT A fascinating exploration of technology and policy in the U.S., which will likely resonate with public-sector technologists.--Rebekah Kati

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.