I don’t dream of labor, but if I did, working for 18F would have been a dream job. Their work raised the bar for what citizens can and should expect from government technology. They saved taxpayers billions of dollars. And, thanks to their open-first philosophy, their contributions to the disciplines of human-centered design and software development are immeasurable.
The concept of “running government like a business” is deeply flawed, because it misunderstands the purpose of both. But, in terms of efficiency, excellence, impact, and value, it would be hard to beat the 18F model.
I hope those impacted quickly find new opportunities, and I invite you to join me in demanding that that our elected officials immediately address the outrageous circumstances that led to 18F’s closure. We all deserve better.