Curiosity, with evidence.
Useful ideas deserve careful explanation. These are the standards behind the FastFWD journal.
Start with a real problem
Our subjects are the systems people rely on: public services, infrastructure, civic participation, and the use of shared resources. We explain how technology changes the work, including the cases in which organizational changes matter more than new software.
Make the evidence visible
We prefer original research, public records, official technical documentation, and accounts from the institutions responsible for a project. Sources appear beside the relevant claims and in a reading list at the end of each article.
A project operator can describe what a system does. Its own promotional account alone cannot establish an independent finding of impact. We identify the origin of claims and avoid presenting projected savings, participation counts, or vendor promises as verified public benefits.
Figures should have a date, a meaningful denominator, and a source. Calculations and hypothetical examples are identified as such. Where the available record leaves a question open, we say so.
Separate explanation from endorsement
A named product, project, or organization is an example, not an endorsement. A practical checklist is an editorial synthesis for thinking through a decision; it is not a certification, a procurement specification, or evidence that a particular implementation will succeed.
We do not invent reporting trips, interviews, authors’ qualifications, or first-hand testing. Historical accounts distinguish contemporary expectations from later documented outcomes.
Keep the publication independent
FastFWD is independent of the original Philadelphia accelerator and the organizations that supported it. Our history page provides context for readers following older links. We do not use past affiliations, press coverage, or funding as endorsements of this publication.
The journal currently carries no advertising, paid placements, sponsored articles, or affiliate links. We do not accept payment for favorable coverage or links.
Correct the record
Report a possible error to contact@fast-fwd.org. Include the article URL, the relevant text, and supporting documentation when available.
Substantive corrections will be explained in the affected article and accompanied by an update date. Minor spelling and formatting changes do not require a new publication date. An update does not silently erase a material error.
Respect a reader’s time
We write to resolve a question, not to reach a word count or repeat a search phrase. We publish a small library of enduring material and revisit it when the underlying evidence or practical guidance changes.
Publication bylines use the name FastFWD. Questions about the publication and its editorial decisions can be sent to the contact listed on our about page.