With the possibility of a government shutdown a week away, I continue to receive questions from federal employees about how it may affect them.

While the White House and Congress work on a compromise to fund the government for the rest of the year, many federal programs will continue to be kicked around like political footballs, leaving your

Fred Dust is a partner at IDEO, a global design and innovation consulting firm that takes a human-centered approach to helping organizations innovate and grow.

This week's questions come from federal managers at the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Last week, President Obama released his proposed budget for 2012 as Congress struggles to reach consensus on funding government operations for the current fiscal year.