Note: I’m live-blogging today’s sessions at the Gov2.0 L.A. City Camp. Our twitter hashtag is #gov20la, and since I’m live-blogging this post is incomplete. Please check back next week for the edited version with more links, plus video, audio, etc.
This post references the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government 2.0 Research Survey. If you haven’t taken it yet, it’s topical, helpful and anonymous. Link at the end of the post.
Antonio M. Oftelie is a speaker-facilitator in the three-member panel that is our second session of the day. Antonio works with the Leadership for a Networked World Program (LNW) at Harvard Kennedy School where he produces research on innovation in policy and technology and teaches cases on leadership and strategic management. He’s joined by Adrian Farley of the State of California and Lewis Shepherd of Microsoft. Adrian Farley is the Chief Deputy Director for Policy and Program Management for the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Lewis Shepherd is the Director of the Microsoft Institute for Advanced Technology in Governments.
Antonio, as did Cory, starts with a history lesson in US government innovation from the Civil War — the Spencer (repeating) Rifle that would give the Union troops a 7 to 1 advantage over Confederate troops. The Union bureaucracy rejected it. The inventor, Spencer, didn’t give up, started doing a show and tell around the edges. Visited U.S. Grant and gave Grant’s soldiers some rifles to try out, finally was able to demonstrate the new technology to Abraham Lincoln. Finally, rifles were introduced and they made a difference in battle.
Some lessons for us:
- How do we pitch new technologies and innovations?
- Are we smart when we explain the benefits?
- Understanding when and how to go around the usual channels of authority.
- Obtaining executive sponsorship.
What citizens want from government:
- Transparency
- Equity
- Effectiveness
- Efficiency
New models of work are
- Remote
- Self-service
- Outsourced
How are we going to solve the Gov2.0 challenges/barriers to successful innovation and change?
Changes involve the realignment of boundaries, hierarchies of authority, rules, and one-to-one handoffs of data.
Antonio presents results of the recent Harvard survey taken by many participants at the conference. If you haven’t taken it yet, here’s the link.
Robin,
This is great – thanks!!
In particular – these questions/statements:
Are we smart when we explain the benefits?
Understanding when and how to go around the usual channels of authority.
I think these are key elements to the uptake and subsequent success of any new initiatives and approaches gov will take.
Great start – look forward to more from today!!
@mjmclean
Thanks, Martha! Will post others as soon as I can.