Pivots, badges, a new contributor, and bureaucratic ipsum

Hi All –

You may have noticed things changing around the blog recently – new logos, new pages, the bio of a new contributor – in short, I’m widening the tent, bringing people in, and trying to branch out into a couple of different things.

First, last week’s post (See: Big Data, Social Media, and the Long Tail of Public Policy) is a bit of a pivot in focus, expect me to spend more time writing about what public sector organizations can do with data in the near future.

Second, I’ve devised a badge that now adorns the site and much of my social media presence; it signals to others that you take your responsibilities as a professional and non-partisan public servant seriously online. Over the next few weeks I will create a widget and a crowd source a corresponding set of principles for those wishing to use the emblem on their own sites/social media outposts. In short, think of it as a practical, principles based, opt-in badge for those among us who want to engage online while ensuring we do so in a manner that preserves our professional integrity.

Third, I’ve invited Kent Aitken to join the blog as a full time contributor. I’d give you a long back story but quite frankly the reason I invited Kent to contribute is simple: he impresses me. I like the fact that he approaches things with a critical eye, that he is committed to thoughtful and respectful discourse, and quite frankly, that he gives off a really solid vibe. Kent’s first post drops this Friday in lieu of mine as I will be spending Friday recovering from day surgery (nothing serious, just some minor foot repairs). Kent and I still have to discuss a number of things, but suffice it to say we will be working towards an editorial calendar that likely has some empty spaces for those interested in contributing.

Well that’s it for me for now, look for Kent’s inaugural post on Friday. See you next week.

Oh, and I almost forgot, I threw together a bureaucratic ipsum generator with the help of a friend, enjoy.

— Nick