Last week, I put a few thoughts together regarding the newly published Digital Government Strategy. Imagine my surprise when I received a Tweet from Mr. Macon Phillips, White House Director of New Media. Mr. Phillips asked me about my thoughts on a new program called the Presidential Innovation Fellows – MyGov. I have to admit,Read… Read more »
While the pressure to maintain transparent operations is an issue facing all levels of government, one challenge that is especially pressing for local governments is taking big data out of open data, making information more readily accessible to average citizens. Presenting data in a meaningful way is the goal of Open Tucson, an independent non-profitRead… Read more »
Citizen feedback is essential to a healthy democracy. But holding in-person meetings can be expensive, time-consuming, and often don’t capture representative feedback. For many residents — such as those who work hours other than 9-to-5 — the two+ hours required to attend a community meeting in person can be a significant barrier to participation. AfterRead… Read more »
The connected bureaucrat faces many challenges and pitfalls in a world where what you say on Twitter, Facebook or just about any social network becomes part of the public record. As more and more public servants begin to use social networking, it is important to begin defining boundaries and addressing the life of the bureaucratRead… Read more »
This week I am the guest on #GovChat, a Canadian operated weekly Twitter chat through PSLeader, featuring high profile public service and thought leaders from around the world. The chat starts at 10:00AM today for Aussie east coasters, 9:30AM in the middle and at 8:00AM if you’re in the west. For participants around the world:Read… Read more »
Even as an external consultant, every year I very much anticipate the Clerk’s Annual Report. It’s usually full of solid guidance quotes and it gives a good sense of some of the challenges faced in the prior year (albeit carefully written). This year, my favourite excerpts are as follows: “…the traditional relationship between government andRead… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently proposed a new policy that could provide a roadmap to increase telemedicine adoption should it be implemented across the healthcare community. According to an article in InformationWeek, the VA is looking to eliminate copayments for veterans that utilize telemedicine for doctor’s visits. The policy is designed to drive moreRead… Read more »
Social Connect via: I recently attended a presentation on a research report about public consultation completed by the Canada School of Public Service: http://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/Participation_Publique_/_Public_Engagement (internal to GOC). The results of the research project are very interesting and I would be happy to share the results with anyone who is interested. I don’t have the answersRead… Read more »
This post has been updated to include Dan Chenok’s contribution Gadi Ben-Yehuda Big Apps Contest Yields New Tools for Residents. The third Big Apps Contest winners were announced last week, and this infographic tells the story of the apps that were submitted. The overall winner of the contest was an app called NYCFacets, which seeksRead… Read more »
One of the biggest concerns agencies have when considering social media engagement is how they handle negative comments from participants – ranging from abuse and bullying through to criticism of agencies and party politicking. Of course these kinds of conversations may already be going on about an organisation online – through forums, blogs, social networksRead… Read more »