Moving to a read-write government

Moving to a read-write governmentopportunities for citizen engagement and Gov 2.0

Patrick McCormickManager Digital EngagementDepartment of Justice VictoriaMarch 9, 2010FutureGov Forum Hong Kong

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what I’d like to cover today…

some thinking

1. it’s the Internet, stupid

2. the emerging potential of Gov 2.0

some doing3. innovation in the Victorian Public Service

4. tinkering with the tools of Justice 2.0

don’t believe the hype?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8

but first…

1. it’s the Internet, stupid

what do we mean when we say Gov 2.0?

using the power of the Internet to• deepen democratic processes through scaled conversations• develop evidence based policy through robust consultation• tailor services to more closely align to citizen needs

• open, transparent, responsivegovernment processes to enableco-production including servicedelivery and policy development

• from read-only to read-write

what are ingredients of Gov 2.0?

3 types of expectations - Charlie Leadbeater

• I need – essential government services citizens rely upon• I want – discretionary services responding to ‘market’• I can – the capacity to self select, participate, co-produce

why now?• Internet 1.0 – low or no cost production and distribution• netizens 1.0 – surplus computing and doing capacity• web 2.0 - new tools, new behaviours, new expectations

but how did we get here?

the architecture of the Internet• a collection of public agreements and standards• vast repository of data, information, knowledge• disproving the Babel objection - Yochai Benkler

• ‘stupid network’ with intelligence at the edge - David Isenberg

‘the cathedral and the bazaar’ – Eric Raymond

it’s the Internet, stupid

compact yet immense, a ‘small world’• 10x growth adds ‘one hop’• growth is organic and ad hoc

power law distribution mostly below and above the mean•few with many links•many with few links

power law distributionmostly below and above mean• few with many links• many with few links

In Search of Jefferson’s Moose - David G. Post

2. the emerging potential of Government 2.0

meanwhile back in the public sector

the evolving architecture of government• 20th century administrative bureaucracy• new public management - performance• triple bottom line - shareholders and stakeholders• read-write co-productive, shared enterprise

read-onlyrigid, prescriptive, hierarchical

read-writeagile, principled, collaborative

increasing global interest in Gov 2.0

• Obama open government memo andwhole of government directive

• UK Power of Information Taskforcereport and new role

• Australia Gov 2.0 Taskforce report• APSC online engagement guidelines• Victoria Government response to

Parliamentary Inquiry into ImprovingAccess to PSI

• VPS innovation action plan

so what are the experts telling us?

• flipping default switch on sharing public sector information (PSI)• tap into wisdom of crowds - numbers, diversity trump expertise• adhere to architecture of Internet – UK PoIT• go to where people are online - act authentically to establish trust

?

“…data in some software from the 90s isalready inaccessible” – Larry Lessig “…with enough eyes all bugs are shallow”

– Eric Raymond

a very different SOE for government

• see for yourself nature of Internet - Yochai Benkler

• 1% rule (1:10:89) of co-production• self-selection and meritocracy• ‘mechanism of challenge’• reputational authority and social capital• Internet anthropology

– trolls: do not feed the serial complainers– sock puppets: inauthentic representation– social norms: threads, double posting, spam

the emerging potential of Gov 2.0

a new approach• share (not cede) power, when and where appropriate• maintain authority in old and new models• government as a platform, providing a citizen SDK

key components• culture of experimentation and collaboration• open access to public sector data and information• leadership and opportunities for co-production• authenticity, uncertainty and contestability

3. innovation in the Victorian Public Service

action oriented leadership to foster culture ofinnovation across Victorian Government

signed by every Department Head

11 initiatives across 4 areas:

1. Creating connections betweenpeople, ideas and opportunities

2. Building innovation capability

3. Stimulating innovation andrewarding good practice

4. Sharing information and data

VPS Hub open for cross boundary collaboration• Innovation Zone staff lodge problems and seek solutions across VPS• Innovation Toolbox collection of resources and best practice guides• Innovation Challenge new ideas to address public policy challenges

• Micro Challenge save $1M through easy to implement small projects

sharing PSI externally to engage public, sparkinnovation and enable co-production

asking the crowd and rewarding value creationwith incentives and recognition

4. tinkering with the tools of Justice 2.0

supporting a culture of collaboration internally

• Justice portfolio employsover 21,000 staff

• police and prosecution,courts, prison andcorrections services,tribunals and agenciesprotecting citizen rights,emergency services, racingand gaming policy and legaladvice to government

• about 90,000 volunteersacross Country FireAuthority, LifesavingVictoria, Victoria StateEmergency Service andOffice of the PublicAdvocate

using social media externally to support existing role incommunity and establish trusted, authentic presencewithin new channels

sharing information to reduce costs, build trustand confirm public safety objectives

using social media to target alcohol fueled violenceby encouraging user input and content creation

seeking citizen support for emergency volunteersVital. Valued. Victorians.

going where people are online and tappinginto the (social) network effect…

9,300 fans x average 150 friends = 1,209,000 people

because people want to help and can play arole that government is well placed to facilitate

going where people are also means being mobile andproviding tools that enable citizens to helpthemselves and their neighbors

sharing emergency information in timely, convenientformat extends frontline response to community

geospatial data combined with location aware smartphones deliver powerful tools to the hands of citizens

Moving to a read-write governmentin summary…

some thinking1. a read-write world brought to you by the Internet2. approaches to Gov 2.0 are coming into focus

some doing3. VPS innovation building Gov 2.0 from inside out4. practical needs shape Justice 2.0 initiatives

Thanks! Patrick McCormickpat.mccormick@justice.vic.gov.au+61 4 3293 6733twitter: @solutist

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