Microsoft: Why Open Governments Matter

Open GovernmentHow Transparency, Collaboration and Participation

can Improve Our Lives, Economy and Well-Being

Barry Libert, [email protected]

Rodrigo Becerra, [email protected]

Why We Care!

Agenda

• Portugal Today• Three Principles for Success• How to Get Started and Pitfalls to Avoid• Q&A Session

Part 1: Portugal Today

All Seemed Good, But…

Economy Eroded

Unemployment 10.6%Deficit 9.3% of GDP

20/27 member states currently exceeding EU’s 3% limit on budget deficits

Corruption Increased

Portugal Ranked 32/178 in terms of corruption (1 being extremely corrupt)

Source: Transparency International

Competitiveness Slipped

Portugal 46 out of 139 countries

Bureaucracy #1 Problem

Citizens Became Furious

Part 2: Portugal’s Future

Definition of an Open Nation

• Open (adjective): To render accessible to knowledge, enlightenment, fulfillment

• Nation (noun): A community of persons not constituting a state but bound by common

interests and passions

Tran

spar

ency

Colla

bora

tion

Parti

cipa

tion

Open Government

• Engage everyone• Seek Feedback• Continually improve

• Crowdsource innovation• Collaborate accros silo‘s• Reward results

• Make data available• Use Rich Media• Enable access

#1: Transparency

Eye on Earth

Benefits

• Develops public confidence in government• Improves the quality of public debate• Builds public participation and buy-in• Provides new insights and perspectives

#2: Collaborative

showusabetterway.com.uk

freeourdata.gov.uk

Benefits

• Creates platform for innovation• Enable others to achieve their goals• Improve efficiency• Yields collective wisdom

#3: Participatory

Miami 311.com…..Hey Gov!

Benefits

• Empowers citizens • Encourage participation and support• Redirects resources to most valued initiatives• Insures alignment with people’s desires

Part 3: How To Get Started

3 Steps to Getting Started

1. People: Start the conversation with your citizens in order to build a vibrant on-line to return to prosperity

2. Process: Run citizen-centric pilot programs where failure is an option and measure the results and impact

3. Technology: Use Web 2.0 technologies to create transparency, collaboration and participation

Step 1: People Start the Conversation and Build a Vibrant on Line Community

Step 2 : ProcessRun citizen-centric pilot programs where failure is an option and measure results

Step 3:TechnologyUse Web 2.0 to Promote Transparency, Collaboration and Participation

Stimulus360 Funds Management

3 Pitfalls

1. Avoid Exclusivity: Allow everyone to be a part of the solution, do not limit to technological elites or create barriers of entry

2. Know Your Goals: Be patient, help people achieve their objectives and remember change doesn’t happen over night

3. Be Flexible and Experiment: Be accepting of failure and embrace experimentation to achieve collaborative solutions

Not Just Leaders!

Pitfall 1: Avoid Exclusivity

Make & Sell Products

Create Communities

Crowd-source Innovation

Build Open Nation

Connectedness

Self Mastery

Full Potential

Basic Needs

Government Evolution Citizen Needs

Pitfall 2: Know Your Citizens Needs

Pitfall 3: Take Risks

Countries Can Achieve Full Potential!

Thank You!…

Barry Libert, [email protected]

Rodrigo Becerra, [email protected]