Comments on: Removing the obstacles – getting government involved in the conversation http://sluggerotoole.com/2009/05/12/removing-the-obstacles-getting-government-involved-in-the-conversation/ Conversation, politics and stray insights Sun, 27 May 2012 03:59:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jean Baudrillard http://sluggerotoole.com/2009/05/12/removing-the-obstacles-getting-government-involved-in-the-conversation/comment-page-1/#comment-315550 Jean Baudrillard Fri, 15 May 2009 15:02:02 +0000 #comment-315550 I think key to all of this is the boring data management stuff that lies beneath most processes. Government (including councils) need to start thinking about getting all of their data up front and central (using XML). That way, we won't be restricted to what bored and untrained civil servants think we want to know. It's something the Obama adminstration looks like forcing on central government and should be the ultimate goal here. Imagine if you could get a live XML feed of departmental expenditure by area, tax revenue collected by area - and then mash it to Google Maps. Now *that* would help drive informed engagement.... I think key to all of this is the boring data management stuff that lies beneath most processes. Government (including councils) need to start thinking about getting all of their data up front and central (using XML).

That way, we won’t be restricted to what bored and untrained civil servants think we want to know.

It’s something the Obama adminstration looks like forcing on central government and should be the ultimate goal here.

Imagine if you could get a live XML feed of departmental expenditure by area, tax revenue collected by area – and then mash it to Google Maps.

Now *that* would help drive informed engagement….

]]> By: The Raven http://sluggerotoole.com/2009/05/12/removing-the-obstacles-getting-government-involved-in-the-conversation/comment-page-1/#comment-314735 The Raven Tue, 12 May 2009 22:37:11 +0000 #comment-314735 Mick, thanks for this. I enjoyed this post, the subsequent links, and the Wiki, which I hope to contribute to later. Too long has the public sector languished behind the rest of the world on this. Heartened that we haven't been flooded here with the usual brickbats reserved for the public sector. On their side, I have to say, I watch with amusement the horror on the faces of the senior managers when I suggest a more democratic approach to internet usage, even as a basic marketing tool. The internet as a tool for reaching young people in, say, consultation work, is much overlooked, and it is only a few brighter young sparks in local government who are starting to use it properly - and even then only sparingly. Anyway...nice post. Mick, thanks for this. I enjoyed this post, the subsequent links, and the Wiki, which I hope to contribute to later. Too long has the public sector languished behind the rest of the world on this.

Heartened that we haven’t been flooded here with the usual brickbats reserved for the public sector. On their side, I have to say, I watch with amusement the horror on the faces of the senior managers when I suggest a more democratic approach to internet usage, even as a basic marketing tool.

The internet as a tool for reaching young people in, say, consultation work, is much overlooked, and it is only a few brighter young sparks in local government who are starting to use it properly – and even then only sparingly.

Anyway…nice post.

]]> By: Ugly Bug http://sluggerotoole.com/2009/05/12/removing-the-obstacles-getting-government-involved-in-the-conversation/comment-page-1/#comment-314597 Ugly Bug Tue, 12 May 2009 18:25:56 +0000 #comment-314597 Is this for the people not wealthy or connected enough to gain entry to Common Purpose. I believe they have now set up in the US. "Common Purpose meeting has involved a White House official, communications director Ellen Moran, two sources familiar with the meeting said. It's aimed, said one, at 'providing a way for the White House to manage its relationships with some of these independent groups.' The group's founder, political consultant and former Gephardt aide Erik Smith, described it in general terms after others had confirmed its existence. 'The goal is to convene a group of people that identify the most effective progressive messages and to advance a progressive policy agenda,' said Smithhttp://www.prwatch.org/node/8328#comment-4089 Is this for the people not wealthy or connected enough to gain entry to Common Purpose.

I believe they have now set up in the US. “Common Purpose meeting has involved a White House official, communications director Ellen Moran, two sources familiar with the meeting said. It’s aimed, said one, at ‘providing a way for the White House to manage its relationships with some of these independent groups.’ The group’s founder, political consultant and former Gephardt aide Erik Smith, described it in general terms after others had confirmed its existence. ‘The goal is to convene a group of people that identify the most effective progressive messages and to advance a progressive policy agenda,’ said Smithhttp://www.prwatch.org/node/8328#comment-4089

]]> By: Tim Davies http://sluggerotoole.com/2009/05/12/removing-the-obstacles-getting-government-involved-in-the-conversation/comment-page-1/#comment-314577 Tim Davies Tue, 12 May 2009 16:42:42 +0000 #comment-314577 Hey Mick Thanks for the comments on the 50 hurdles. I see there are definitely two frameworks needed here: -One is the vision for conversational & participatory politics you mention above -And the other more mundane but essential one is the practical framework for letting that happen. I've been exploring what that practical framework might look like (hence the 50 hurdles post to start from the problem) - but I'm finding that without a clear articulated vision of why the hurdles are being removed any framework at this level risks becoming yet another obstacle to progress rather than an enabler of it. So I'm really looking forward to seeing the conversations that emerge from PI Camp with some of that first vision framework... Hey Mick

Thanks for the comments on the 50 hurdles.

I see there are definitely two frameworks needed here:

-One is the vision for conversational & participatory politics you mention above

-And the other more mundane but essential one is the practical framework for letting that happen.

I’ve been exploring what that practical framework might look like (hence the 50 hurdles post to start from the problem) – but I’m finding that without a clear articulated vision of why the hurdles are being removed any framework at this level risks becoming yet another obstacle to progress rather than an enabler of it. So I’m really looking forward to seeing the conversations that emerge from PI Camp with some of that first vision framework…

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