"Just do it!", New Report Tells Government Execs about Web 2.0
In a recent report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, government executives are strongly urged not to ignore the use of Web 2.0 technologies in their agencies and to re-think the way they serve the public.
The report is targeted at executive and management-level readers in the U.S. government and provides a nice outline of Web 2.0 technologies, how they are being used, and how the government can and should be leveraging them. Information is conveyed in a non-intimidating but firm manner using terminology and concepts common to the government world.
In my opinion, lacking from the report seems to be a good strategy for self-motivating the government to adopt Web 2.0 practices. The government is not motivated by money in the same manner as businesses and therefore needs a realistic strategy for accepting risk as an acceptable part of innovation.
For much of the government, Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is substantially the driving force. Unfortunately, acting only on ideas that provide evidence of a sufficient level of effectiveness creates a polarity with innovation. Therefore, what motivation does government have for adopting the always-beta, rapidly changing, and open elements found in Web 2.0?
Government, especially on a national level, typically has measures in place to determine how well it is serving its purpose. Feedback is the profit/loss performance indicator of the government world (at least in the USA). While politics and power-mongering are also forces in the system, as an ordinary citizen, feedback is how we help the government measure its customer service.
The next time you use a government service, don't just accept poor service as being "good enough for government work". If you see improvements in a government service, don't just be surprised and say nothing. In a democracy, the government must hear from the public before it can respond. We are not limited to a little booth on election days to talk to the government. Every government survey, feedback form, comment card, and formal complaint is vote. Don't waste your opportunity to provide the government with the motivation they need to serve the public effectively.