Mapping the Social Media Response in Japan

The geodata masters over at ESRI have created some excellent live data mash-ups map of Japan that visualize information compiled from personal social media accounts. Warning, it takes a few seconds to load the info and you must have Silverlight installed (but it is worth it).

Social Media Map

http://www.esri.com/services/disaster-response/japan-earthquake-tsunami-2011-map/index.html

This map shows content related to the disaster posted on social media sites. It includes posts from Youtube, Flickr, Twitter and Ushahidi (a tool that allows anyone to report incidents via SMS, e-mail or the web). It has a very visual impact with the raw data posted by citizens and government alike.

Trends Map

http://www.esri.com/services/disaster-response/japan-earthquake-tsunami-2011-map/trends-map.html

According to ESRI, this one “uses trend analysis to visualize community reports related to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.” It is a visual constructed by those who are in the zone of impact and still needing help. The map includes geographic points posted wherever someone posts a message requesting help or info or offering help or info. These messages include things like shelter information, transportation routes, power outages, etc. But it also documents postings from individuals – stores are posting a general summary of the supplies they have available, etc. Go to fullscreen view for the maximum impact.

As of Monday (3/21) afternoon, there were over 2300 such postings available for viewing on these maps. This is an excellent visualization of the collective crowdsourcing power of social media. Not only does it help first responders and emergency planners focus their efforts with more eyes and ears in the thick of it, it also shows how social media is used to connect people-to-people, with or without emergency management coordination.

If you want to know more about the technology behind the mashup, you can read the news release from ESRI.

There was also a recent article on Mashable that highlights the other crucial role that social media has played in the recovery efforts in Japan.

Because internet access has been mostly unaffected by the disaster, social media has been a lifeline for reconnecting families. In fact, on March 14th, the US Embassy actually sent a message to US citizens in Japan encouraging them to use social media to stay in contact with family outside the country: “While we understand that there have been disruptions in communications in Japan, including the interruption of internet and mobile telephone service, we encourage you to continue your efforts to be in contact with your loved one(s) using SMS texting and other social media (e.g., FaceBook, My Space,Twitter, etc) that your loved one(s) may use.”

Score one for ESRI and score another one for social media legitimacy in government!

Dec 6 2010

Desperate Times Call For…Lying?

In these tough economic times, it is inevitable that people get creative, looking for income. Perhaps no where is that more evident than the cold calls and contacts from sales reps from technology companies. I get dozens of generic emails every day from every tech vendor imaginable, desperately wanting me to invest money I don’t have into their newest products. Generally, I ignore them. If I don’t already know about the company or have a relationship with them, chances are slim that I’ve got any extra capital lying around to spend these days. Within this economy we are primarily in a hunker-down maintenance mode.

This week I received an innovative ploy that simultaneously amused and annoyed me. The following arrived recently in my Inbox (names withheld to protect the guilty):

Bill:

Considering your responsibilities for XXXX and its employee’s, the following warrants your attention.

Over the past few months there’s been a significant spike in research from your employee’s researching XXX web conferencing solutions. Overall the research relates to the advancement of their ability to communicate, either internally or with customers. Being that communications is the backbone of success with any company, as well as the rise or fall of your expenses, I felt your attention was required.

Are you available next week for the two of us to discuss the above and architect the most comprehensive and collective approach to your communication methodologies?

Regards,

XXXX

My first thought was “Wow, why are we researching web conferencing solutions? ” We’ve got videoconferencing equipment less than two-years old and several contracts for on-demand services. Why would we possibly be looking to expand that in the current economic climate? And thirdly, as our organization’s head geek, wouldn’t I need to approve (or at least be informed of) such research? I contacted my project management coordinator and asked him if he knew anything about this research project. His response – “no, but I bet I got the same email you did.” And there it was. The bogus email ploy had grabbed me! Check, please!

I quickly drafted a reply in kind:

Dear XXXX,

Considering your desperate hopes of landing a new client through veiled and bogus emails, the following warrants your attention.

Over the past few months there’s been a significant spike in spam emails I have received from slackers such as yourself who are too lazy or perhaps too unskilled to actually attract new clients through a worthy product or dare I say…a little bit of actual effort. Overall the emails indicate deficiency in your ability to communicate, either internally or with customers. Being that communications is the backbone of success with any company, as well as the rise or fall of your revenue, I felt your attention was required.

Alas I am not available next week for the two of us to discuss the above and architect the most comprehensive and collective approach to my communication methodologies. However, since I am connected to your boss on LinkedIn and I have contacted him to tell him how utterly disgusted I am with your tactics, I would imagine that a conversation with me is not at the top of your priority list at this time.

I hope you have a great day!

Love,

Bill

Okay, no, I didn’t really send it. But I really, really wanted to! I succumbed to professionalism and opted instead to post here. Of course, for all I know, he’s actually a lurker here on the blog. If so, welcome to my world XXXX! Please stay a while and contemplate how your lost customers regard your tactics!

What about you? Anybody else out there ever fallen victim to a particularly devious sales ploy?

Nov 2 2010

Turning a New Twitter Leaf

It’s time to reveal my great Twitter experiment! Okay, well maybe it’s not grand enough to be classified as “Great”, but it is mine, and it is an experiment. For a few years now, I have tried to remain faithful to a strict business-only code on my Twitter account; no talking about anything other than IT nerdiness and Government 2.0. I kept my other pursuits, such as DIY, writing and music exclusive to my Facebook site or here on the blog.

These last few weeks have seen an intersection of my interests. If you read this blog with any regularity, you’ll know I’ve recently completed my first novel. As I travel down the highway seeking a literary agent to represent my work, I have begun following authors, publishers and other aspiring writers via Twitter. These are folks in the genre and the industry, the ones I want and need to learn from. Just as I’ve surrounded my online self with the goverati who walk the govt 2.o walk, I want to do the same with my writing circle of expertise. The combination has created a very interesting stream of posts that fly across my twitfeed. And now I find myself fighting stronger and stronger urges to post (gasp!) non techie posts on twitter! No…I musn’t! I might lose a follower or a dozen or 100. I can’t let that happen…can I?

Sure I can! My twitter feed is mine, all mine. If it doesn’t work for me, who does it work for? Many moons ago, I did a post on why Twitter held value for me as a techie 2.0 govie. But it doesn’t matter what subject you want to review as long as you get the right kind of symbiotic audience to fit your needs.

Yesterday I had a great time talking to a New Media class at Syracuse University about social media use in government. I reminded them (and myself) that social media is SOCIAL and MEDIA. It is a conversation at a cocktail party, not a lecture hall. You mingle, you find common interests and forge new relationships.

So that is exactly what I am going to do. Don’t cry Government 2.0, I am not giving up on us, I just don’t want these boundaries keeping us so exclusive. It’s not you, really, it’s me. I want a more open relationship. I want to be able to see other topics. We’ll still be friends, I promise.

So to my “old” government 2.0 friends, I’m still here and still full-on geeked out. Bear with my seemingly random non-2.0 posts if you can. If not, I’ll understand your stealthy “unfollow” with no hard feelings at all.

To my “new” writing friends, hopefully you’ll accept a noob among your ranks. I look forward to connecting with you all via new channels about our common topics and struggles.

As of this publishing, I am the proud recipient of 387 followers. In a month or so, I’ll follow this post up with an update and a review of my great experiment! I would really appreciate any candid feedback, positive or negative on this one, so send me your two cents below!

Oct 5 2010

Vicarious Tech Thrills for Us Poor People

As we all tighten the belts these days (and not because we’re working out more), I thought it would be fun to share this site I stumbled upon recently. Unboxing is a site that features actual live video and still shots of the latest tech products being opened for the first time.

With a tagline of “vicarious thrills from opening new gear”, this site does not disappoint (well except for the fact that it is someone else opening their new gear instead of you opening yours).

So the next time you are jonesing for an iPad or a Kindle or the TiVo Slide Bluetooth remote control and you are as cash-strapped as a church mouse, head on over to Unboxing for some of those vicarious thrills – but be warned, your computer warranty most definitely does not cover damages caused by drool.

Jun 10 2010

This Week’s 2.0 Company Happenings: The Good, The Bad and The What?

I don’t normally spend much time focusing on the corporate structure behind the tentpole companies of today’s social media movement. But the recent announcements from Linden Labs and Twitter both seemed to be worth a little review, particularly from the Government perspective.

First – The What?

This week Twitter announced that they are “looking for an experienced, entrepreneurial person to make Twitter better for policymakers, political organizations, and government officials and agencies.” The position is intended to be housed in Washington, DC and apparently is supposed to focus on being a liaison between all areas of Twitter as a company…and all areas of government. According to the announcement, “responsibilities will include:

Provide excellent support of government and political use of Twitter.
Advocate for government and political users within Twitter.
Increase political use of Twitter.
Develop best practices and other educational material.
Do outreach to better understand government needs.”

Wow – good luck with that! That’s a pretty tall order. In my observation, there are dozens of PR and communication firms inside and outside the beltway who focus on each of those bullets individually already. And what about the rest of us who don’t operate in DC? Local governments and state governments have proven that Twitter use can be an integral part of our communications and outreach strategy, but our support needs are very different than those on the federal level. And the politicians too? Very, very different needs. Truth be told, this probably would’ve been more effective if it had been in place a couple years ago when tweeting first started. I know it would’ve saved a lot of us govies the trouble of trying to figure it out ourselves. But now it seems a little late since so many govts are already doing it, and doing it well I might add.

Don’t get me wrong, I applaud Twitter for looking at us in government with enough interest to appoint somebody to liaison with us. But that job described above, in today’s 2.0 environment, is going to be hard to do as a one-person show in my opinion. So far, from one what I’ve review online, most of the people who’ve thrown their hat in the ring are not actually in government. Even so, some of the nominations are certainly worth reviewing. I hope that whomever they select doesn’t stay inside the beltway all the time. Don’t forget the 50 states and the hundreds of counties and cities out here who are also being innovative and would welcome an opportunity for a little face time as well!

We shall see what happens…

Second – The Bad?

This week also brought what most are considering to be bad news to the 2.0 realm. Linden Labs announced “a strategic restructuring to increase focus on the company’s consumer business including investments intended to enhance ease of use and participation in its virtual goods marketplace through browser-based and mobile applications.” Unfortunately, that also translates to a cut of about 30% of their workforce, including our government liaison. This comes on the heels of the recent release of their drastically redesigned client interface, which has had consistently mixed reviews from the user community. Additionally, the prices for Linden land are steep, which makes it difficult for governments to participate in SecondLife, particularly when they are much less expensive alternatives available. Is this a downward spiral for Linden Labs when it comes to government? IMHO, this is still TBD.

On a positive note, the news release also promises a stronger focus on the company’s primary long-term goal: “to create a browser-based virtual world experience, eliminating the need to download software.” This could potential be a huge step forward in the government sector. Information security concerns and the steep learning curve have made it difficult for many organizations to get in-world long enough to see the infinite possibilities available. Technologically speaking, this is becoming much closer to a reality and if LL truly does focus on this goal, it could mean a second (larger) wave of acceptance and popularity as tool, both in general and specifically in government. So, as with the Head Gov Twit appointment above, I am conflicted and will have to wait and see…

Third – The Good!

And finally, the last job related note from me this week. This one, although it has received much less fanfare and notoriety than the first two above, is nonetheless to me the most positive. AmericaSpeaks.org has posted a help wanted ad for a newly-created position called Director of Online Engagement & Participation. According to Susanna Haas Lyons from America Speaks, “the position is unique in the way that it draws on three distinct skill sets – digital tools, business development, and citizen participation – and correspondingly offers a leading opportunity to advance the voice of citizens in governance while changing the way agencies at all levels of government use technology to achieve their mandate.” Social media as a platform and citizen participation as a focus? Now that is truly an innovative opportunity. The person in this spot is going to have all kinds of fun with the tools and the practice of engagement!

Also this week, the Big Apple posted a new job – Chief Digital Officer. The new position is designed to “develop forward-thinking policies on social media, digital communications, Web 2.0 initiatives and other tools to better serve the public.” Very similar to the America Speaks position in some ways, albeit more focused on the NYC’s well-publicized digital channels.

If you’ve got the tech chops and the communications experience, I’d suggest you toss your hat in the ring early ’cause my guess is that both of these are going to be very busy! Meanwhile, I will be over here festering in jealously, waiting to hear more about the lucky souls who gets to fill those spots.

Apr 22 2010

You’re Doing It Wrong!

This is what showed up in the after-hours bookdrop at one of our branch libraries this week. You have to admire the misguided persistence it must’ve taken to squeeze this into the book slot. According to the Library Director, they’ve had animals (WTH?), clothing, and even houseplants put in bookdrops before, but this is the first time it was mistaken for a computer recycling center!

Apr 21 2010

Not Bad for an English Major!

Public CIO Magazine, April/May 2010 Issue

Yours truly was fortunate enough to grace the print cover of the April/May issue of Public CIO magazine. Can’t help it, I gotta brag just a little bit! But come on, this is billgreeves.com, what’d you expect? : ) The cover shot came from a photo shoot done for a really interesting article about how CIOs in the public and private sector are being recognized for their general leadership capabilities. The basic point is that organizations are starting to realize that effective Chief Information Officers (i.e. the ones who can communicate well to multiple audiences) can also be effective leaders in general, regardless of the department or project that he or she is tasked with managing. Although CIO is not in my job title, I do have CIOish responsibilities and I’d say I am considered the de facto CIO for our organization. Since October of 2009, I have had the distinct pleasure and honor of managing Roanoke County’s Emergency Communications Center in addition to the Information Technology Department. It has brought with it a fair share of challenges and rewards, but to date, I have not a single regret about the opportunity. You can read the full article in the PDF version of Public CIO magazine.

Jan 22 2010

Colorado Takes a Closer Look At the Cloud

On Wednesday, Jan 20th, the organization behind the Colorado state web portal issued an RFP “for web-based Collaboration, Office Productivity and Email functionality through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model.” According to the state web portal, the Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) was created …to provide efficient and effective services for citizens through the use of modern business practices and innovative technology solutions. In an accompanying press release issued by SIPA, the organization believes that the move will save the state a considerable amount of constituent dough because it will enable them “to synchronize private sector capabilities with the needs of governments for foundational IT services”.

The news release also references a 2009 study done by Forrester that claims that the average cost for an on-premise email is $16-$25 per month per user, depending on the size of the organization. I don’t know about you, but that it a might bit steeper than the cost here in my organization. And judging from the chatter on my listservs today, my lower cost estimate seems to be more commonplace, at least here at the local level. That being said, email and the collaboration tools we use are not exactly cheap. For those of us running Exchange, Groupwise, LotusNotes and the like, we are facing constantly increasing maintenance fees and ongoing personnel costs to fuel these beasts, so the appeal is certainly there. As one of my astute peers said today in an email: “We are considering moving to a hosted environment for e-mail, but we are doing it for survival, not savings.” Many of us are entering the second or even third year of gouging budget cuts. Our bottom line keeps getting lower but our colleagues in the organization seek technology to automate their labor and cost intensive process to meet their own reduced target. Something has gotta give here peeps!

Enter SaaS, or more specifically enter a serious conversation and consideration of that cloud stuff. Colorado’s RFP is a strong indicator for us in the public sector. When a tech-savvy and incredibly diverse organization like that can show a formal interest in the cloud, the times they are a changin’! Of course Colorado is not the first to head down this path to take a look. Back in October of 2009 the City of Los Angeles blazed a contentious and widely publicized path when they committed to replacing their aging Novell Groupwise system with Google Apps…in the cloud. Just this week LA confirmed their progress on this front, undeterred by the recent China-based attacks on Google’s infrastructure. That’s 30,000 accounts folks…starting at the end of March. And LA is not alone. Orlando has already made the move along with smaller governments such as Macon and Canton, GA. And Washington DC made the move before their CTO moved to his new federal CIO post.

To me, this progress shows us in the public sector that SaaS as a viable cost savings effort has got some sturdy legs to it. The concept of moving to the cloud has gone from “trendsetting” to “costsaving” and this is a move that I think all of us in the public sector can get behind these days!

Feb 2 2009

Incorporating Web2.0 in Your Organization Part 1 – MIX IT UP!

Recently I’ve talked a lot about the value and definition of Web2.0. If you’re taking the time to read this stuff, you probably realize that there is some chicken nugget of wisdom out there amongst those of us who are out here talking it up. So presuming you’ve made that value connection to your own organization, the next obvious step is how to make it happen. I’ve got some thoughts on that based on personal experience and comparing notes with other Munigovers.

Making 2.0 commonplace is a multi-step process that includes getting the right group together, getting a plan and a policy polished up and then selling that plan to the higher-ups and final signer-offers in your workplace. Think of it as the recipe for grandma’s chocolate cake or her apple pie or her falafels or whatever floats your taste buds’ boat! The point is – although it is not an exact science, it takes the right stuff, mixed together in the right way, with the right presentation for full effect. For this entry we’ll focus on Step 1 – selecting the right ingredients.

Remember that Web2.0 is not about technology, it is about adopting a cultural change that puts your citizens in closer communication and collaboration with their governing body. That being said, there is no one department that can successfully implement a Web2.0 strategy. You definitely need to mix it up! There are several key players I’d suggest having at the dinner table:

Administration - You must have the participation (or at least the blessing) of your executive management before going live with the 2.0 stuff. He/she/they will be the one(s) who will ultimately have to answer to your elected body and the general public. Trying to implement this stuff without their involvement or approval is the fastest way to having a reason to polish up the resume. Take the hard road and get some top buy-in or AT LEAST permission to put a proposal/strategy together.

Legal Counsel - Although I do sometimes subscribe to the school of “ask forgiveness rather than permission”, this is NOT one of those times (and again if you insist on this, get yourself on LinkedIn first and start looking for that new career opportunity). Web2.0 stuff by its very nature can put an organization in a new realm of interaction with the public and this can translate to concerns regarding privacy, eDiscovery, freedom of information, public forums, intellectual property and liability. You need an ally in your Counsel to address these issues as part of your larger Web2.0 strategy. Each technology channel you use will likely have its own inherent concerns that need to be addressed, but I advise involving your counsel from the beginning. Give them a heads up.

Information Technology – Since I am in IT, I am allowed to say this: Most traditional IT departments do not like the idea of Web2.0. Why? Well, it usually relies on infrastructure that is not under our internal control. The perception is that it is harder for us to secure that which we cannot touch. Some 2.0 services also require the opening of non-traditional ports in the firewall. Typically the sound Information Security practice is to lock everything down first and then open things up on a justifiable case-by-case basis. To be clear, I am advocate of this practice, but I have had difficulty in finding evidence of how Web2.0 tools in general are potential security risks to desktop machines or the network, provided you are running effective malware protection. I encourage you to check out the Security section of the MuniGov2.0 Web site for more information on our research on the myths and facts related to security and 2.0. I also recently did a column on the essential balancing act we as IT Directors must perform between Information Security and the needs of our business users. Bottom line – you need IT to make these things work, so invite them to the feast early.

Public Information/Marketing - Much of the value for 2.0 in government focuses on communication and public information. Much of 2.0 from a PIO perspective is focused on finding new ways to share information that already exists. The PIO can be a tremendous resource and advocate for 2.0 tools since they are always focused on crafting the message and finding memorable ways to engage the population. If you are also fortunate enough to have access to some talented design people, they will also come in handy to help you maintain a consistent branding across your different 2.0 branches

Human Resources & Workforce Development - Without question, the make-up of our organizations are changing as older employees reach retirement age and we strive to hire the best and brightest from the available work force. But believe me, newspaper ads and recruiting fairs are NOT going to cut it. If you want to draw in the recent college grads or the twenty and even thirty-somethings, you will need to be reaching them on their terms. Try some experimentation with placing ads on Facebook or posting some recruiting videos on YouTube. Gen Ys and particularly Millenials are not going to be drawn to the preconception of life in the government cube farm. If you do not actively work to engage on their terms AND show them that there really is a pulse in our hallowed halls, your organization is going to be passed over like those mediocre store-bought cookies whose very presence taints the sanctity of the dessert table at the office parties. We’d better make sure we get our Human Resources group involved early and often in how to mold 2.0 opportunities as tools in your shifting organizational culture.

Economic Development & Tourism – If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much value would you place on a mash-up that puts a picture in context with tagging, feedback and semantic links to other related resources? Your development groups are focused on one thing – making your locality the most appealing option for people to come to in order to spend their money and or settle down. Whether it is a relocating business, a family looking to vacation in a new spot or the Steve Urkel Fan Club looking for the best venue to hold their next annual conference, all of these events will lead to revenue for your locality. Your development groups spend big money and big time carving out the appeal of your locality in the sea of similar sites across the region, the state, the country or even the world. The mash-up and social media potential of 2.0 offers them creative and dynamic avenues to present the appeal of your jurisdictions demographics, attractions and capabilities.

Direct Citizen Service Business Units – You also should include one or two of the business units who are in direct, daily contact with your constituents. Your libraries, parks/recreation departments, youth commissions, community liaisons, etc., serve all the demographics of your community and they generally know how your citizens want to receive and share information. Many libraries and park systems are well into the use of Social Media to get the message out about their news and events. They also typically have a marketing savvy honed from years of working directly with the population so they probably already “get” this stuff. I predict that they will likely be an enthusiastic and valuable addition to your mix.

So that’s it in a nutshell – the key ingredients to your 2.0 group. I welcome any other suggestions you have for inclusion. This group make-up, like 2.0 in general, is not an exact science and this is by no means a one size fits all approach. You’ve got to mold it like dough on the countertop to make it fit your needs. (Okay, I know you are probably begging for a break in the food metaphors by now). As you put your group together, you will probably have to do a bit of education on some of the technologies you may be thinking of trotting out for a test run. I highly recommend sharing Pam Broviak’s free online guidebook, Your Social Media Journey Begins Here. It is a brief, well-written, non-techie, primer to some of the most popular Web2.0 tools in use today.

Next time, I’ll focus on the recipe steps – the marching orders for the group and the deliverables they should be focused on for a successful implementation. But for now, this is where we will conclude, dear reader, because all this talk of food has made me hungry!

Virtually Yours,
Greever

Feb 2 2009

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

I had planned this week to get back to my suggestions regarding the make-up of your internal Web2.0 group, but a few colleagues brought something to my attention that I thought might be more timely. Most of the articles I have been following over the last few months have been on the potential value and the practice of using Web2.0 as a business tool. Most of these articles vaguely reference the “security concerns” brought about by Web2.0 technologies, but they fail to provide guidance or cite any specific dangers. So, the vague threat of potential malware embedded in Web2.0 apps doesn’t hold much water with me. Everything we do in IT has this potential. That’s exactly why you have an Information Security program. However, this week I read an article from Sarah Perez, Your Web 2.0 App is a Security Threat, that subtly raises the other IT fear regarding Web 2.0 technologies – namely that misuse of Web2.0 technologies can endanger the confidentiality of your corporate data and information as well as pose a threat to legal compliance. The article itself is a broad review of a new product called ACE, which is designed to make it easier for IT to shut down rogue Web2.0 applications. The point Sarah raises regarding the potential dangers of rogue web apps is dead-on in its concern. Under-the-radar apps can pose a serious threat to your infrastructure and they must be monitored and controlled.

However, although I appreciate the value of a tool like ACE, I think it is futile to consider such a tool to be the solution as to how we as IT managers can “control” Web2.0. Due to its very nature, you cannot shut down Web2.0. Trying to isolate and filter “Web 2.0 technologies” is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. Sure, you’ll be able to pinpoint whatever the hot technologies of today are, but tomorrow three more will spring up to replace it. As Chesterfield County CIO Barry Condrey pointed out in his feedback to the article, you will be forever chasing your tail in a futile “whack-a-mole” syndrome. You will be much more successful in your security efforts if you engage your user population in a give-and-take dialog to help you find a middle ground that everyone can live with and then implement the technologies that support the mutually-agreeable approach.

NOTE TO THE READER: Feel free to skip the next paragraph of introspective and perhaps self-indulgent “How I Got Here” detail. Although germane, it isn’t required in order to get to the point of this post.

It wasn’t until I got to the executive level of technology management that I truly began to appreciate the necessity, value and process of maintaining balanced technology service delivery. Most of us who are focused in one area of technology service get very, very good at it. You thrive on technical challenges and you typically work in a world of black and white answers. When I was in that stage of my career, I frequently had run-ins with customers who liked to toss their “flies” into my technology miracle cure-all ointment, or at least that’s how I saw it. Although I was (almost) always patient and I tried to remain customer-service oriented with them, I was frequently vexed. I felt that they were just being difficult (and wrong) because they didn’t have enough to do or because they were just uninformed. So I got frustrated with them because I couldn’t focus on the “right” solution immediately and they got frustrated with me because I was trying to categorize or jump to conclusions about their needs. (As an aside, here’s a big “I’m Sorry” shout-out to all of you former customer co-workers who might come across this in your net travels.) Over time and with experience, and moving up through the ranks, my technology and business knowledge became much wider and more shallow. Multiple discipline multi-tasking and business management skills became the order of the day. It became much easier for me to truly appreciate and honestly value the business user needs. No longer was I focused on the technical solution…now it was more about focusing on just the solution. (Is that a collective “duh” I hear from those you who have been at the exec level for a long time?)

For those of us who are in the IT field, we must be constantly vigilant lest we fall into the rut of getting wrapped up in the technology for the sake of technology. Advocating, marketing and even proselytizing for technology as an enabler should be a big part of our job focus. But don’t let the tail wag the dog. We need to be one of those funky chameleons with one eye towards our users (business needs) and one eye towards our infrastructure (technology capability and requirements). I often think of my role as that of a sales engineer – I need to know my tech stuff, I need to know what my customers need and I need to know how to put those things together.

As I have said in previous posts, Web2.0 at its core is not about technology. Technology is merely the method used to redefine the way an organization communicates and collaborates with its customers. Likewise, technologies such as ACE are also enablers in terms of focusing that Web2.0 adoption into secure and reliable channels. But they are not the sole savior, nor should they be. The answer is to rely first on well-crafted policy that balances the need for security of information and systems with the business needs of your users. I spoke to Sarah offline and although we may take different paths to get there, we share the goal of having an organization that runs technology in a safe and controlled manner to the benefit of all internal and external customers. Here in Roanoke County, we use a product similar to ACE to filter web applications because I don’t want any covert apps popping up in the departments either, whether they are business legit or not. But before we install a technology solution, we need to get a strong, flexible and reasonable policy and practice in place to govern the use of Web2.0 in the enterprise. This policy cannot be solely a product of the IT department. We’ve got to have the conversation with all the stakeholders at the table in order for something of this magnitude to be effective. Everyone involved needs to approach the issue with an open mind and stay focused on the ultimate goal of improving the organization. IT folks must be willing to refrain from assumptions and be flexible on some of the traditionally locked-down areas and practices. Business users must be willing to adhere to the tenants of the policy and abide by the security and technology that must remain intact in order to preserve the security of an organization’s resources.

Once you have the global policy in place and the details have been communicated to the organization, then you can fire up an application like ACE, provided it can be modified and customized to meet the current and evolving needs of your organization. By then, everyone should be on board with the technologies adopted and not finding ways around the policy. Violators should be disciplined accordingly because of the potential danger to technology resource integrity and the privacy and security of your corporate information. I’d also recommend periodic reviews of the policy to ensure that it remains in line with the changing needs of the organization and the new Web2.0 technologies that spring up on a regular basis. This follow-up will provide business users with a conduit to raise issues regarding the policy and security technologies and it will hopefully curtail attempts at circumventing policy direction.

Don’t get me wrong – I know this not going to be a simple process. You may experience wailing and a great gnashing of teeth, but the end result will pay off in dividends for all involved. As a former boss told me early on in our working together – “the best solution is not often the easiest”.

Virtually Yours,
Greever

Social Media in the Public Sector

A government CIO interested in social media strategies, tools and best practices for government

Category Archives: Tech Stuff