Reviews

UPANZ meeting in Wellington - background, overview of the history of egovt in NZ. Leading up to the Egov Bar Camp this Saturday, where the egovt Wiki will be introduced!

I really enjoyed this meeting and am looking forward to discussing the ideas more at the Bar camp. My random notes taken during the meeting follow. I found this a good background to things egovt - first pres on the guidelines - reasons for some of the often irritating details. Second pres - look into how some web2.0 stuff can fit in, and overall web & IT strategy for govt.

Presentation 1: Update on UPANZ’s involvement on the eGovt Web Guidelines Working Group

Given by Hayden Vink , UPANZ’s rep on the working group.

Very nicely presented in an understated style, with an extra dimension added by some well chosen imagery in the slides - pictures and metaphor. Plus some not so metaphor (first slide “cover page” heading “Web Guidelines Working Group” and Helen Clark sitting in front of computer

Good to hear background of why the people developing the egov guidelines have done what they have.

Phase 1 - Sept - Dec 2005 - wanted to try and make guidelines more usable, outcome was the first self-audit checklist. (Thanks, these are great to have!)

Phase 2 - consultation on initial egov guidelines, outcome was the new NZ Web Standards and Recommendations.

Also an Advisory Committee - membership not fixed, agencies can join, be able to comment before general public consultation occurs.

On the horizon for the Working Group:

• Current standards are focussed on accessibility. (Partly due to what’s easier to measure?)
• Want to move towards more of a focus on usability, also keep discussion going on balance, relationship between accessibility & usability.
• Big picture of areas they want to work in - standards & guidelines only one piece of the puzzle. Others include - strategy, procurement.

Wiki!

Will be introduced at the Barcamp. Agencies will have access, suppliers might do.

Presentation 2: Beyond e-Govt - towards 2020

Given by Mike Pearson from SSC & Govis .

Freakin’ interesting stuff, and have to say Mike is a role model. Really hope I’m as thoughtful, balanced, realistic, idealistic, understanding of & can convey realities, opportunities, and other ideas as well as he does when I’m that age:)

Start quote from Egov vision / strategy: “by 2020 people’s engagement with government will be transformed”.

Problem acknowledged - most NZers hardly use the internet. (I was glad to hear this, am interested in working more in this area - ie people who will be using stuff, in the field so to speak.)

Strategy is here? http://www.e.govt.nz/about-egovt/strategy/nov-2006/

Showed video from 1994 (13 years ago - 2020 is in 13 years time)

Youtube vid: DEC - Glimpse of the Future, 1994

In 1994 - Amazon.com launched, Netcape 1.0 came out.

Web now pretty much the same but prettier, thinks most interesting dev since 1994 in the last 2 years.

2020 - maybe we’ll just have the same as now but prettier?

Egov in NZ - been around as thing / vision / plan since 1999.

Overview, history of management, planning of NZ govt computing & information systems - by SSC, Treasury, devolved to individual agencies.

When devolved - led to silos, duplication, people don’t talk to each other.

Egovt - to bring them together.

“The soft stuff” - people, culture, processes are what is between (either an enabler or brick wall) a strategy & being able to implement, use the technology.

Labour pool challenges - new style govt as employer, new style govt worker.

No Youtube access at Statistics House. (Cafenet to the rescue.)

Missed out being part of transforming NZ from list of things govt could offer to employees.

Wikis, blogs, starting to be used to allow people to comment on policy as it’s being formed. (compare with Intranet Leadership Forum - comment that these only work where people understand, use blogs & wikis.)

Centralised Identity Verification Service (DIA) to be used to do online authentication for all govt agencies. Un-siloes key functions that all agencies can use.

Govt held info - a strategic resource owned by the govt as a steward on behalf of the public.

Challenges when info is opened up. Siloes: enforce personal privacy, enforce accountability.

Epic - worst case scenario video: http://mccd.udc.es/orihuela/epic/