Digital Governance: New Ways to Communicate with Your Constituents

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Digital Governance New Ways to
Communicate with Your Constituents

• Nora Paul
• Institute for New Media Studies
• University of Minnesota
• www.inms.umn.edu
• npaul_at_umn.edu

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news flash
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National Partnership for Reinventing Government

• Imagine this A government where every employee
  is using technology to deliver the highest
  quality of service, and every manager includes
  information technology as part of every business
  function. Imagine a time when federal employees
  accomplish each agency's mission by making full
  and appropriate use of every information
  technology tool.
• 1997

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• Information has become a social and economic
  asset just as important and valuable as
  traditional commodities and natural resources.
• UNPAN United Nations Online Network in Public
  Administration and Finance - 2001

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Stages of E-Government Development

• Stage 1 Emerging web presence Limited web -
  static information, contacts, calendars, maybe
  FAQs.
• Stage 2 Enhanced web presence Expanded web -
  access to dynamic, regularly updated information.
  Downloadable publications. E-mail communication /
  forums.
• Stage 3 Interactive web presence Dramatically
  expanded web easy interaction. Info. access
  based on specific needs. Searchable databases,
  download/submit forms, online meetings.
• Stage 4 Transactional web presence Conduct
  transactions and pay online (passports, public
  records, licenses, pay bills / fines.) Access to
  services based on needs rather than agency
  functions.
• Stage 5 Seamless or fully integrated web
  presence One-stop-shop portal. Access any
  service from any agency by blurring of lines of
  demarcation. All transactional services available
  online.

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The Point of the Game

• Lets talk basketball
• Nowlets talk website

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Where are you?
How are you doing?

• What are your key issues in providing online
  resources for your constituents?
• What is needed to do a better job of leveraging
  digital communication / publication / services?

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Factors Impeding E-Gov Development
UNPAN Global Survey of E-Government
http//www.unpan.org/egovernment2.asp
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Stages for Developing an Online Presence

• Evangelize
  Who are the visionaries?
• Equip
  What resources are needed?
• Empower
  What skills are required?
• Engage
  What do your users want?

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Todays Media Consumers

• use multiple appliances for delivery
• are time-starved
• want to participate
  44 of Americans using
  the Internet create online content
  Pew Internet and American Life study
• are niche not mass audiences
• go to non-traditional sources for news
• spend more time online with broadband (and
  broadband access is growing)
• 2000 2001 2002
  2003 2004
• 8.1 14.5 22.3
  33.8 46
• (Internet households with broadband
  Nielsen / Netratings)

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Challenge

• Designing a site that satisfies a variety of
  information seeking needs / motivations.

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Online Usage Motivations

• Single mission needs to complete a task, then
  leaves. Goes to unfamiliar sites.
• Quickies looking for specific info., goes to a
  few familiar sites.
• Do it again revisiting familiar sites with
  information they need.
• Just the facts goes to specific site for
  specific info.
• Loitering leisurely visits to sticky sites.
• Information, please building in-depth knowledge.
  
• Surfing cruisers, hit many sites, wide, not
  deep, exploring
• http//www.strategy-business.com/press/enewsarticl
  e/22796?pg0

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Opportunities to Engage

• New Ways to Communicate
• Solicit Input (and help explain)
• Provide Opportunities to Collaborate
• Create New Forms of Storytelling
• Provide Interesting Navigation

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New Ways to Communicate

• E-Mail Discussion Lists
• Washington State
• Newsgroups
• Blogs
• www.sandia.gov/health/update/lrcblog.html
• mikepence.house.gov/blog/

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Solicit Opinion (and help explain)

• Games
• Budget Simulators
• By government Utah Budget Simulator
• By news agencies Seattle Budget Balancer
• Park development Plan your future park
• You Build It Seattle Times Transportation
• Dumptown

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New Ways to Collaborate

• Wiki
• California Interagency Watershed Mapping
  Committee
• Boulder Composite Squadron, CAP
• Seek citizen contributions
• Maine.govs Photo Contest

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Create New Content

• Water Use Calculator
• Compare Boat Safety Information
• Minnesota Boating Guide
• or Rules of the Road
• or Boat Minnesota - Boat Ed
• Office of Traffic Safety

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Many Forms, Which is Most Effective?

• Calculation
• Arkansas Quiz
• Fishes of Minnesota
• Salmon Quiz
• King County Salmon Quiz

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New Forms of Navigation

• POP Quiz from the Census Bureau
• Tox Town from National Library of Medicine
• Devolved Matters from the Scottish Parliament

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Challenges

• What is your mission?
• Who is the audience? http//www.girlpower.gov/
  (nice try but not very effective)
• What do you uniquely own what do people have to
  come to you for?
• How do you make it easy for people to find what
  they need? (This or This)

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• I believe that a guarantee of public access to
  government information is indispensable in the
  long run for any democratic society.... if
  officials make public only what they want
  citizens to know, then publicity becomes a sham
  and accountability meaningless.
• Sissela Bok, Swedish philosopher, 1982

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Resources

• Government Technology www.govtech.net/
• Center for Digital Government www.centerdigitalgo
  v.com/
• Public CIO www.public-cio.com/
• E-Gov www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/

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