citizen engagement

What The White House Saw In Code for America

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When the White House announced which of more than 700 applicants would become Presidential Innovation Fellows last month, it also gave a subtle endorsement to a concept pioneered by a small, but growing nonprofit organization called Code for America.

Founded by Jennifer Pahlka in 2009, Code for America has been helping to bring experts and entrepreneurs from the private sector to work together with public sector leaders and inject a dose of innovative ideas into government services. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 21, 2012 at 4:30 PM

Governments Don’t Have Websites; Governments Are Websites

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Quick question – don’t think too hard about it: What is Amazon?

At one level, Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, a public company listed on the NASDAQ. At another level – the physical – it is a collection of over 50,000 employees, hundreds of warehouses and zillions of servers. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 25, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Consumer Protection Bureau Launches Public Financial Complaint Database

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In a first by a federal financial regulator, the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has launched a public database of consumer complaints about credit cards – including the name of the company issuing the card.

“No longer will consumer complaints only be known to the individual complainant, bank, regulator, and those in the public willing to pursue this information through the Freedom of Information Act,” said , CFPB chief of staff and acting assistant director, in an agency blog posted June 19. Keep reading →

 /  Published June 20, 2012 at 12:32 PM

Governments Narrow The Digital Service Gap

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Citizens in seven leading countries suggest that the gap between government and the private sector is narrowing when it comes to delivering services electronically, according to a newly-released study.

Though the research reaffirms that governments have more work to do-and that some nations, such as Singapore, are much farther along than others in serving citizens electronically-the study’s findings also suggest that governments have come farther in their game of catch up with the private sector than many observers have suspected. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 4, 2012 at 1:49 PM

White House Launches Dashboard To Help Spur Infrastracture Projects

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The White House has unveiled a new government web site section designed to help accelerate the environmental review and permitting process for 14 high priority infrastructure projects.

The new Federal Infrastructure Projects Dashboard is also intended to bring greater public attention to the projects, and the promise of jobs associated with them, said Jeff Zients, deputy director for management and chief performance officer at the White House Office of Management and Budget in a blog post yesterday. Keep reading →

 /  Published December 1, 2011 at 10:14 AM

Disgover.com Could Clear Calendars of Boring Office Meetings

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Disgover.com, a relatively new social networking and collaboration tool, is throwing out that boring and time-consuming 20th century office meeting.

Gone is the urgency for face-to-face meetings, long distance conference calls, high-priority e-mail messages or communal gatherings at a high-end hotel in a posh locale, travel costs that are a drain on government budgets in these austere times. Keep reading →

 /  Published November 15, 2011 at 9:30 AM

New Marine Corps Social Media Guide Urges Innovative Communications

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The U.S. Marine Corps is best known for looking for a few good men.

But they are also looking to ensure those men adhere to a few good principles when it comes to using social media. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 26, 2011 at 4:43 PM

Obama Takes To LinkedIn Stage To Advance Jobs Agenda

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President Barack Obama took to the new media stage at LinkedIn in Silicon Valley this afternoon (Sept. 26) to speak to a studio and online audience about his $450 billion jobs proposal, signaling yet again the president’s knack for harnessing social media to take his message directly to the America public.

The electronic town hall was broadcast live via the White House while also being featured on LinkedIn’s website, along with a discussion thread called “Putting America Back to Work 2011,” hosted on LinkedIn’s website. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 26, 2011 at 3:40 PM

Congressional Caucus Launches Task Force To Raise Awareness Of Cloud Computing

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The U.S. Congressional High Tech Caucus today announced it is launching a new task force to focus congressional attention on cloud computing issues.

Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), speaking on behalf of the High Tech Caucus at a congressional briefing, said the task force was being formed “to focus on cloud computing policies, initiatives and to work with stakeholders in the future.” Keep reading →

 /  Published September 21, 2011 at 3:28 PM

How Social Media Is Being Used By Agencies To Prepare For And Respond To Disasters

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This article was adapted from a blog post from the IBM Center of The Business of Government.

In the month of August, the East Coast was hit with two natural disasters, one foreseen, Hurricane Irene, and one without notice, the August 23rd earthquake. Though one primary form of established media failed-phone service during the earthquake was interrupted for many, if not most-both government agencies and individual citizens used social media to learn about what was happening and to communicate while each emergency progressed. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 21, 2011 at 10:53 AM
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