Photo by Paul Clarke

The whole concept of unconferences and participant-led events is just so mind-bogglingly amazing that it’s hard to put into words – just to see people coming together and start talking to each other who possibly wouldn’t have before… that’s why I do it, and that’s what touched me most about the day.

About Ann Kempster

Ann Kempster is Digital Communications Manager for the Government Communication Network based in the Cabinet Office. She has worked in the UK Civil Service for the past 7 years. She is also co-organiser of CommsCamp13, an unconference for professional communicators in government, with Dan Slee and Darren Caveney of Walsall Council and Comms2point0.

Ann blogs (not enough as she’d like) at www.annkempster.com.  You can also find her on Twitter at @annkempster

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Episode links and resources

• CommsCamp website
• UK Government Communication Network
• Comms2point0
• Blog post by Kate Bentham on her CommsCamp experience

60-second snapshots

On the role of digital in the comms mix:

On the power of unconferences:

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Nigel Shadbolt discusses the realities of harnessing the potential of open data for governments, businesses and citizens. With Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Professor Shadbolt is the joint head of the newly formed Open Data Institute in London which he summarises as “… building the supply side; building capability and empowerment; developing a demand side”.

Calling for “a real forensic commitment to open data”, he explores new economic models needed around open data as well as the need to better understand where and knowing how the value is being generated.

There’s a feeling that the job is never done – it’s eternally vigilant process of trying to improve the quality, improve the format, improve the ease of publication.

Professor Shadbolt also shares his hopes and aspirations for the Open Government Partnership in the next 12 months.

About Prof. Nigel Shadbolt

Nigel Shadbolt is Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Head of the Web and Internet Science Group, Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton.  With over 400 publications he has researched on topics ranging from cognitive psychology to computational neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence to the Semantic Web. He was one of the originators of the interdisciplinary field of Web Science and is a Director of the Web Science Trust, and of the Web Foundation – both organisations have a common commitment to advance our understanding of the Web and promote the Web’s positive impact on society.

In 2009 the Prime Minister appointed him and Sir Tim Berners-Lee as Information Advisors to transform access to Public Sector Information. This work led to the highly acclaimed data.gov.uk site that now provides a portal to over 9000 datasets. In May 2010 he was asked by the UK Coalition Government to join the Public Sector Transparency Board – this oversees Open Data releases across the public sector. In April 2011 he became Chair of the UK Government’s midata programme – which seeks to empower consumers by releasing their data back to them. He is Chairman and Co-founder of the Open Data Institute, based in Shoreditch, London.

He was also a founder and Chief Technology Officer of ID protection company Garlik Ltd. In 2008 Garlik was awarded Technology Pioneer status by the Davos World Economic Forum and won the prestigious UK national BT Flagship IT Award. In December 2011 Garlik was acquired by Experian Ltd.

Prof Shadbolt is also an international speaker at the  ICEGOV 2012 conference – to see more about the conference, visit here.

Feature images courtesy josema and RSLN

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Episode links and resources

• About Prof Nigel Shadbolt
• About the UK Open Data Institute
• Data.gov.uk
• UK Open Data Innovation Community
• UK Public Data Principles
• 5 stars of open data
• Legislation.gov.uk
• Wired magazine article: “Professor Nigel Shadbolt outlines plans for Open Data Institute” – 22 May 2012
• The Guardian article: “Government data PDF enthusiasts will be ‘dealt with’, says Maude” – 17 Oct 2012
• A Right to Data – interview with Chris Yiu of Policy Exchange

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  @UKODI CEO: @agentGav CTO: @JeniT
  @timberners_lee
• Hashtags: #opendata #midata #datagovuk #webscience #webindex

For instance, the decision by the Danish Government to open up their address register so anyone could use it had a ROI over its first 4 years of 2200% – that’s 22 times as much in benefits as in cost.

Andrew also highlights some of the key themes emerging from open government practitioners at the Open Knowledge Festival recently held in Helsinki, Finland.

About Andrew Stott

Andrew Stott was the UK’s first Director for Transparency and Digital Engagement and a former Deputy CIO for the UK Government.  He led the work to create “data.gov.uk” and the implementation of the UK Government’s commitments on Transparency of central and local government.  Following his retirement in December 2010 he was appointed to the UK Transparency Board to continue to advise UK Ministers on open data and e-government policy.  He also advises other governments on Open Data both bilaterally and through the World Bank and the World Wide Web Foundation, and he continues to contribute to the international development of the Open Data and Open Government agendas.

Episode feature background image courtesy FloApps

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Episode links and resources

• Manchester Open Data project
• Danish addressing data return on investment study
• EU POPSIS study (PDF)
• Open Government Partnership
• Open Knowledge Foundation
• Open Knowledge Festival

Andrew Stott – Implementing an Open Data programme within government at the Open Knowledge Foundation

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• Tags: #opengov  #ogov #opendata #okfn #okfest #OGP

Content comes first when it comes to delivering sustainable digital public services at Devon County Council. Carl Haggerty, Digital Communications Manager for the Council shares his insights on the importance of a digital content strategy, where his approach to designing services, not websites or platforms, is transforming the way the organisation interacts with its citizens.

Carl also discusses the UK Digital Government Service, and asks the question of whether there needs to be a Local Government Digital Service.

Developing the digital content strategy was about asking: What is the content? What’s it saying? How is it managed? How is it being shared? How is it being governed? All those kinds of issues about the content – that’s the only thing that mattered, it didn’t  matter which technology platform it sat in.

About Carl Haggerty

Carl Haggerty is Digital Communications Manager at Devon County Council, which is essentially about championing and developing the digital agenda within the council as well as being responsible for the councils corporate web presence and intranet. Carl is fascinated and keen to explore how people interact with information and technology to enable and facilitate local and global change.

Carl is also the Citizenscape Product Owner with Public I – A leading supplier of e-participation products and services to the public sector by supporting the strategic use of technology for communication and engagement and democratic renewal. His role is to champion strategic technical enhancements and the end user experience.

Carl has worked in Local Government for 16 years, with the last 10 in and around ICT, Communications, Web and Social Media. He was the first county council employee to publicly blog about his work and has been instrumental in encouraging and exploiting the use of social technologies within the council. Carl continues to promote the benefits of the web and social technologies across the Council. Carl has had a varied background working in Local Government on issues such as Strategic ICT, Communications and Marketing, Sustainable Development, Community Engagement & Development, Tourism and Economic Development.

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Episode links and resources

• Carl Haggerty
  Blog: http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com
  Twitter: @carlhaggerty
  LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/1b2/99b
• Devon
  Council website
  News Centre
  In Devon
  Devon Strategic Plan
  Devon SEND pathfinder
  Policy Devon
  Tough Choices campaign site
• Open Space South West
  www.openspacesouthwest.info
  http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/announcing-open-space-south-west-openssw/
  http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/behind-the-scenes-of-open-space-south-west-openssw/
• Blog Posts
  http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/devons-content-strategy/
  http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/news-centre-the-content-strategy-in-action-sort-of/
  http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2012/03/07/does-local-government-need-a-local-government-digital-service/

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• Tags: #gov20 #localgov

From deploying Yammer for policy and program support, to creative use of YouTube for recruitment, and through to using QR codes to create the world’s first Wikipedia town, the UK’s Monmouthshire County Council is a leading example of how local government can move beyond social tech to social communication for internal and external engagement.

Helen Reynolds, Communications Officer for Monmouthshire County Council discusses a selection of these innovative initiatives, and also shares her experience with introducing these ideas into local government, and how influence rather than ROI matters for public sector use of social media channels and tools.

By being in social spaces where people are, and by being relevant and providing information that’s timely and worth engaging with – that’s how we build our influence as government.

About Helen Reynolds

Helen works for Monmouthshire County Council and is responsible for the council’s social media programme.  She has also advised a number of other public sector organisations on making the most of new technologies for better engagement. As a result of the work she’s done Monmouthshire Council has taken a number of innovative approaches to engagement, won UK social media and PR awards and the authority has become a vastly more approachable organisation.

She’s particularly passionate about making government accessible and easier to understand.

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Episode links and resources

• Helen Reynolds’ blog 
• ROI of social media in public service
• Social media for social care: how Monmouthshire foster carers support each other with Yammer
• Monmouthpedia including Monmouthpedia Day
• Monmouthshire County Council social media page and guidance for staff (linked at the bottom) and council blog
• Some feedback on Twitter 
• Facebook and youth services
• Opening up social media access to all staff
• Recruiting on Youtube

Videos

On Monmouthpedia

On the foster carers Yammer community

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• Tags: #Monmouthpedia #monmouthshire #localgov #innovation #socmed

Ahead of CITIZEN2012 in London, conference organiser Jeffrey Peel – with guest speakers Andy Williamson of Future Digital and David Moody of Kana – discuss building the democratic commons, including tools and trends in next-generation government/citizen engagement.

There is a great opportunity here: it’s not just about the obvious ROI and replacement of costly channels, it’s about engaging and listening in real ways that have never been possible before.

About Jeffrey Peel

Jeffrey is the Managing Director of Quadriga Consulting and the organiser of CITIZEN2012.  He has a well developed reputation as a specialist in research and evidence based consulting, and is a highly experienced digital communications professional. He has written thought leadership reports or created online web content for dozens of clients operating in the IT, telecommunications, business services and financial services sectors.  He has also undertaken project work for many early to mid-stage venture capital funded organisations.

About Dr Andy Williamson

Andy is an internationally recognised expert in digital strategy with an in-depth understanding of effective engagement and online democracy, as well as an experienced consultant and researcher focussing on social media, society and policy. His work is about educating, engaging and enabling; creating active citizens and connected government.

About David Moody

David is the Vice President of Solutions Marketing Worldwide for KANA, responsible for strategic solutions across all target markets including commercial and government. Formerly CTO and founding director of Lagan (acquired by KANA software in November 2010), David has a unique combination of strong technology, customer and commercial skills. KANA is the principal sponsor of CITIZEN2012.

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Episode links and resources

• Citizen 2012 conference

Want more links? Check out our Delicious!

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• Tags: #citizen2012

Jenny Clark and David Kane from the UK’s National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) are bringing civil society to the open data table through their Voluntary Sector DataStore and associated initiatives.

Jenny and David talk about ‘dipping the toe in the water’ to bring together the data collected held and collected by voluntary and community organisations in the UK, and support civil society to contribute to and benefit from open data for the public sphere.

We had this idea that open data was the next big thing for the voluntary sector and possibly something that could really help organisations to change the way they run themsevles and the work they do… but we also knew the sector was starting from scratch.

About Jenny Clark

Jenny is the Research Manager for the NCVO and has managed NCVO’s quantitative research programme since 2008. Jenny has specialist skills in labour market analysis, survey design and data analysis and has written a number of user friendly research publications including the NCVO Almanac series.  Jenny has nine years research experience within a public policy department and holds an MSc with distinction in Advanced Social Research Methods and Statistics.

About David Kane

David Kane is a research officer, leading on the quantitative analysis of data for NCVO’s work on the size and scope of civil society, and is an author of the UK Civil Society Almanac 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012, the State and the Voluntary Sector and the UK Voluntary Sector Almanac 2007. David leads NCVO’s involvement in research to classify voluntary sector organisations and in open data.

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Episode links and resources

• NCVO website
• Voluntary Sector DataStore
• Jenny Clark’s blog
• David Kane’s blog
• London DataStore
• data.gov.uk

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• Tags: #opendata

As the use of social and digital tools in the public sector increases, UK digital engagement advisor Steph Gray is helping to answer some of the knotty questions about how to maximise the value of digital engagement efforts and investment.  In March 2012, he launched the Digital Engagement Guide, a collection of ideas and practical help to use digital and social media in the public sector.

Digital engagement is about embracing the fact that these digital channels are interactive – that when you put something out there people reply to you: you need to answer questions, you need to respond to criticism, you need to engage in discussions that are already happening in places that you don’t control.

About Steph Gray

Steph is a digital engagement strategist and practitioner. In plain English: he writes digital strategies, manages projects, builds websites and delivers training and mentoring.

Steph was formerly Head of Digital Communications at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, leading a team managing corporate websites, digital engagement/social media, online public service delivery and internal digital channels. Under his leadership, the team earned a reputation across and beyond Government for practical innovation in support of the Department’s work, including pioneering approaches to online consultation, work with online communities and social media monitoring.

Steph is now a consultant, developer and coach to clients, helping them to use low-cost digital tools and techniques including social media to engage their audiences, work more collaboratively and save money. About half his work is still with UK central government. He also hosts a number of events aimed at digital practitioners, including MailCamp, a seminar on public sector email marketing and UKGovcamp, which brings together over 200 people interested in the public sector’s use of digital.

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Episode links and resources

• Digital Engagement Guide by Helpful Technology
• UK GovCamp as well as MailCamp and GrantsCamp
• Social Simulator
• Martha Lane Fox report Directgov 2010 and Beyond: Revolution Not Evolution
• UK Government G-Cloud service
• UK Government Digital Service

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• Tags: #mailcamp #ukgovcamp #ukgc12

In advance of the Open-Data Cities Conference in Brighton, UK, convenor Greg Hadfield talks about the ways in which all elements of a city – leaders, government, local institutions and businesses as well as citizens – have a role to play in creating open and sustainable cities of the future.

Data and the openness of that data, openly published, freely available, available for re-use without strings attached in non-proprietary formats – all that 5-star openness  will be embedded in the DNA of our cities

About Greg Hadfield

Greg Hadfield is a former Fleet Street journalist, founder of Soccernet and Schoolsnet and most recently, he was head of digital development and Telegraph Media Group and director of strategic projects at Cogapp, a leading digital agency.

Greg is also the founder of Open-data Brighton and Hove Group, and is organising the Open-data Cities Conference in Brighton and Hove on April 20, 2012.

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Episode links and resources

• The Open-data Cities Conference website
• Open Data Brighton and Hove

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Chatting with Gov20 Radio from London is Chris Yiu from leading UK thinktank Policy Exchange about their newly-released report ‘A Right to Data‘.  The report provides an analysis of the current state of open public data in the UK, and recomendations for government to capitalise on the ‘open data’ promise.

About Chris Yiu

Chris Yiu is Head of the Digital Government Unit at Policy Exchange. He directs research on public policy in the era of digital communications, high technology and big data.

Chris has spent the past decade working at the heart of public policy and business strategy. In government he held a number of positions, including advising on tax and financial services policy at HM Treasury, and on economic and foreign policy at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. In business he served a range of clients with McKinsey & Company, working across the technology, financial services, healthcare and consumer goods sectors.

Chris was born and brought up in London. He holds a first class degree in economics and a master’s degree in economics and finance, both from the University of Cambridge.

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Episode links and resources

• Policy Exchange website
• A Right to Data report
• NCVO Voluntary Sector Datastore for non-profits to contribute open data for the public good.

Video

Watch a brief 2-minute video of Chris talking about the Right to Data report

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• Tags: #opendata