This is a great article on why governments need to rethink their use of technology.  Some of my favourite points in this article are:

1. Government employees are being asked to work with one half of their brain behind their back (due to their lack of access to social media sites)

2. The resistance of the DG level because they are concerned about giving power to the “people”

There is also a reference to our favourite Government of Canada site GCPedia  (Please insert applause here….) ;-]

http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/why-canada-should-open-source-government/139761

Kudos to N.Y. City Mayor Michael Bloomberg!  He has raised the bar for transparency and openness within government by introducing an online tracking program which allows New Yorkers to view the administration’s performance and the expenditure of the $5billion in federal stimulus money that New York received.   This surely will put pressure on other government organizations to be more forthcoming with information on how effectively they are running departments and agencies on our behalf.

http://www.nyc.gov/cpr

Hi all. We’re looking for a new account manager for our montreal office. If you know of anyone you can recommend, please let me know by contacting me (Jennifer) at jobs@webdrive.ca

The governance of social media applications is such a critical component of implementing an initiative within government. However the governance structure or parameters are not clear to all that are responsible  for this area of operations.  The following report looks at 100 social media governance structures and gives the following recommendations:

http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php?f=5

1.  Create at least two policies, as follows:

a. One policy that sets expectations and boundaries for all employees, including any relevant limitations or suggestions for the personal use of social media.

 b. Operational guidelines for employees working in social media as part of their job.

 2.  Determine valuable opportunities to leverage your employees as ambassadors in your markets, then provide guidance that helps your employees to achieve greater impact and value in their social media interactions.

 3.  Support your employees and let them know where your boundaries lie. For example, tell them whether they are permitted to use your organizational trademarks, such as logos, in their personal content. Don’t leave them guessing.

 4.  Provide the right information to the right people at the right times. Create distinct documents with specific purposes that your employees are likely to consume.

a. Help employees understand the benefits of the document, then post the document where employees can easily find it as needed.

b. If you want to create a positive impression of your brand, post it publicly, and consider posting the policy at:

http://SocialMediaGovernance.com/policies.php

 5. Provide hyperlinks in your social media policy to all relevant policies. Make it easy for your employees to find additional information as required.

• Also provide a link to relevant contacts, such as email addresses of key personnel or URLs of internal web pages that provide relevant information.

WebDrive Canada and Ajilon Consulting are excited to invite you to the Web 2.0 Executive Breakfast on Wednesday, November 26th at the Ottawa Marriott. As many of you know, we had a tremendous turnout at GTEC for our presentation on Web 2.0 Strategies within government. The room accommodated 55 people and even after allowing people to stand at the back, we were forced to turn away over 40 people. In response, we have arranged to give another presentation. However, this one has been developed to specifically address the interests and concerns of government managers.

So, please book time on Wednesday the 26^th to join us and fellow government executives for a breakfast presentation at the Marriott; and please feel free to come with your colleagues. The event is being hosted by both WebDrive and Ajilon Consulting so there will be no charge. You’ll find all details in the attached file, but space is limited, so please R.S.V.P. by Friday 21 Nov to: hodan.mahamoud@ajilon.com

Thank you. I look forward to seeing you, and anyone you choose to bring, at the breakfast.

Jennifer Savage

Wikis and Blogs and Facebook….OH MY!

An executive’s guide to planning out and implementing Web 2.0 strategies.

Web 2.0 technologies are allowing for new levels of engagement and interaction with Canadians, stakeholders, industry and special interest groups. The advantages are endless but how do you get started? And what factors do you need to think about when deciding upon Web 2.0 tools and social media?

In this session Jennifer Savage, President of WebDrive Canada will describe the journey that departments such as the PMO, Finance Canada and the Governor General’s Office took in exploring Web 2.0 options. You’ll also learn the ABC’s of planning out and implementing a Web 2.0 strategy. Items discussed will include:

• Exploring the various Web 2.0 tools available for connecting and interacting with Canadians, stakeholders, industry and special interest groups
• Determining which Web 2.0 tools best fit your department or agency’s mandates
• Discovering the most critical outreach social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube
• Monitoring social media sites for valuable policy and program feedback
• Determining the return on investment of Web 2.0