Posted by: Meagen Ryan, Director of Strategy Jul 30, 2010
TSA has an app for that, citizens call for more search and social media, Washington Technology shares technology predictions and NASA reminds us just how cold it can get, all in this week’s edition of the Rock Creek Roundup.
—You’re in the cab and on your way to the airport when you realize that your ID is not in your wallet; is there any chance you’ll still be able to get on your flight? Travelers can get answers to these questions and more by simply directing their iPhones to the new My TSA mobile app, available for free on both on iTunes and in the USA.gov apps gallery. My TSA mobile gives travelers answers to frequently asked questions about what is permitted and not permitted in carry-on luggage, guidelines on TSA rules and regulations regarding identification and liquids, and also allows you to check general delays and conditions at your airport.
—More than 70% of people surveyed sited “improving search functionality” as a way that government websites could be useful and engaging, according to the recently released 2010 Open Government Research Report. Respondents also noted a strong interest in engaging more with government information and resources, with 52% indicating interest in agency-branded forums and communities and 34% suggesting an increased agency presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
—Mobile. Search. The Semantic Web. Virtualization. Cloud computing. According to Washington Technology author Carlos A. Soto, the five aforementioned technologies are the ones that are best positioned to have an impact on the market and the way that companies, government agencies and other organizations do business online. For example, Soto predicts that consolidation within mobile markets will increase in speed, and that improvements in bandwidth and data compression will boost the use of mobile video in our communications. If you work with your agency’s website or social media programs, it’s worth checking out Soto’s enlightening and thought-provoking article as an investment in preparing for your future.
—And just for a bit of fun on this warm Friday afternoon…When it’s 88 degrees outside and somewhat sticky, it may be hard for those of us in DC and the mid-Atlantic region to remember what it’s like to be cool….or even cold. Thankfully, NASA is providing us a visual reminder of why we shouldn’t wish for cooler weather just yet. Courtesy of the Goddard Earth Observing System Model Version 5 (GEOS-5), visitors can take a look at Snowpocalypse 2010, watching clouds form over the earth and remembering just how much snow was on the ground. Want to know why it happened? Columbia University just released a study that explains it all. Take a look at the video before your afternoon commute and it may just feel a bit cooler after all.
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Posted by: Meagen Ryan, Director of Strategy Jul 23, 2010
HHS’s Todd Park talks about the Community Health Data Initiative, the Department of Defense unveils the newly improved Social Media Hub, Washington Technology highlights 10 government apps that get results, and the vast majority of federal agencies embrace social media while actively working to overcome the challenges it brings, all in this week’s version of the Rock Creek Roundup.
—Federal Computer Week‘s Alice Lipowicz has an interesting interview with the new CTO for Department of Health and Human Services, Todd Park. In the interview, Park shares his vision for the recently introduced Community Health Data Initiative, saying “CHDI is a public/private collaboration. There is no organization, no formal agreement, no official anything, just groups getting together. We are going to continue to supply data to people who want to build applications. We are not trying to choreograph or control it. We are just brainstorming.” Well said! The interview is a quick read and showcases the impact that an innovative thinker and change agent can have on government.
—“We hope it will exist as more than just a website advertising DoD’s latest Facebook posts or Twitter feed.” That’s how Department of Defense public affairs specialist Joelle Zarcone characterized DoD’s newly revamped Social Media Hub, released earlier this week. The revamped Social Media Hub provides a centralized location where DoD employees can access social media guidelines and training, register an official DoD social media page, or ask questions and get clarification on social media issues. The job that they did of revamping and streamlining this page is truly impressive and does an excellent job of making information accessible in an easy-to-understand yet attractive manner. Nice work!
—Expanding on their tradition of highlighting 10 great government websites, Washington Technology this week unveiled a new list—10 government apps that “get results.” Among those featured are the Twitter Earthquake Detector, developed by the US Geological Survey; the Environmental Protection Agency’s Puget Sound and watershed management wiki; and Pillbox, a creation of the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine. Although Washington Technology classifies the entries as “not a definitive list,” the featured apps provide great examples of innovation and creative thinking within government.
—It wasn’t that long ago that a “tweet” was simply a sound made by a bird, not a 140-character microblog entry. That’s why it seems so amazing that today, 22 of the nation’s 24 federal agencies are now using social media, according to the Government Accountability Office’s director of information security issues Gregory Wilshusen. But, Wilshusen warns, agencies still must develop ways to meet the challenges that social media brings, mainly in the areas of privacy and records management. It’s clear we have a way to go before all of the kinks are worked out, but we should still take time to applaud how far we’ve come—and 22 out of 24 is impressive no matter how you look at it!
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Posted by: Meagen Ryan, Director of Strategy Jul 16, 2010
The First Lady hosts her first web chat, the Administration launches RestoretheGulf.gov, and Kate leaves State, all in this week’s edition of the Rock Creek Roundup.
—First Lady Michelle Obama hosted her first live web chat on Tuesday as part of the launch of a newly redesigned Let’s Move website. During the half-hour chat, Mrs. Obama answered 10 questions covering a range of issues, from “food deserts” to how budget cuts are affecting physical education in schools. If you didn’t get to watch live, you can watch the video on the Let’s Move blog.
—Unifying online resources from across the Administration, RestoretheGulf.gov, the federal government’s official portal for oil spill information, launched last week. The site provides the public with information on the response, current operations, news and updates, how to file a claim and obtain other assistance, and links to federal, state, and local partners. Site visitors can also learn how they can volunteer to help. “RestoretheGulf.gov will provide even greater transparency and openness about the BP oil spill, our historic response, the tools available to assist Gulf Coast communities, and plans for the region’s long-term recovery and restoration,” said National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen in announcing the new website.
—State Department special adviser and former White House staffer Katie Jacobs Stanton is leaving government to work for Twitter. Her last day at the State Department was last Friday. Known to her Twitter followers as @KateAtState, Stanton announced her career switch via a tweet: “Today’s my last day in govt! Have enjoyed my experiences @whitehouse & @statedept. My next adventure will be @twitter in SF! #CAHereICome!” According to The Washington Post, she will work on international business strategy in Twitter’s San Francisco office. If you want to follow her adventures as a Twitter globetrotter, she’s now tweeting as @KatieS.
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Posted by: Meagen Ryan, Director of Strategy Jul 09, 2010
The White House requests public input on nanotechnology and federal employee input on saving money, LinkedIn is named the most popular social network, and San Ramon Valley introduces a unique iPhone app, all in this week’s edition of the Rock Creek Roundup.
—Earlier this week, the White House published a Request for Information (PDF) and a corresponding blog post asking for public feedback and input on the 2010 Strategic Plan for the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Nanotechnology—a science dealing with matter that is roughly the size of a single atom—has been lauded as the next frontier of scientific innovation, and potential nanotechnology applications range from clean, efficient energy sources to medical devices and drugs. Got an idea? Check out the RFI and then submit your response by August 15.
—The White House also announced this week the winner of the first annual SAVE contest. Nancy Fitchner’s idea to save money by changing the way that the Veterans Administration uses prescriptions was selected from more than 38,000 ideas submitted by federal employees. The President also announced the kickoff of the second annual SAVE Award and urged federal workers to share their insights and ideas at SaveAward.gov.
—If your government agency or government contracting business isn’t using social media, you’re well on your way to becoming a minority. Twenty-nine percent of federal employees and 55% of government contractors report using social media, according to the recently released Market Connections 2010 Federal Community Social Media Study. The study also shows LinkedIn as the number one social network, with 36% of respondents using it versus 26% of respondents using Facebook. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to jump on the social media bandwagon, now is it.
—When you see fire trucks rushing down your street or move to the side of the road so the ambulance can more quickly respond to an incident, it’s natural to wonder what was going on. For residents in San Ramon Valley, California, all they need to do to find out about emergency situations and 911 dispatches is turn on their iPhone and navigate to the FireDepartment.org app. Believed to be the first of its kind, the app will allow residents to use an interactive map to find active incidents, as well as provide a log of recent incidents and a photo gallery of major emergency events.
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Posted by: Scott Johnson, Co-Founder and Principal Jul 02, 2010
Are you an innovative thinker with an idea to improve the services that government provides? Or maybe you’re a government new media pro with thoughts on how the public sector can save money, get citizens more involved, or make the most of new technology? Either way, you can look forward to a new portal that will help turn ideas into action.
Rock Creek is delighted to be collaborating with government new media consultancy and social innovation incubator FutureGov in the creation of Simpl, the Social Innovation MarketPlace. Scheduled to launch this fall, the site will aim to “connect people with good ideas for radical social change with people in the public sector who want to do things differently.”
Simpl will give innovators the opportunity to post their ideas and projects and to outline what they think it’ll take to bring those ideas to life. Similarly, it will allow those in the public sector to bid on those ideas with cash or other resources (like office space, mentoring, or even access to capital or talent) as well as to pinpoint problems that they are interested in solving. FutureGov has some additional info, including a SlideShare presentation with site screenshots we developed, available on their blog.
Initial reaction to the idea has been overwhelmingly positive. What do you think? Drop me a note directly, or even better, leave a comment on this post.
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