Comments on: Government as the ‘platform’ for community innovation http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/ Taking Australia forward with openness and vision Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:00:10 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jim Stewart http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4624 Jim Stewart Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:51:29 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4624 Senator as much I luvyawork... Anything the Govt does at the moment in this space has a hollow ring to it, whilst they pursue a mandatory Internet filter. The main threat to our industry right now is your Govt's filter. I'd like to see efforts in equipping our libraries & empowering individuals to have online confidence rather than the politics of fear that we are now seeing. I know you understand this & I wish you every success. Feel free not to publish :-) Senator as much I luvyawork… Anything the Govt does at the moment in this space has a hollow ring to it, whilst they pursue a mandatory Internet filter. The main threat to our industry right now is your Govt’s filter. I’d like to see efforts in equipping our libraries & empowering individuals to have online confidence rather than the politics of fear that we are now seeing. I know you understand this & I wish you every success. Feel free not to publish :-)

]]> By: xtfer http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4599 xtfer Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:26:14 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4599 The NAA is a public agency, and it created a mashup using data which was not open. The data is restricted to that project, even if it was available elsewhere (i.e. by requesting it from the archives). It is not possible for a private individual to create another mashup based on that data, so it is not a platform for innovation, its just an innovation. Yes, it enables a citizen to explore an information set (and its interesting and fun and cool), but its participation is pretty limited, and it does not enable FURTHER innovation, like a platform should. So my point was that, even though it has a higher potential for participation, it didn't illustrate the concept of the government-enabled platform for innovation outlined in the rest of the post The NAA is a public agency, and it created a mashup using data which was not open. The data is restricted to that project, even if it was available elsewhere (i.e. by requesting it from the archives). It is not possible for a private individual to create another mashup based on that data, so it is not a platform for innovation, its just an innovation.

Yes, it enables a citizen to explore an information set (and its interesting and fun and cool), but its participation is pretty limited, and it does not enable FURTHER innovation, like a platform should.

So my point was that, even though it has a higher potential for participation, it didn’t illustrate the concept of the government-enabled platform for innovation outlined in the rest of the post

]]> By: Pia Waugh http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4597 Pia Waugh Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:04:50 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4597 What do you mean of private uses of government data? Mapping our ANZACS did use Google Maps, and used information contributed by a lot of individuals, but it also drew on a lot of government data (historical records and the like), so it was a nice facilitated mashup :) What do you mean of private uses of government data?

Mapping our ANZACS did use Google Maps, and used information contributed by a lot of individuals, but it also drew on a lot of government data (historical records and the like), so it was a nice facilitated mashup :)

]]> By: Pia Waugh http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4596 Pia Waugh Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:03:35 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4596 Hi Dave, we (in Kate's office) are all in agreement with open data with no strings :) I don't think Kate is saying that innovation will all happen in government, as we know things can move pretty slowly sometimes. Having said that, the idea that government providing a platform (such as our Public Sphere initiative) for citizens to be part of the process, to be part of the decisions made is a compelling one. That the data needs to be open goes without saying, and nothing in this or other posts of Kate precludes independent innovation by private interests or the general public. Also, she has spoken a lot about the importance of transparency, which starts to deal with the concerns you have. I agree with Kate that in doing what government has to do anyway, in the delivery of services and and service to the citizens, there is an opportunity to be a platform for innovation by providing open tools, open access and open participation such that government and interested communities can innovate in partnership. Mapping our ANZACS was a good example of government providing a lot of data, plus open tools and access, combined with the efforts of interested citizens to create something really wonderful, in partnership. Hi Dave, we (in Kate’s office) are all in agreement with open data with no strings :) I don’t think Kate is saying that innovation will all happen in government, as we know things can move pretty slowly sometimes. Having said that, the idea that government providing a platform (such as our Public Sphere initiative) for citizens to be part of the process, to be part of the decisions made is a compelling one. That the data needs to be open goes without saying, and nothing in this or other posts of Kate precludes independent innovation by private interests or the general public.

Also, she has spoken a lot about the importance of transparency, which starts to deal with the concerns you have.

I agree with Kate that in doing what government has to do anyway, in the delivery of services and and service to the citizens, there is an opportunity to be a platform for innovation by providing open tools, open access and open participation such that government and interested communities can innovate in partnership.

Mapping our ANZACS was a good example of government providing a lot of data, plus open tools and access, combined with the efforts of interested citizens to create something really wonderful, in partnership.

]]> By: Dave Abrahms http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4589 Dave Abrahms Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:51:00 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4589 All very true technically. All praise to Obama and indeed most Australian governments for pushing the growth of web 2.0 services. BUT governments or should I say administrations are poor places to be platforms for innovation. As the DNA of governments of the day are first to self presevation and advancement. This is not bad thing per say, just WILL and does influence any information platform that is within it's domain of direct influence. Government's too don't operate in the same risk and reward sphere as the rest of us. So any failure is covered up and any success is quickly consumed by political hitch hikers. Both are mostly dead ends with huge dead debt and no learning attached. The current surge of social entreprenuers would be best served by having full and enhanced access to data without any political strings attached and l left to actually getting out into the market place of citizens and selling / creating value. All very true technically. All praise to Obama and indeed most Australian governments for pushing the growth of web 2.0 services.
BUT governments or should I say administrations are poor places to be platforms for innovation. As the DNA of governments of the day are first to self presevation and advancement. This is not bad thing per say, just WILL and does influence any information platform that is within it’s domain of direct influence.
Government’s too don’t operate in the same risk and reward sphere as the rest of us. So any failure is covered up and any success is quickly consumed by political hitch hikers. Both are mostly dead ends with huge dead debt and no learning attached.
The current surge of social entreprenuers would be best served by having full and enhanced access to data without any political strings attached and l left to actually getting out into the market place of citizens and selling / creating value.

]]> By: xtfer http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/09/15/government-as-the-platform-for-community-innovation/comment-page-1/#comment-4588 xtfer Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:34:06 +0000 http://www.katelundy.com.au/?p=4380#comment-4588 I completely agree, however the example of Mapping our Anzacs is not a good one, as it is not an innovative community use of a government data platform, but an innovative government use of a private platform (Google Maps). Does anyone know of examples of innovative private uses of government data? I completely agree, however the example of Mapping our Anzacs is not a good one, as it is not an innovative community use of a government data platform, but an innovative government use of a private platform (Google Maps).

Does anyone know of examples of innovative private uses of government data?

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