Posts
When I started this blog the level of online discussion in Australia around Government 2.0 was almost nil.
I didn't set out to be one of the leaders in the Gov 2.0 space, I simply wanted to have good conversations with my peers, to share expertise and knowledge and thereby improve our collective professional skills.
Now there is significantly greater involvement with hundreds of people getting involved in developing and introducing Gov 2.0 initiatives across government and in the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Mandates, to varying degree, are in place at federal, state and local levels and while not all public servants embrace or understand Government 2.0, almost all are aware of it as something they must consider in their planning and future programs.
Government 2.0 could be seen as a movement, beginning overseas and now embraced in Australia. However how does a movement start?
The below three minute video from Derek Silvers's post, Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy was brought to my attention by Tim Longhurst.
In my view it demonstrates how movements may grow, recognising the vital importance of the first followers - those who are willing to stand alongside a leader and embrace a new movement before it is popular. Those who dare to risk ridicule (or worse) in order to support something that they believe in.
Have you ever dared to be a leader or a first follower? If so this video recognises the risk you took.
And if you're someone who has always hung back until you'd look ridiculous by not joining in - consider being a first follower in the future. You might find it liberating.
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Recognising the first followers in Gov 2.0 | Tweet |
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Still on the Internet Explorer 6 web browser? Microsoft tells organisations to ditch it | Tweet |
Microsoft has just released a beta version of Internet Explorer 9, however is still having to ask organisations to stop using Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).
Despite lacking the ability to fully view the modern web IE6, released nine years ago, is still used by a number of Australian organisations, including some government agencies.
The Sydney Morning Herald, in the article Microsoft begs users to ditch IE6 quotes Microsoft Australia's chief security officer, Stuart Strathdee as saying “IE6 has a lifecycle. We’re well beyond its expiry date”.
The article also stated that,
Strathdee said corporate users who haven’t yet upgraded to IE8 fearing the loss of customised ERP and CRM systems were probably running outdated versions of those and should look to upgrade them all. He said the company would be happy to help customers do so.
“It’s only a very small number of queries on those systems that would be locked to IE6,” he said.
“For us security and privacy are closely related. We’re really pleading with people to upgrade.”
Is your agency still using IE6?
If so the question becomes, are your senior management aware of the security and reputation risks they are taking by doing so?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The next level for Government 2.0 conferences | Tweet |
Gov 2.0 conferences have become very popular in Australia in the last year, however many are still focused on introducing the concepts of Gov 2.0, rather than exploring some of the aspects, and challenges, of the topic in depth.
Geoff Mason is currently working towards a series of more advanced events, covered in his blog post, Sick of conferences telling you what you already know?.
So if you're finding the regular fare of Gov 2.0 conferences a little too basic or repetitive, have a read of Geoff's post and consider how you could be involved.
ACT launches Fix My Street - but not like the UK Gov 2.0 service | Tweet |
The ACT has launched a Fix My Street service providing ACT residents with methods for reporting and tracking "municipal service requests" online.
According to the site, ACT residents can submit service requests using a menu of topics and even create an account to track the progress of their own requests.
While a major step forward, unlike the popular UK service of the same name, the ACT's version of Fix My Street may only be used by ACT residents rather than by local governments across the country.
The ACT version also does not include photos, allow residents to view the service requests submitted by others or provide details on the number of service requests received or addressed.
A service similar to the UK's site was developed during one of the Gov 2.0 Taskforce's mash-up events last year, named It's Buggered, Mate.
The OpenAustralia Foundation is also working towards introducing a version of the UK's Fix My Street in Australia.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
iPhones dominate Australian mobile internet access | Tweet |
Tiphereth Gloria has posted on Digital Tip a very interesting post regarding how iPhones dominate mobile internet access in Australia.
Quoting June 2010 figures, her post iPhones dominate Australian mobile internet says that iPhones account for 93% of mobile access, with Android, Blackberries, Symbian and other operating systems combined only accounting for 7% of the market.
Overseas iPhones account for 60% of mobile internet access - still a huge share, but significantly less than the Australian experience.
Of course these figures were provided by Apple - I've not seen independent statistics - but they are still striking.
If your agency websites are not customised for access via iPhones you're potentially less accessible to a large proportion of the mobile internet market.
