Timely information to citizens: Innovations in engaging citizens with service design and delivery Dave Harte Economic Development Manager Digital Birmingham [email_address] http://www.digitalbirmingham.co.uk/blog @daveharte

What I do:

What I do:

Today: How Birmingham being great makes it easy to run our Timely Information project Birmingham – Open City Social Media surgeries BeVocal.org.uk Project progress and issues

How Birmingham being great makes it easy to run our Timely Information project

Birmingham – Open City

Social Media surgeries

BeVocal.org.uk

Project progress and issues

Birmingham Open City “ Here's a few ideas - lots more.” “ The Open City Plan is a Web2.0 approach to generating collaboration, discussion, creativity, debate, data mashups and open source tools to enable the people of Birmingham to answer one question: "What do I want the city to be like in 25 years?" Stef Lewandowski – 4iP application

“ Here's a few ideas - lots more.”

“ The Open City Plan is a Web2.0 approach to generating collaboration, discussion, creativity, debate, data mashups and open source tools to enable the people of Birmingham to answer one question: "What do I want the city to be like in 25 years?"

Stef Lewandowski – 4iP application

Birmingham Open City “ The problem is, that no matter what the Council do to try to communicate what is happening as part of the [Big City Plan] process, they are limited by their own requirements, party political fighting, out of date communication policies and structures.” Stef Lewandowski – 4iP application

“ The problem is, that no matter what the Council do to try to communicate what is happening as part of the [Big City Plan] process, they are limited by their own requirements, party political fighting, out of date communication policies and structures.”

Stef Lewandowski – 4iP application

Social Media Surgeries

Timely Information social media spirit + mash-up culture = Who knows but could be good!

social media spirit + mash-up culture =

Who knows but could be good!

Clay Shirky – Cognitive Surplus “ Desperate Housewives essentially functioned as a kind of cognitive heat sink, dissipating thinking that might otherwise have built up and caused society to overheat”

“ Desperate Housewives essentially functioned as a kind of cognitive heat sink, dissipating thinking that might otherwise have built up and caused society to overheat”

Clay Shirky – Cognitive Surplus “ Someone working alone, with really cheap tools, has a reasonable hope of carving out enough of the cognitive surplus, enough of the desire to participate, enough of the collective goodwill of the citizens, to create a resource you couldn't have imagined existing even five years ago.”

“ Someone working alone, with really cheap tools, has a reasonable hope of carving out enough of the cognitive surplus, enough of the desire to participate, enough of the collective goodwill of the citizens, to create a resource you couldn't have imagined existing even five years ago.”

Timely Information social media spirit + mash-up culture + cognitive surplus = Who knows but could be amazing!

social media spirit + mash-up culture + cognitive surplus =

Who knows but could be amazing!

Timely Information “ RAW DATA NOW”

“ RAW DATA NOW”

Timely Information An experiment in encouraging citizens to use public data in new ways

An experiment in encouraging citizens to use public data in new ways

Brings together the story of how social media is being used for social good in Birmingham. Gentle introductions to data stuff

Brings together the story of how social media is being used for social good in Birmingham.

Gentle introductions to data stuff

How the project works Social Media Surgeries – identify citizens’ concerns (+ capital equipment) Source some data Find clever people to help mash it up (or whatever)

Social Media Surgeries – identify citizens’ concerns (+ capital equipment)

Source some data

Find clever people to help mash it up (or whatever)

1. Identify citizens’ concerns Moseley: Strategic planning document new ways to consult citizens Accock Green: mapping the issues

Moseley:

Strategic planning document

new ways to consult citizens

Accock Green:

mapping the issues

1. Identify citizens’ concerns Schools Appeals and admissions? Parking Where not to park in Birmingham?

Schools

Appeals and admissions?

Parking

Where not to park in Birmingham?

2. Source some data West Midlands Regional Observatory API key Be Birmingham Super-output areas

West Midlands Regional Observatory

API key

Be Birmingham

Super-output areas

2. Source some data Business Transformation (Service Birmingham) Excellence in information management ‘ data custodians’ Open street map Using citizens to gather data

Business Transformation (Service Birmingham)

Excellence in information management

‘ data custodians’

Open street map

Using citizens to gather data

3. Find clever people to mash it up (or whatever) SMEs (supported by 4iP) Dracos Fizzpop Social Media types having fun

SMEs (supported by 4iP)

Dracos

Fizzpop

Social Media types having fun

The issues (not insurmountable) Citizens: some are too far behind the curve. Data: Too much hugging. OS issues.

Citizens: some are too far behind the curve.

Data: Too much hugging. OS issues.

A digital economy opportunity: Cognitive surplus + Raw Data = new and exciting area of the digital economy Power of Information Power of Birmingham group Public sector meets active citizenship Push to free up data

Cognitive surplus + Raw Data =

new and exciting area of the digital economy

Power of Information

Power of Birmingham group

Public sector meets active citizenship

Push to free up data

Digital Participation “ Increased awareness would lead to more people engaging in digital participation. Building awareness of what it is possible to do quickly and easily online could encourage greater participation.” (Ofcom Citizen Participation research)

“ Increased awareness would lead to more people engaging in digital participation. Building awareness of what it is possible to do quickly and easily online could encourage greater participation.”

(Ofcom Citizen Participation research)

Summary – this project Birmingham – vibrant scene to make this happen Data – still too much emphasis on City creating a resource from the data This project about showing there are enough active, concerned and geeky citizens to create the resource for you.

Birmingham – vibrant scene to make this happen

Data – still too much emphasis on City creating a resource from the data

This project about showing there are enough active, concerned and geeky citizens to create the resource for you.

Summary – wider context Power in People’s Hands: Learning from the World’s best Public Services: “ Transforming accountability of services through real‑time, highly local information, often delivered digitally” “ Empowering citizens in the information age – using new technologies to ensure access to services and information about their performance” “ Shift away from b ureaucratic information systems”

Power in People’s Hands: Learning from the World’s best Public Services:

“ Transforming accountability of services through real‑time, highly local information, often delivered digitally”

“ Empowering citizens in the information age – using new technologies to ensure access to services and information about their performance”

“ Shift away from b ureaucratic information systems”