An international perspective on digital government, social media, and open data use in the public sector

1. The Keys to
Innovative Government:
International Perspective and Lessons for the Future
Ryan Androsoff
Twitter: @RyanAndrosoff
SUMA Convention
February 7, 2017

2. A little bit about myself…
• Early career in political and policy advisor roles in Saskatchewan and
Ottawa; international development policy work via CIDA and World Bank
• Masters Degree from Harvard Kennedy School of Government with
focus on “Government 2.0” and use of technology in the public sector
• Senior Advisor at Treasury Board Secretariat since 2010 focusing on
Social Media and Digital Service Innovation
• Spent 2015 at the OECD in Paris, France working with their Digital
Government Team

3. “Digital is the technological enabler of this century. And, in any
sector you care to name, it’s been the lifeblood of organisations
that have embraced it, and a death sentence for those that
haven’t.
-Mike Bracken
Former Executive Director and creator of the UK’s Government Digital Service

7. Mid-1990s -
Early 2000s
Government On-Line
Mid- 2000s -
Early 2010s
Government 2.0
Today Digital Government

8. Digital Government Defined
“Digital Government refers to the use
of digital technologies, as an
integrated part of governments’
modernisation strategies, to create
public value. It relies on a digital
government ecosystem comprised of
government actors, non-
governmental organisations,
businesses, citizens’ associations
and individuals which supports the
production of and access to data,
services and content through
interactions with the government.”

9. OECD Recommendation on
Digital Government Strategies
Openness and
Engagement
Governance and
Coordination
Capacities to Support
Implementation
1) Openness, transparency
and inclusiveness
2) Engagement and
participation in a multi-actor
context in policy making and
service delivery
3) Creation of a data-driven
culture
4) Protecting privacy and
ensuring security
5) Leadership and political
commitment
6) Coherent use of digital
technology across policy areas
7) Effective organizational and
governance frameworks to
coordinate
8) Strengthen international
cooperation with other
governments
9) Development of clear
business cases
10) Reinforced institutional
capacities
11) Procurement of digital
technologies
12) Legal and regulatory
framework

10. The digital government challenge

11. Governments are embracing digital

12. ON
2014 2015 2016
US Digital Service
Improve and simplify
digital experience for
key White House
priorities.
Digital
Transformation
Agency
Lead the
transformation of
government
services to deliver a
better experience
for Australians.
Digital
Government
Team
Lead the
implementation of
the government’s
vision for
government-wide
digital
transformation &
improved online
services for users
US
2011
Government
Digital Services
Make services
simpler, faster,
clearer and digital
by default.
Start with user
needs, not
government
needs.
UK AUS
18F/Technology
Transformation
Service
Transform the way
government builds,
buys, and shares
technology.
…and the mandate is change.
12
Digital
Transformation
Team
Deliver simpler,
seamless, end-to-
end services
around important
life events for
users; ensure a
‘service design’
approach; put
users at the centre
of the work.
NZ2013

13. Digital Service Delivery

14. Online service uptake varies considerably across
countries and social groups
Source: OECD (2013), Government at a Glance.

15. Estonia’s X-Road Model

16. Estonia E-ID

17. Source:
http://www.zylstra.org/blog/2015/08/i-applied-for-estonian-e-residency/

18. Source:
https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/digital-by-default

20. Social Media and
Collaborative
Technologies

24. One Size Doesn’t Fit All with
Social Media Strategies

25. Social Media Policies

26. Digital Ecosystem in the Federal Public Service
GC-wide
tools
Departmental
tools
External
tools

27. From Virpi Oinonen, @voinonen on Twitter, www.businessgoessocial.net. Used with permission.

28. From Virpi Oinonen, @voinonen on Twitter, www.businessgoessocial.net. Used with permission.

29. GC Online communities

30. The GC2.0 Tools
The GC2.0 Tools are the only existing option for online collaboration
between federal organizations inside the secure GC firewall
GCconnex: www.gcconnex.gc.ca
A professional networking platform for
meeting and collaborating
GCpedia: www.gcpedia.gc.ca
A wiki-based collaborative workspace and
knowledge sharing platform

31. h/t Chris Allison
@ToferC

32. Wide and Growing Spectrum of Use
Interactive
Publishing
Wide-
audience
Targeted-
audience
Instant messaging between
colleagues
Policy consultation
Live chatroom
Employee consultation
e.g. Blueprint 2020
List of personal
bookmarks/files
Crowd-sourcing a
discussion paper
Sharing a status
update on project
Sharing committee
meeting minutesInformation on inter-
departmental project
Team working group
space
User profile with resume
information
Posting an assignment
opportunity
Senior Exec.
Blog
Seeking feedback on an
initiative
Information on
administrative
processes
Inventory of
departmental projects
in specific domain
Intranet type web site
for employee
communications

33. A Few Specific Use Cases
Policy Development
Interdepartmental Committee Intranet-type Functions
Consultation/Feedback
Example: PANDU
• Used GCpedia to consult on new TBS policy on acceptable
network and device use
• Feedback from online consultation used in tandem with
traditional committee process
Outcome: faster consultation, reduced questions
Example: Key Leadership Competencies
• Open GCconnex group lead by ADM of Talent
Management at TBS-OCHRO
• 900+ participants provided feedback on prototype KLCs
via online poll and discussions
Outcome: increased breadth of feedback
Example: Summerside Tax Centre
• GCconnex group used to connect all 301 members of CRA office
in Summerside, PEI
• Director’s blog, calendar of events, photos of team events,
sharing administrative info
Outcome: better info sharing and team interaction
Example: DMSMPD Committee
• GCpedia and GCconnex presences to share information about
DM Committee mandate, members and meetings
• Has also been used to crowd-source discussion papers for
committee meetings
Outcome: more efficient committee organization

34. TB Policy Development Process Overview
Start
Policy Review
and Challenge
Respond to concerns
Policy Challenge
and Approval
Respond to concerns
Policy
Implementation
Communicate, monitor,
support and review
Policy Consultation
and Development
Ascertain need,
consult and develop
Stewardship
TBS
Strategic Policy
Directorate
(SPD)
Approved
TB Policy
Instrument

9. Communicate
and
implement
4a. SPD review
of draft
instruments
and other
materials
7. DM Advisory
Committees
(e.g. PSMAC
if required)
8. Treasury
Board
(TB)
10. Monitor,
support and
review
1. Initiate
with
Policy
Development
Challenge
Questions
2. Consult TB
Portfolio, SPD,
Depts. and
Agencies,
& non-GoC
3. Draft policy
instrument
and supporting
materials
Guide
… TBS DCC or
other committees
may be consulted
5. TBS Directors
Coordinating
Committee
(DCC)
Lead
4b. Legal Services
initial review of
instrument
6. TBS Policy
Oversight
Committee
(POC)

35. Consultation process
•TBS Policy Centres:
• Accessibility / CLF
• ATIP
• Communications
• Information Management
• Information Technology
• Official Languages
• Privacy
• Procurement
• Security
• Strategic Policy (TBS-CIOB)
• Values & Ethics
Key Stakeholders:
• Legal (TBS-CIOB, PSC & Justice)
• Priorities and Planning (TBS Policy
Suite Renewal)
• Labour Relations (TBS-CIOB)
• PCO - Communications &
Consultations
• PSC - Political Activities
• CCO (Communications Community
Office)
• CSE
• Web 2.0 practitioners (various
departments)
Web 2.0 Guidelines Working Group
Chaired by TBS-CIOB and comprised of:
With additional input from:
 Chief Information Officers Council (CIOC)
Members
 Public servants via GCPEDIA

36. 36

37. 37

38. TB Policy Development Process Overview
Start
Policy Review
and Challenge
Respond to concerns
Policy Challenge
and Approval
Respond to concerns
Policy
Implementation
Communicate, monitor,
support and review
Policy Consultation
and Development
Ascertain need,
consult and develop
Stewardship
TBS
Strategic Policy
Directorate
(SPD)
Approved
TB Policy
Instrument

9. Communicate
and
implement
4a. SPD review
of draft
instruments
and other
materials
7. DM Advisory
Committees
(e.g. PSMAC
if required)
8. Treasury
Board
(TB)
10. Monitor,
support and
review
1. Initiate
with
Policy
Development
Challenge
Questions
2. Consult TB
Portfolio, SPD,
Depts. and
Agencies,
& non-GoC
3. Draft policy
instrument
and supporting
materials
Guide
… TBS DCC or
other committees
may be consulted
5. TBS Directors
Coordinating
Committee
(DCC)
Lead
4b. Legal Services
initial review of
instrument
6. TBS Policy
Oversight
Committee
(POC)

41. Public Servants in Cyberspace…
and Space!

42. Open Data

43. Open Data Definitions
• Data = highest level of granularity from which information, content and
knowledge are derived.
• Public Sector Information = “information, including information products and
services, generated, created, collected, processed, preserved, maintained,
disseminated, or funded by or for a government or public institution”
• Open Data = data that can be freely used, re-used and distributed by anyone,
only subject to (at the most) the requirement that users attribute the data and
that they make their work available to be shared as well.
• Big Data = A data-driven socio-economic model; as a phenomenon emerged
as available datasets produced by various sources have grown larger and data
users more aware of the value obtainable through linked and combined data
sets produced by different actors, both private and public.
• Data analytics = the use of data to spot significant facts and trends to improve
policy making and service delivery (public sector intelligence).

44. Public Sector Information
Big Data
Open
Government
Data
Proprietary / Internal
Analytics
Apps
Public / Open Analytics

45. What Value are Governments
Expecting from Open Data?
• Economic Value
• Growth and competitiveness in the wider economy
• Fostering innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in government services
(internal and external)
• Social Value
• Promoting citizens’ self-empowerment, social participation and engagement
• Public Governance Value
• Improving accountability, transparency, responsiveness and democratic control

46. Economic Value: Examples

47. Social Value: Examples

48. Public Governance Value:
Examples

49. Top 5 main objectives of open data
strategies or policies
71%
71%
71%
67%
63%
54%
46%
33%
29%
0%
0% 20% 40% 60% 8
Create economic value for the private sector
Increase openness
Increase transparency
Facilitate creation of new businesses
ciently by improving internal operations and collaboration
fficiently by enabling delivery from private sector through
data re-use
nce by strengthening accountability for outputs/outcomes
nable citizens' engagement in decision-making processes
Facilitate citizens' participation in public debate
Create economic value for the public sector
Multiple answers allowed
Percentage of respondent countries
Source: OECD Open Data in Governments Survey 2013
Transparency
vs.
Innovation
PS
Efficiency
Public
Participation

50. • The “pioneers” (e.g. UK, USA, Spain)
• Devising a sustainable financial mechanism (e.g.
Denmark, the Netherlands)
• Establishing the governance framework first (e.g.
Germany, Switzerland)
• Quick followers (e.g. France and Mexico)
Emerging Approaches in Open
Data

51. Open Data in Canada
Source: open.gc.ca

52. • Policy challenges
• Technical challenges
• Economic and financial challenges
• Organisational challenges
• Cultural challenges
• Legal challenges
Key challenges to implementing open data

53. • Produced by the World Wide Web Foundation
• Measures on three dimensions, first launched in 2013
Open Data Barometer

54. • Produced by the Open Knowledge Foundation since 2013
• Index is based on 10 key datasets assessed against 9 criteria
Global Open Data Index

55. The OECD OURdata Index

56. 8 Lessons Learned

57. Lesson #1: Closing the digital skills
gap is critical to transformation

58. Lesson #2: Culture change takes time
Courtesy of: Gov+Memes

59. Strategy
Culture
Structures
Incentives

60. Lesson #3: Build it and they will
come only works in the movies

61. Lesson #4: Policy compliance can be
a real barrier to entry and innovation
Accessibility
Communications
Federal Identity
Program
Information
Management
Official Languages
Political Activities
Privacy and Access
To Information
Procurement &
Contracting
Security
Values & Ethics

62. Lesson #5: Focus must be on giving
users the toolkit that they want/need

63. Lesson #6: Mainstreaming takes new skills
The Chasm (from Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore):
There is a chasm between the early adopters of the product (the technology enthusiasts and visionaries) and the early majority (the
pragmatists).
Bridging the Gap
Trough of Disillusionment (from Gartner Hype Cycle) :
Interest wanes as experiments and implementations fail to deliver. Producers of the technology shake out or fail. Investments
continue only if the surviving providers improve their products to the satisfaction of early adopters.

64. 64
Lesson #7: Demographics are destiny

65. 65
The Boomers

66. 66
Generation X

67. 67
Millennials

68. 68
Digital Natives

69. 69
Born Digital

70. Lesson #8: The “quick wins” are
done…time for the tough stuff!

71. Thank You!
Twitter:
@RyanAndrosoff
LinkedIn:
ca.linkedin.com/in/ryanandrosoff
E-Mail:
ryan@ryanandrosoff.ca