Comments on: Open Government = Hacking? http://www.theenvisioners.com/index.php/2009/10/13/open-government-hacking/ Thinking About The Future, Not Just Predicting It Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:07:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gary Burt http://www.theenvisioners.com/index.php/2009/10/13/open-government-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Gary Burt Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:51:28 +0000 http://www.theenvisioners.com/?p=341#comment-133 There is one other very quick way to incite and induce change. Have the funding follow innovation. This is not about simply adding more money into the pot to incentivise 'cool' new (but unsustainable) toy projects, but also about cutting existing budgets unless change is delivered. Changing has to be the least worse option for local government. There is one other very quick way to incite and induce change. Have the funding follow innovation. This is not about simply adding more money into the pot to incentivise ‘cool’ new (but unsustainable) toy projects, but also about cutting existing budgets unless change is delivered. Changing has to be the least worse option for local government.

]]> By: Gary Burt http://www.theenvisioners.com/index.php/2009/10/13/open-government-hacking/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Gary Burt Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:48:58 +0000 http://www.theenvisioners.com/?p=341#comment-132 There will be no change without a reason to change. Councils are risk-averse, they are supposed to be. Having stable Government is important in a democracy, but unless a reason is created to change then councils are doing the right thing, at least as far as investment is concerned by not-changing. The default rule in almost all councils closely follows the "if it ain't broke ..." maxim. So, the stakeholders, that is you and me need to lobby the council and also the government to change. Only when the alternative of not changing is a lesser preferable option will you see some change. The pressure can be political, financial or legal, but without this don't hold your breath. Of course it would help to have some vision at a national level around e-Government and more importantly electronic social engagement, but all the time the role is demoted to the point of anonymous then nothing is going to happen. Ultimtely the change is likely to come from an external source such as a pressure group, a professional body or a political group that captures the publics' imagination with what can be achieved. The change in government will therefore be driven to counter accusations of inaction, incompetance and inefficiency. There will be no change without a reason to change. Councils are risk-averse, they are supposed to be. Having stable Government is important in a democracy, but unless a reason is created to change then councils are doing the right thing, at least as far as investment is concerned by not-changing. The default rule in almost all councils closely follows the “if it ain’t broke …” maxim. So, the stakeholders, that is you and me need to lobby the council and also the government to change. Only when the alternative of not changing is a lesser preferable option will you see some change. The pressure can be political, financial or legal, but without this don’t hold your breath.

Of course it would help to have some vision at a national level around e-Government and more importantly electronic social engagement, but all the time the role is demoted to the point of anonymous then nothing is going to happen. Ultimtely the change is likely to come from an external source such as a pressure group, a professional body or a political group that captures the publics’ imagination with what can be achieved. The change in government will therefore be driven to counter accusations of inaction, incompetance and inefficiency.

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