en.europa-eu-audience

Digital Community Engagement Scale

Resources for Information Architects

Source: http://www.userfocus.co.uk/newsletter/apr2012.html#Anchor-Archive

If you're interested in information architecture, you might want to try one of these articles from our archives.

• Card Games for Information Architects
• Shopping basket usability: Nine tests for a usable checkout
• Layout grids for Axure and Pencil
• UX Stencil for Omnigraffle, Visio, Pencil & Keynote
• Paper prototyping helper kit

Like these? Want more? See all 85 of our previous articles on user experience.

 

USA.gov: Mobile Apps

Have a look on http://apps.usa.gov/

A Manager’s Guide to Evaluating Citizen Participation

Sources:

http://www.businessofgovernment.org/report/manager%E2%80%99s-guide-evaluating-citizen-participation

greatemancipator.com/2012/02/07/evaluating-citizen-participation/

Extract

Author(s): 

Tina Nabatchi

The Obama administration’s Open Government Initiative is now three years old. But is it making a difference?  Dr. Nabatchi’s report is a practical guide for program managers who want to assess whether their efforts to increase citizen participation in their programs are making a difference. She lays out evaluation steps for both the implementation and management of citizen participation initiatives, as well as how to assess the impact of a particular citizen participation initiative.

 

How should agencies moderate their online channels?

Source: http://egovau.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-should-agencies-moderate-their.html

Extract

While government agencies often have limited options in the approaches they choose to use for moderating third-party social media channels, there's a number of ways they can choose to moderate channels under their control, including blogs, forums and wikis.

There's limited official guidance, and no real mandates or instructions for particular moderation approaches available across Australian government (no my knowledge). This is partially a good thing, as agencies need to consider what works for their goals and the sensitivity of their engagements, not merely follow a central line.

I have been asked a number of times by various people about the best approaches to moderation and how other agencies choose to moderate, however I only recently put together a quick review, based on a request in my job.

As this is public information - something that can be observed when visiting any particular blog or forum, and there is widespread interest as agencies look at what each other is doing and why to help inform their own decisions, I thought it worth publishing the list and allowing other agencies to add to it, so government agencies can both share this important information and collectively learn from it.

The spreadsheet, Australian agency moderation of online social channels, is available for viewing and editing here.

Australians' use and satisfaction with e-government services—2011

Source: http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/interacting-with-government-2011/index.html

 Foreword

This is the sixth and final study of Australians’ use and satisfaction with e‑government services under the 2006 e‑Government Strategy.  It shows that Australians continue to embrace the internet as a way of interacting with government. The internet has now become commonplace and a natural means for citizens dealing with government and is the preferred means of accessing government services.

Over the past three years, two thirds of people have used e‑government channels to contact government, confirming the importance of providing convenient and efficient government services online.

The study also saw an increased take up in the use of new communications technologies such as email, text messaging and social networking tools.

Satisfaction with government websites remains high, and since 2009 there has been an increase in satisfaction in the way government websites are designed.  In 2011 more Australians became aware of their ability to easily find information about Australian Government programs and services through the australia.gov.au website.

The opportunities for greater engagement with citizens through e‑government channels will continue as the introduction of high speed broadband through NBN and the increased use of new communications technologies provides Government with greater flexibility in delivering better services to people, communities and business and improved government operations.  

 

Don't forget the why of Gov 2.0

Source: egovau.blogspot.com/2012/01/dont-forget-why-of-gov-20.html

Putting users at the heart of the Digital Agenda for Europe

Have a look on 

http://cirn.wikispaces.com/Putting+users+at+the+heart+of+the+Digital+Agenda+for+Europe

and also

http://greatemancipator.com/2012/01/21/participating-in-a-democracy/

Eleven things to consider when using Facebook in government

Source: egovau.blogspot.com/2012/01/11-things-to-consider-when-using.html

Introduction

When websites first starting to become popular it became common for Marketing and Communications teams in organisations to receive requests from various areas saying "we need a website".

Now that social media is firmly embedded in Australia, I'm seeing and hearing about the same type of requests - particularly for Facebook.

So, drawn from a response I provided to one agency who asked for my views, I've compiled a list of 11 things to consider when looking to use Facebook in your campaign, program, consultation, activity or otherwise for your agency.

This looks like a long list, but realistically is no more than should be considered for other channels (particularly online). Many of these areas can be addressed quickly through borrowing strategies and approaches from other agencies.

Guideline for External Use of Web 2.0 in the Canadian Government

Sources: 

http://governingpeople.com/mikekujawski/24943/guideline-external-use-web-20-government-canada

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=24835&section=text

Extract

Will this guideline be criticized?

Of course it will. I can see a whole slew of negative comments already coming in:

• it’s too long
• it’s ambiguous
• it doesn’t tell me exactly what to do
• it’s overly polished
• it’s too restrictive

If you’re thinking one of the above, please stop. Instead, think about how much more you can do to build a case for more empowerment and engagement now that these are out. If you experience a roadblock, find a nugget within the guideline that can help you get around it, it’s full of them. As a starting point before complaining, I would suggest reading the entire guideline from start to finish, as I just did. Yes, there are plenty of things that could be improved, ignore them for now and highlight the positives. Use these to inform your colleagues, your bosses and your staff. Build understanding of this guideline into employee training programs. Hold guideline lunch n’ learn orientation sessions…you get the point. There is obviously still plenty of work that needs to be done in terms of building “social” into the fabric of the public service culture, especially at the senior levels.I urge all public servants that have been involved in pushing concepts such as collaboration, community and engagement over the last decade to leverage this opportunity and shift into 2nd gear, if not 3rd (at high RPM’s). Finally, I’d like to extend my own personal congratulations to all of you that helped make this happen. You know who you are.