Title: Bringing the social web to Government – An inside out approach

Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Time: 6:00pm
Place: TheCodeFactory, 246 Queen St., Ottawa

Abstract:

This case study will provide a rare look behind the firewall at one of the most ambitious and exciting initiatives to come out of Canada this year. GCPEDIA, an open wiki for collaboration and the GCCONNEX professional networking platform are enabling culture change and workplace renewal amongst 250,000 employees across 100’s of legislated silos within the Canadian Federal Government.  The presentation will cover why and how it was done, the “spaghetti” strategy, starting small and growing big, and the approach of viral adoption and the perpetual beta. The policy implications involved creating an architecture of participation – providing the guardrails for appropriate behaviour without stifling innovation, and providing practical information management. The effect was turning the light on in a dark room – how social media increases the need for policy adherence as everything is done in a more transparent and open environment. It is about culture not technology, flying under th
e radar, and asking permission and begging forgiveness. We learned what engagement really means, and that changing culture requires one conversation at a time; but trust is hard for institutions. We can report on where we are seeing business value, the evidence we have collected, and metrics that involve measuring what people actually care about.

Speaker Bio:

Thom Kearney loves to solve problems.  In the 80’s he built one of Ottawa’s premiere ad agencies and then went on to teach and coach young adults.  More recently he’s been a leader, analyst and change agent for a range of technology intensive but business needs driven projects. A professional communicator by trade, Thom’s eclectic background makes him a rare “expert generalist”, someone that can cross the boundaries between the technical and business side of change, mediating for the benefit of both.  Thom thinks strategically but acts tactically, always seeing the end game, without losing sight of the practical reality we live in.  Thom’s unique perspective and forthright opinions have earned him the status of trusted advisor for organizations like the Government of Canada and Mitel Networks. Thom also teaches in the Bachelor of Information program at Carleton University.  Thom is fresh from a three year assignment as an executive with the Chief Information Officer Branch of the Treasury Board Secretariat, (the Feds), where he led the introduction of GCPEDIA, GCCONNEX and other elements of an Open Collaborative Workplace for Canadian Public Servants.

When and Where:

This event will take place on Tuesday, March 16, 6:00pm at TheCodeFactory, located at 246 Queen Street, between Bank and Kent, (on the second floor) above the Green Papaya Restaurant.

Note: there is no cost for attending this event and prior registration is not required. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. An informal social gathering will follow at a nearby pub.

Who:

CapCHI is a social and professional society of people who work as user interface designers, researchers, educators, software developers, web designers, graphic designers and human factors engineers in and around Canada’s National Capital Region. Founded in 1991, CapCHI’s goal is to bring together local professionals interested in how humans and computers interact, in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.