Designing for Civil Society

Joining up online places

The more we can do online, the less useful it gets I sometime think. Stuff happens in different places like email lists and forums, blogs and Wikis, that often aren't linked. It means learning different tools that most people find difficult. So interesting news from Andy Carvin, whose comment on an item here leads to an explanation of how he is showing email items from a list on his blog. That should make it possible not only to show on your blog what happening on lists you manage, for example, but also easily to link to items. Discussion joins up. I'm not sure I understand how Andy's done it, but I'm very impressed. E-democracy guru Steven Clift set out his thoughts and options in a paper last year.

Life is messy - so let's be honest about it

How far can we plan communities, organisations, our lives... and how far should we expect to go with the flow of what happens? Old question, but do we have any new answers?
"No plan survives first engagement with the enemy" said von Clausewitz.
As a consultant it is tempting to run workshop groups through exercises that promise a business plan, action plan, routemap. Tasks are identified, timescales laid out, responsibilities assigned....then reality hits as soon as everyone gets out of the door.

How to start an unsatisfactory engagement

John Moore neatly encapsulates How to start a relationship on the basis of manipulation by describing the way advertising agencies get their work. The creatives have to compete in pitching a 'big idea' to clients, spending a great deal and anxious about their hit rate. Clients think they are getting a lot of free ideas, but end up paying a premium to cover wasted effort elsewhere. John reflects that "starting agency relationships this way virtually guarantees dysfunction."
His item prompted me to think about the way that public bodies choose consultants for community engagement and civil renewal projects, and the resulting dysfunction that can occur and affect a wider range of interests.

How tech might tip UK election - and not through e-voting

Technology could impact on the next UK general election several ways, suggests Mike Butcher writing at mbites- and e-voting isn't one of them. Part of it may be the increase in organising through the Net, as show by US presidential Democratic candidate Howard Dean. More important, says Mike, could be the aim of politicians to cut administrative cost by moving services online.

Blogging can add buzz to your conference

Blogs and wikis are now an established part of technology conferences like ETCon, with participants posting commentary to their own sites or a common space. But is that realistic for other events? Recently the British Council gave me a chance to find out - and it worked really well thanks to the enthusiasm of a group of international participants. Particularly since for most English was not their first language, and blogging was a new experience. You can see the results here.

Play budget setting online

Local authories can be fun too... thanks to Gail Bradbrook of Citizens Online for pointing out an online game by which Warwickshire residents can discover if they could do better than their county council in raising and spending the cash needed to run public services in the county. Players navigate a virtual town to identify services that are needed, before heading for a virtual town hall and worrying about how to pay for it all. Play here

Skyhouse and social software presentation

Will Davies and James Crabtree have now posted the presentation they made at the Emerging Technologies Conference about how social software could help build a sense of community in Skyhouses... proposed mixed-use London housing skyscrapers. Earlier discussion about Skyhouse - and sky neighbourhoods - here.

Older people's mixed views on the Net

Research sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation finds limited interest in the Internet among older people living in sheltered housing. Perhaps not surprisingly, those interested generally saw it as entertainment rather than 'must have', and many needed help in using the Net. The JRF research, by Maria Sourbati in 2002, revealed ambivalence among residents about the Government's push to move services online, because of possible loss of traditional forms of provision. "Many saw it as a substitute for physical activity and human contact, and a threat of further isolation. Some felt that services enabling the continuation of everyday routines (such as shopping for food) or providing support (for example, transferring prescriptions) could be useful to homebound people."

Local problem solving online

In theory the Net should be a good way for like-minded people to connect and develop ideas, or solve problems, to benefit their local community. But who is doing that - or facilitating it - effectively? Jonathan Briggs, who runs the Reengage blog commented on my speed networking post, saying "I'm really up for some further discussions about how we use technology to link people to other people to solve small problems. Dating sites for problem solving? ;-)"
Jonathan's query promoted me to look again at the 'Who's who in community technology' pages I started a few years ago.

Emerging Technology Conference roundup

Lee Bryant of Headshift has provided a useful roundup of the San Diego ETCon and social networking developments. The guys from iSociety were there too presenting ideas for using social software in Skyhouse, and referenced the collectively blogged (or wikied?) notes of conference participants. The conference wiki is here. Wonderful stuff from Tom Coates too.
Update
Skyhouse presentation now here