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Line 10: − + − + − + − <br>+ − <div style="border:1px solid #white; {{Round corners}}; text-indent: 4%; margin: 20px; margin: 0 auto; width: 700px; line-height: 2em; font-size:125%">+ − '''<span style="color:#545454; font-size:125%">On May 15, the United States Digital Service hosted its counterparts from the North: the Digital Collaboration Division of the Government of Canada.</span>'''</div>+ − <div style="border:1px solid #white; {{Round corners}}; margin: 20px; margin: 0 auto; width: 700px; line-height: 2em; font-size:125%">+ − <br>+ − These public servants are creating a single collaborative public service and encouraging new ways of working in an open, transparent, digital environment. Heather Laird and Christopher Allison came to visit USDS Headquarters and discussed their work focused on creating an Open & Accessible Digital Workspace, a collaboration tool for teams with government records retention compliance and multilingual support baked-in. USDSers queried our visitors on their use of APIs and on the broader efforts involved with behavior change work around technology adoption in government.+ − <br><br>+ − Even as long standing allies and friends with many shared values and priorities, service delivery in the US and Canada each have their own distinct issues, our discussion yielded insights into the parallels of our work.+ − <br><br>+ − + − <br><br>+ − + − <br><br>+ − '''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:125%'>Our Questions</span>'''+ − <br><br>+ − * What might it look like for governments around the world to build up open + − : source tools that can meet the needs of our employees?+ − * Could we adapt what’s already built in the open to get awesome, accessible + − : tools?+ − * Could we understand our needs better and create better specs when we buy − : tools? − * What are the pros and cons of open source and proprietary solutions for − : different use cases? − * How might other groups working to serve the public use open tools too? − * How might we decentralize, build, and invest in processes to support open − : source projects for public benefit work around the world? − <br> − − <br><br> − − * ''Instant Messaging for team chat and on-the-fly exchanges'' − : - Builds on RocketChat − : - [https://message.gccollab.ca/ Check out Collab Message] − * ''Project Boards to manage projects and workflow'' − : - Builds on Wekan − : - [https://kanban.gccollab.ca/ Check out Collab Kanban ]+ − * ''Authentication to provide trusted identification across other tools'' − : - Builds on Python Django − : - [https://account.gccollab.ca/ Check out Collab Account] − <br> − The Digital Collaboration is exploring how these can connect with services created in the US, like: − * Vets.gov − * Certify.sba.gov − * Move.mil − * Login.gov − * Data.gov − * Pulse.cio.gov − * Digital.gov − * Challenge.gov − <br> − Any group can join in the Government of Canada instance (by invitation, for now), or adapt the open source tools independently. The US Government is already using some of these open source tools, so we are both invested in making them better. − <br><br> − '''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:125%'>Our Questions</span>''' − <br><br> − * Who else might benefit from these tools? − * How can we increase user adoption? − * When needed, how can we open up approvals for these tools for government − : employees working in different jurisdictions? − * When these tools are awesome, how can we tell the story? − * When they need to be improved, how can we get feedback to make them − : better? − * How can we put these tools in the hands of every civil servant when they start a − : new job? − * How can the government promote wider adoption of APIs, like what USDS has − : done with health data access? − <br> − '''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:175%'>The Greatest Good</span>''' − <br><br> − Tools are one part of the story - the mission is what matters in the end. It turns out colleagues in Canada and the US Government are working on supporting Veterans, streamlining the Immigration process, giving citizens and health professionals better access to healthcare information, and much more. − <br><br> − '''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:125%'>Our Questions</span>''' − <br><br> − * How can we learn from each other to avoid repeating mistakes? − * How can we adopt solutions developed in different departments to leap-frog − : ahead? − * How can we take lessons back from successful missions to improve service, − : and change tools, human resource, onboarding, and other processes in − − <br> − '''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:175%'>What's Next?</span>''' − <br><br> − Doors open! An open invitation to take a tour up North and hotdesk with the Digital Collaboration Division. Contact '''@derek.alton''' or '''derek.alton@tbs-sct.gc.ca''' to learn more. − <br> − <br> − And vice versa, any Canadians looking to visit USDS and learn more about what USDS is up to on their projects can contact '''@c_sethna''' or '''cyrus.l.sethna@omb.eop.gov''' − <br> − Join the Partners’ Forum for the open source project to create an open and accessible digital workspace by hollering '''@derek.alton''' or '''derek.alton@tbs-sct.gc.ca''' − <br>Who’s in the conversation, to name a few: '''@USDS @MattCutts @MarkLerner @Govloop @SteveRessler @OpenGovHub @OpenGovPartnership @LenaTrudeau @KellyOlson @PhilWenger @GrayBrooks @CDS @IRCC @18F @codeforDC @sunlightfoundation''' and so many more.+ + − Thanks for an amazing week!+ − + − −
DCD Blogs/Visiting the Imapct Hub Ottawa (view source)
Revision as of 14:39, 17 July 2018
, 14:39, 17 July 2018added content
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<div style="line-height: 3em; font-size: 250%; text-indent: 8%; font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> '''A Week of Collaboration in Washington, DC'''</div>
<div style="line-height: 3em; font-size: 250%; text-indent: 8%; font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> '''Visiting Impact Hub Ottawa''' </div>
<div style="line-height: 2em; font-size: 125%; text-indent: 14%;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> [https://gccollab.ca/profile/Heather.Laird/ Heather Laird] / Strategic Partnerships Team / June 27, 2018</div>
<div style="line-height: 2em; font-size: 125%; text-indent: 14%;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> Emily Kokkoros and Cassandra Prézeau/ Digital Collaboration Team / July 17, 2018</div>
<div style="line-height: 2em; font-size: 125%; text-indent: 14%;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> '''12 minute read'''</div>
<div style="line-height: 2em; font-size: 125%; text-indent: 14%;font-family:'Helvetica Neue', 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, sans-serif;"> '''0 minute read'''
Hello world,
We are Cassandra and Emily, a Junior Research and Analysis Officer and a Junior Policy Officer. We are both students working for the Digital Collaboration team at the Treasury Board Secretariat. Our goal, as part of the team is always to find new and innovative ways to work together, whether that is within our own group or with anyone else around the world. So, when the opportunity to meet with a representative from one of the world’s leading entrepreneurial and innovative solutions for social impact came to our attention, we had to know more…
'''What is the Impact Hub about?'''
The Impact Hub is a membership-based community of over 16,000 members meant to expand your network more easily by providing an open space for collaboration and encouraging its patrons to socialise amongst themselves though activities and workshops. The Hub gives you access to mentors should you require assistance, and it provides meeting and event spaces across Canada and around the world so you’re connected even when you’re far from home.
The Impact Hub Ottawa describes itself as “a community and co-working space that inspires, connects and enables people working to solve the world’s problems big and small”, and rightfully so. Sure, it is a place where you can bring your work and sit quietly in an ergonomic and contemporary space, but it is also a place where you can meet like-minded individuals who share a passion to better the world by working together. In fact, 60% of Impact Hub members value social and environmental return, using the sustainable development goals the Impact Hub shares, over financial gain.
'''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:175%'>Tools for the Win</span>'''
They can help with the initial start-up of your business as they have done with over 6,400 businesses between the year 2012 and 2016, not to mention the over 200 programs they deliver annually as the world’s largest multi-stakeholder community and accelerator for social impact.
The people we serve may be different, but the tools needed to help public servants get great work done are often the same. The need for surveys and consultation tools, instant messaging and team chat, space for ad hoc, cross-team working groups, or document sharing that meets government standards seems more or less universal. Commercial tools do a lot, but open source tools can be tweaked on the fly to meet the regs & legs of governments in charge.
Members also benefit from inspiring events, perks with partner organizations, and let’s not forget… free coffee and Wi-Fi!
'''How can we connect?'''
A large part of what made this tour unique was the roundtable-style discussion that followed the initial walk-around. The Community Lead for Impact Hub was present, along with a number of guests, including a health entrepreneur, a digital marketer, a freelance writer, and Cassandra and myself.
Cassandra and I had the opportunity at a few intervals to discuss what we do and it was clear to see that the work this team is doing at TBS garnered quite a bit of interest from the private sector and non-profit listeners at the table. Eager to hear more, they would ask a question about our jobs or make a comment about the scope of the work. With a mixture of individuals from different sectors and backgrounds, their interest signals that the concept of collaborative tools, of building bridges between communities, governments, academics, and stakeholders, is an idea that captures attention in innovative circles like the Hub.
'''<span style='color:#545454; font-size:175%'>Sharing the Secret Sauce</span>'''
The Digital Collaboration Division, alongside partners, has already spun up beta versions of tools that are free to use or copy-paste into a new version, right now (!).
We heard about the Impact Hub’s network around the world and their own partnerships, linking with other social hubs across Canada. They also offer the ability for members to have a profile and communicate on a private network with other members. Platforms like these exemplify how there are a number of social communities thriving not just in Canada, but around the world, all the while identifying a common thread: the desire to work together.
: government to make it easier next time?
Pursuing the purpose of connecting one another in more engaging and efficient ways is a goal we can all get behind. As the Digital Collaboration division maintains the set of collaborative and engaging GCTools, it is encouraging to see that such dynamic efforts can resonate both within the Government of Canada, and with change-makers across the country and around the world.
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