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Web 2.0 Social Computing & Generation Y Action Group
Web 2.0, Social Computing and Generation Y Action Group
The array of tools and resources known as Web 2.0 or Social Computing are important to knowledge management, and also represent a critical path to acceptance by “Generation Y” employees. The Federal government must attract Generation Y (born approximately in the 1978-2000 time period) employees, and this will require some culture change. The Action Group will produce recommendations for effective communications, recruiting and management for Generation Y.
I'm posting a few talking points and issues which our group may want to consider. This is by no means complete, but is a beginning of some issue areas. Please feel free to add items and comments... — Dave
“
Changing organizational culture can be like herding cats. However, the IC is more like herding cats, rats, bats, monkeys, tigers, lions, etc. while some of the animals are flying and jumping around trees, others are trying to eat them. This is where we work...
”
— Pat Gorman, DNI CIO
I think the above quote can apply to federal government at large.
Goals of this group
This goal of the Web 2.0, Social Computing and Generation Y Action group is to produce informational products in the form of a short paper and presentation, which can serve as an guide for the development of future policy. Our goal should be to describe the current landscape with respect to Web 2.0 and social software, why it is important, and how such tools and technologies could be leveraged by government.
This group is not designed to create policy, but to think about the issues that should drive and inform policy discussions in the future.
One important consideration: Web 2.0 and "social software" transcends the simple issue of reaching out to Gen Y; it also holds value for organizations themselves, especially as individuals able to leverage the technologies becomes parts of these organizations. If the campaign to attract Gen Y is successful, these tools need to be present within organizations to retain talent and foster the new information environment.
Examples to drive this effort include:
An explanation of Web 2.0 and "social software" — what it is, what it's good for
Success stories of implementations from various sectors of government
Links or references describing best practices, documentation, or other relevant resources
A basic outline addressing general practices and considerations
A focus on why this is important, and the cultural shift that will be required
Important: Some thoughts have already been put forth on these issues by others in the federal government. Be sure to review the below documents.
Please post news articles, issues for discussion, or other resources below for consideration by the group. Break down by category if necessary. Alternatively, send to the group mailing list: fed-km-web20@ugov.gov
Allows your best assets — your employees — to interact with one another using familiar tools; cf. computers, email
Some tools (e.g., wikis) extremely valuable for agile, interactive, living shared information repositories
Not having modern tools available akin to not having computers, telephones, email, vehicles, other essentials
Maintain an active presence on Web 2.0 sites
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.
Monitor and interact — two-way conduit between agency and public
Valuable outreach tool
Assign Community Manager to interact in these venues
Develop plans for content dissemination, and be prepared to answer questions — Community Manager should have access to internal resources to address questions on employment, procedures, public affairs issues, and so on
Do not block or ban tools
Misuse of resources is a social, management, and personnel issue, not a technical issue
"If an inappropriate poster is posted on the wall, we don't ban the wall!" — Chris Rasmussen, Knowledge Manager, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Disconnects government and its people from real-world flows of information
Disables proven mechanisms for communication and information sharing
In highly managed and controlled settings, technical abuse prevention may be acceptable
Security/legal
Security is key to successfully interacting with Web 2.0 tools on commodity internet
Integrate programs for user education and awareness into existing security/IT training
The Industrial Revolution to the Information Revolution
The Industrial Age lent itself to traditional social and organizational structure s and hier archies we see today
The burgeoning Information Age is showing us that the many of the old models are irrelevant
Information is Power
The benefits of sharing information and interaction outweigh the risks
Aggregation and analysis information in central, shared repositories goes against the grain of secrecy, compartmentalization, "owning" projects or information, etc.
Open reporting expands range of expertise and viewpoints available; many problems are of interest to others (NGOs, politicians, corporations) as well
Making information usable and accessible in an effective way to yourself, your partners, your customers, and the American public is top priority
Do not "silo" information
Organizational structure still limits the level of inter-/intra-agency interaction
"Social software silos" are growing in government today: duplication of wikis, blogs, and other software, SharePoint sites which restrict information and assert information "ownership", and so on
Old organizational models encourage siloing, even while using new these new technologies and tools within the silos
Serendipitous interaction does not happen in silos
Bureaucratic organizational structure can fundamentally limit application of social software within its ranks
Social software successes did not sprout out from their industrial age counterparts
Wikipedia did not arise from Encyclopedia Brittanica
Facebook did not arise from yearbook innovation at Jostens
Blogs did not arise from the Old Media's application of new technology
Applications of technology were evolutionary, not revolutionary...true innovation and revolution came from outside the existing organizational structures and frameworks, and now the old models are being destroyed
Taking the next steps
We must work to break down these organizational barriers ourselves
Evangelize new tools (see Intelligence Community model)
Distribute your own work via these mechanisms when possible
Push direct management for support
Push for agency-level support
Organizational culture will eventually have to choose to sacrifice facets of itself to take the next step
Intelligence Community Web 2.0 and social software efforts in the media:
When a cell of 10 Islamic militants stole into the Indian port city of Mumbai in November and began to unleash a fusillade of hell on two hotels, a train depot in rush hour and a Jewish center, US spooks scrambled to make sense of it all. About 20 analysts from across the globe immediately convened - not in the same room, but on two classified Web sites called Intellipedia and A-space.
When I joined the Defense Intelligence Agency as an analyst in January 2003, what excited me most was the opportunity to use the Intelligence Community's proprietary technology tools. If the public has access to the amazing capabilities of the World Wide Web, I thought, the Intelligence Community (IC) must be a wonderland: search engines that could read my mind, desktop video conferencing with teammates around the world . . . .
The reality was a colossal letdown. Intelink—the network that was designed to negate the physical distance that separates intelligence agencies and their customers—seems anachronistic in comparison to the Web we use at home. As a technology enthusiast with seven years of Web development experience, I was appalled that the rest of the world had access to better online tools than did the US national security structure—the very creator of “online.” Our search engines return results reminiscent of the pre-Google Web. Our online personnel directories are useless. Agencies and combatant commands use a hodgepodge of incompatible discussion and chat tools, furthering our tendency to speak only with those in our own buildings.
Imagine if, in August 2001, the U.S. intelligence agencies had dumped all of their information into one secure, online resource where it was searchable and accessible to anyone who had the proper clearance.
"In situations where large numbers of employees are brought in (such as mergers and new organizations, as well as the current federal example) Knowledge Management has a very important role to play." Neil (email of 3/6/09)
I think it calls for a rethinking of traditional approaches to new employee orientation and a move towards rapid onboarding with a strong KM / Organizational Learning flavor. Social media can play a key role in supporting rapid onboarding. Other existing programs, such as mentoring, call also be tapped into.
Relational Onboarding: How Social Networking Accelerates New Hires into Star Performers (perhaps someone has a membership and would be able to access this paper).
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