The subcouncil team has had some active discussions about policy aspects of Twitter for government agencies over the past few weeks. At a time when Government agencies are starting to actively engage with constituents using social media tools, there's still different schools of thought about how to approach Twitter.
On a recent episode of Government 2.0 Radio, the point was raised that government agencies are now listening to the conversation happening online, but there's still some hesitancy to actually engage in conversation.
Questions come to mind about whom to follow and when to engage in the conversation. Twitter is no different than any other social media tool: how you use it really depends on your communication goals.
For the Massachusetts Governor's Office, the rules of engagement are clear, and posted right online.
To paraphrase:
-They follow people who follow them.
-They use Twitter to connect citizens with government and to get feedback.
-They review and update "as much as possible", along with other channels of feedback, outreach and engagement.
-They explain how the feedback they receive on Twitter is incorporated in the same way as feedback they receive through more conventional channels.
Some agencies have yet to take the plunge into full engagement. They aren't following anyone. They may be monitoring @ replies, but are not responding directly to them in the public forum. Although this cautious approach may be appropriate under certain circumstances, does it send the wrong message about openness and willingness to engage?
There are probably 101 uses for Twitter, so there's probably no 100% correct answer here. In establishing best practices for Twitter use by government entities, we want to consider all factors.
The Social Media Subcouncil asks you: what are your rules of engagement? How do you use Twitter, and how do you engage with followers?
Marilyn Clark is the Manager of Online Communications and Services for the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and a member of the Social Media Subcouncil. You can connect with her on Twitter or GovLoop.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Focusing Gov 2.0 Within
This week I caught up with Lynn Dean to talk about the impressive evolution of the Transportation Security Administration’s Idea Factory and get the scoop on the organization’s wisdom.
As a communications strategist, Dean knows how important it is to engage every audience. “When people think about social media, they assume communication always means external, but it’s not,” she explains. 90 percent of TSA’s workforce is in the field at airports of all sizes.
The Idea Factory is a great model to use when thinking about developing internal communication or collaboration tools.
If You Build it, They May Not Come
When you launch any new tool, education is key. People will have different levels of comfort and experience with web-based platforms. Instead of using comment cards people are now being asked to submit their ideas online.
Senior level buy in will only get you so far. “Change is often an inherent challenge in government,” said Dean. The communities that develop as a result of the Idea Factory are invaluable. A core community of users has evolved and officers are interacting more; contributors are known by name by officers in airports thousands of miles away.
Keep ‘Em Coming Back
TSA holds challenges for specific issues and offers awards for the best submission. Winners are recognized in a variety of ways and may be invited to DC to work on groups implementing the change, visited when officials are in the field or featured in the newsletter. The service has evolved over time and now features a newsletter for those most interested in what’s being voted on or adopted each week.
Let it Grow
Create a dynamic tool where users can contribute to the design. The Idea Factory posts surveys to see what officers and other TSA employees find most useful or want to see more of. The Department of Homeland Security, TSA’s older sibling, is even looking at using a similar tool in other areas of the department due to its success.
Consider Everything
Suggestions from small or large airports and HQ will likely differ. In Washington, I may not think that a bulletin board in the break room is a big deal but for officers who break at different times it means a lot. The Idea Factory’s voting function allows employees to decide what’s important to them. Practical suggestion and an easy fix.
As your organization moves further along the path towards Gov 2.0, don’t forget your colleagues. Some of the greatest innovation and creative energy is closer than you think. Just ask a TSA officer next time you fly.
Amanda Eamich is the Acting Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and member of the Social Media Subcouncil. You can connect with her on Twitter or GovLoop
As a communications strategist, Dean knows how important it is to engage every audience. “When people think about social media, they assume communication always means external, but it’s not,” she explains. 90 percent of TSA’s workforce is in the field at airports of all sizes.
The Idea Factory is a great model to use when thinking about developing internal communication or collaboration tools.
If You Build it, They May Not Come
When you launch any new tool, education is key. People will have different levels of comfort and experience with web-based platforms. Instead of using comment cards people are now being asked to submit their ideas online.
Senior level buy in will only get you so far. “Change is often an inherent challenge in government,” said Dean. The communities that develop as a result of the Idea Factory are invaluable. A core community of users has evolved and officers are interacting more; contributors are known by name by officers in airports thousands of miles away.
Keep ‘Em Coming Back
TSA holds challenges for specific issues and offers awards for the best submission. Winners are recognized in a variety of ways and may be invited to DC to work on groups implementing the change, visited when officials are in the field or featured in the newsletter. The service has evolved over time and now features a newsletter for those most interested in what’s being voted on or adopted each week.
Let it Grow
Create a dynamic tool where users can contribute to the design. The Idea Factory posts surveys to see what officers and other TSA employees find most useful or want to see more of. The Department of Homeland Security, TSA’s older sibling, is even looking at using a similar tool in other areas of the department due to its success.
Consider Everything
Suggestions from small or large airports and HQ will likely differ. In Washington, I may not think that a bulletin board in the break room is a big deal but for officers who break at different times it means a lot. The Idea Factory’s voting function allows employees to decide what’s important to them. Practical suggestion and an easy fix.
As your organization moves further along the path towards Gov 2.0, don’t forget your colleagues. Some of the greatest innovation and creative energy is closer than you think. Just ask a TSA officer next time you fly.
Amanda Eamich is the Acting Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and member of the Social Media Subcouncil. You can connect with her on Twitter or GovLoop
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mind the Gap
Your organization’s web and communication teams likely did not include web 2.0 or social media staff from the start. Expectations for engagement and more accessible technologies are rapidly evolving and some communication shops – or many depending on who you ask – are playing catch up to become a more dynamic presence in the web sphere.
For the organizations that are adapting to the current state of communications and web presence, this can pose some challenges. Non-web experts who are familiar using social media tools may inform agency activities, non-public affairs types can develop content. So what?
New perspectives are great – until one side views the other as encroaching on their territory. Social media is supposed to be about leveling the playing field and providing access to organizations and information in a personal way. Expectations for engaging with the public is changing, a simple press release or Web site doesn’t always cut it. Now, consumers of information want access through various channels and on demand.
So why can’t we all just get it done?
I say the more people involved in different stages of the process, the merrier. Too often I find myself bogged down in routine response mode that I fail to see an issue in a new light. A fresh set of eyes and a new outlook can do wonders for an organization. Fresh perspective doesn’t have to be new blood - look within your own organization.
Bridge the gap – technical, web and content specialists should develop a relationship if one does not currently exist. As the saying goes, you are only as good as the weakest link. Every program that contributes to communication and social media strategies are equally important.
Without the technical platform there can be no message. Without the web team there can be no design. Without the content specialists, the well-designed channel would be empty.
If you haven’t worked with the other thirds (or fourths…) of the team, get together. You’d be surprised where you find common ground. You may even come up with a groundbreaking solution to a problem waiting for the few missing pieces to the puzzle.
Share your thoughts with the Social Media Subcouncil to help other organizations move forward in integrating Web 2.0 and traditional communication strategies. Visit the current list of best practices and governance models from government and the private sector. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit our wiki, follow us on Twitter , see us on GovLoop and take a look at the Social Media section of Webcontent.gov.
Amanda Eamich is the Acting Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and member of the Social Media Subcouncil. You can connect with her on Twitter or GovLoop
For the organizations that are adapting to the current state of communications and web presence, this can pose some challenges. Non-web experts who are familiar using social media tools may inform agency activities, non-public affairs types can develop content. So what?
New perspectives are great – until one side views the other as encroaching on their territory. Social media is supposed to be about leveling the playing field and providing access to organizations and information in a personal way. Expectations for engaging with the public is changing, a simple press release or Web site doesn’t always cut it. Now, consumers of information want access through various channels and on demand.
So why can’t we all just get it done?
I say the more people involved in different stages of the process, the merrier. Too often I find myself bogged down in routine response mode that I fail to see an issue in a new light. A fresh set of eyes and a new outlook can do wonders for an organization. Fresh perspective doesn’t have to be new blood - look within your own organization.
Bridge the gap – technical, web and content specialists should develop a relationship if one does not currently exist. As the saying goes, you are only as good as the weakest link. Every program that contributes to communication and social media strategies are equally important.
Without the technical platform there can be no message. Without the web team there can be no design. Without the content specialists, the well-designed channel would be empty.
If you haven’t worked with the other thirds (or fourths…) of the team, get together. You’d be surprised where you find common ground. You may even come up with a groundbreaking solution to a problem waiting for the few missing pieces to the puzzle.
Share your thoughts with the Social Media Subcouncil to help other organizations move forward in integrating Web 2.0 and traditional communication strategies. Visit the current list of best practices and governance models from government and the private sector. To stay up to date with the latest information, visit our wiki, follow us on Twitter , see us on GovLoop and take a look at the Social Media section of Webcontent.gov.
Amanda Eamich is the Acting Director of New Media at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and member of the Social Media Subcouncil. You can connect with her on Twitter or GovLoop
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
So GSA Negotiated Terms of Service...Now What?
In the past few weeks, the General Services Administration (GSA) has signed Terms of Service (TOS) agreements with a number of new media providers. The agreements signed by GSA were negotiated with the assistance of a number of federal agencies. The goal was to arrive at a TOS federal agencies would be comfortable enough with to sign so each agency – and provider - would be spared from negotiating separate TOS agreements.
That so many agreements have been signed, and hopefully more will be coming, is great news for citizens, government agencies, and the providers, too. It chips away at a big part of a significant barrier to the federal government using the providers to connect with citizens where the citizens are, but it’s still just a first step.
Even though GSA has TOS in place that federal agencies can sign on to does not mean that anyone in any office can go to the provider’s website and open up an account like a private citizen normally would. The simplified process is that each agency will first have to sign the agreement with the provider (not every agency has done this as of yet). After that, each office or program will need to work through the regular chain of command and point of contact to establish the account with the provider.
Before you decide on the tool and after the account is established, remember something: It’s not the technology, it’s what we do with it that matters. Just because the door is open to using specific tools and channels to communicate with and engage our audiences does not mean that we should just for the sake of using them. While one program may be able to use a certain provider to great effect, a related program aimed at a different audience may be more effective using different methods.
One of the main reasons the Social Media Subcouncil exists is to create, collect, aggregate, and disseminate social media resources to assist government communication and web professionals use social media tools and providers effectively and consistently across government. We are here to help you better determine which channels will help you best connect with your audiences and how to use those channels most effectively. We haven’t gotten to everything yet, but we’re adding more and refining what we have all the time. So, please continue to read this blog, visit our wiki, follow us on Twitter , see us on GovLoop and take a look at the Social Media section of Webcontent.gov.
Jeremy Caplan is a Public Affairs Specialist at the International Trade Administration and a member of the Social Media Subcouncil.
That so many agreements have been signed, and hopefully more will be coming, is great news for citizens, government agencies, and the providers, too. It chips away at a big part of a significant barrier to the federal government using the providers to connect with citizens where the citizens are, but it’s still just a first step.
Even though GSA has TOS in place that federal agencies can sign on to does not mean that anyone in any office can go to the provider’s website and open up an account like a private citizen normally would. The simplified process is that each agency will first have to sign the agreement with the provider (not every agency has done this as of yet). After that, each office or program will need to work through the regular chain of command and point of contact to establish the account with the provider.
Before you decide on the tool and after the account is established, remember something: It’s not the technology, it’s what we do with it that matters. Just because the door is open to using specific tools and channels to communicate with and engage our audiences does not mean that we should just for the sake of using them. While one program may be able to use a certain provider to great effect, a related program aimed at a different audience may be more effective using different methods.
One of the main reasons the Social Media Subcouncil exists is to create, collect, aggregate, and disseminate social media resources to assist government communication and web professionals use social media tools and providers effectively and consistently across government. We are here to help you better determine which channels will help you best connect with your audiences and how to use those channels most effectively. We haven’t gotten to everything yet, but we’re adding more and refining what we have all the time. So, please continue to read this blog, visit our wiki, follow us on Twitter , see us on GovLoop and take a look at the Social Media section of Webcontent.gov.
Jeremy Caplan is a Public Affairs Specialist at the International Trade Administration and a member of the Social Media Subcouncil.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Social media – To be or not to be…How to get management “to be”
Many public and private organizations are already using social media tools as part of their communications planning to advance their missions and reach target audiences. For organizations still relying primarily on traditional media to get their messages out, curiosity about how to incorporate social media tools are high. Facebook, Twitter, Wikis, YouTube, blogs, podcasts, forums, etc… there are so many tools to be used. How should one go about using them wisely? Better yet, how does one get the “buy-in” from key staff in their agency to successfully launch such communication efforts?
“Management skepticism: If management doesn't believe in social media, then employees who have been told for years that public communication needs to be filtered will be hesitant to try out a new medium which requires them to speak openly. In this scenario, management needs to encourage and reward participation to make social media work. If they don't, it will fail.” Unfortunately, passion for social media alone won’t get the job accomplished. All your wonderful and enthusiastic ideas still need to pass the litmus test for the go ahead.
How can you help introduce the use of social media in your organization?
1.) Understand the “resisters” and “doubters”: Know what the true concerns of those who are not yet receptive to the use of social media tools. Is it a fear of change, lack of understanding of these tools, etc? Identify what the sources of resistance are and address them accordingly.
2.) Educate: Educate your audience on what the tools are and how each is used. Provide supporting evidence on how similar organizations are successfully using social media tools to help get the creative juices flowing on how your organization can adopt these ideas to suit its needs.
3.) Do your homework: There is nothing worse than presenting a case for something without having done your homework. Research the tools, know your facts, anticipate potential questions or comments, and be prepared to respond to questions or concerns. Bottom-line: present a solid case to your audience.
4.) Pilot Projects: Start off small with some demonstration projects in a part of your agency that is willing to experiment with a tool or two. Hopefully, these pilot projects are successful and you can use the results to help gain support.
5.) Present benefits of the tools: Back up your suggestions with some benefits that are important to management, such as efficiency, effectiveness, furthering the organizations missions, etc.
6.) Be honest- Don’t over “hype” the use of social media to win support. Be sincere on the pros and cons and limitations of tools.
Making the transition from “filtering” communication to engaging in the “open” arena of social media may seem like a daunting task for some organizations. However, with some preparation and the “good ole” power of persuasion the transition can be positive and valuable. Have any additional tips or success stories on how you introduced social media and new tools in your organization? We’d like to from you. Please share how you overcame the “resisters” and “doubters” in your organization.
Marie Ulysse is with the Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration. You can connect with her on GovLoop.
“Management skepticism: If management doesn't believe in social media, then employees who have been told for years that public communication needs to be filtered will be hesitant to try out a new medium which requires them to speak openly. In this scenario, management needs to encourage and reward participation to make social media work. If they don't, it will fail.” Unfortunately, passion for social media alone won’t get the job accomplished. All your wonderful and enthusiastic ideas still need to pass the litmus test for the go ahead.
How can you help introduce the use of social media in your organization?
1.) Understand the “resisters” and “doubters”: Know what the true concerns of those who are not yet receptive to the use of social media tools. Is it a fear of change, lack of understanding of these tools, etc? Identify what the sources of resistance are and address them accordingly.
2.) Educate: Educate your audience on what the tools are and how each is used. Provide supporting evidence on how similar organizations are successfully using social media tools to help get the creative juices flowing on how your organization can adopt these ideas to suit its needs.
3.) Do your homework: There is nothing worse than presenting a case for something without having done your homework. Research the tools, know your facts, anticipate potential questions or comments, and be prepared to respond to questions or concerns. Bottom-line: present a solid case to your audience.
4.) Pilot Projects: Start off small with some demonstration projects in a part of your agency that is willing to experiment with a tool or two. Hopefully, these pilot projects are successful and you can use the results to help gain support.
5.) Present benefits of the tools: Back up your suggestions with some benefits that are important to management, such as efficiency, effectiveness, furthering the organizations missions, etc.
6.) Be honest- Don’t over “hype” the use of social media to win support. Be sincere on the pros and cons and limitations of tools.
Making the transition from “filtering” communication to engaging in the “open” arena of social media may seem like a daunting task for some organizations. However, with some preparation and the “good ole” power of persuasion the transition can be positive and valuable. Have any additional tips or success stories on how you introduced social media and new tools in your organization? We’d like to from you. Please share how you overcame the “resisters” and “doubters” in your organization.
Marie Ulysse is with the Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration. You can connect with her on GovLoop.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Up, Up, and Away! Five Tips for Launching an Internal Network
So, you’ve been searching high and low for a way to jazz up your office’s internal communications and collaboration, and now you’ve heard that GSA negotiated a terms-of-service agreement with Facebook for federal agencies. Your agency is on board, too? You even got the go-ahead from your boss?! These are definitely exciting times. Let the Facebooking begin!
Wait a second.
Social media can make a big difference in the way your office works together and communicates, but it doesn’t just happen on its own once your coworkers all have usernames and passwords. Whether you’re using Facebook, Second Life, a wiki, or another platform, you need to have a solid plan to make your new internal network succeed.
Add Value. These platforms are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. As such, if the tool you have chosen is unlikely to actually improve communication and collaboration in your office, you probably don’t need it. Likewise, different tools have different purposes, so make sure you are using the right one.
Start Small. Nothing kills a new network faster than using it to take on too much, too soon. Set a discreet, simple objective with a short timeline, and make your objectives more ambitious as your office becomes more and more comfortable.
Provide Guidance. It doesn’t matter if your coworkers are from Generation X or The Greatest Generation. Either way, it’s a safe bet that they’ll benefit from – and appreciate – a set of brief but detailed instructions and best practices.
Get a Mandate. Many a promising initiative has died on the vine due to a lack of support from management. Your boss’s job isn’t done after he or she gives their initial approval. Rather, to ensure that everyone in your office participates, your boss needs to issue a mandate. After all, it’ll be next to impossible to get your coworkers – who are probably already burdened with multiple business processes and heavy workloads – to adopt a new tool “just because.”
Stick With It. In the perfect scenario, you turn the key and your new network takes off like a rocket. But even with a mandate from your boss, that’s unlikely to happen. Plan to promote participation with regular nudges and encouragements. If you’ve selected the right tool for the job – one that really adds value – your network or wiki will become a self-sustaining part of your new and improved office environment.
Zachariah Miller is a Presidential Management Fellow at the General Services Administration. You can connect with him on Twitter or GovLoop.
Wait a second.
Social media can make a big difference in the way your office works together and communicates, but it doesn’t just happen on its own once your coworkers all have usernames and passwords. Whether you’re using Facebook, Second Life, a wiki, or another platform, you need to have a solid plan to make your new internal network succeed.
Add Value. These platforms are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. As such, if the tool you have chosen is unlikely to actually improve communication and collaboration in your office, you probably don’t need it. Likewise, different tools have different purposes, so make sure you are using the right one.
Start Small. Nothing kills a new network faster than using it to take on too much, too soon. Set a discreet, simple objective with a short timeline, and make your objectives more ambitious as your office becomes more and more comfortable.
Provide Guidance. It doesn’t matter if your coworkers are from Generation X or The Greatest Generation. Either way, it’s a safe bet that they’ll benefit from – and appreciate – a set of brief but detailed instructions and best practices.
Get a Mandate. Many a promising initiative has died on the vine due to a lack of support from management. Your boss’s job isn’t done after he or she gives their initial approval. Rather, to ensure that everyone in your office participates, your boss needs to issue a mandate. After all, it’ll be next to impossible to get your coworkers – who are probably already burdened with multiple business processes and heavy workloads – to adopt a new tool “just because.”
Stick With It. In the perfect scenario, you turn the key and your new network takes off like a rocket. But even with a mandate from your boss, that’s unlikely to happen. Plan to promote participation with regular nudges and encouragements. If you’ve selected the right tool for the job – one that really adds value – your network or wiki will become a self-sustaining part of your new and improved office environment.
Zachariah Miller is a Presidential Management Fellow at the General Services Administration. You can connect with him on Twitter or GovLoop.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Choosing the Right Tool for the Job
Last week my team was asked to develop an ‘internal blog’ that would reside on the intranet. The initial purpose was to create a blog that allowed two-way communication, much like a ‘bulletin board’. As it turns out, it wasn't a blog that we were being asked to create, but really a forum.
I’m sure we all have similar stories, and hopefully we can learn from misguided courses that have been charted by others.
When it comes time to implement Web 2.0 tools to your overall strategy, it is really important that everyone involved fully understands what your agency is trying to accomplish before committing to any tool. Knowing your mission should always come first.
While organizations are eager to join the social media phenomena they first ask “what are we trying to accomplish?” and only after having a clear answer comes “Which tool is the most appropriate?” Comparing and differentiating between blogs, wikis, micro blogs, and forums may be like comparing apples to oranges in the eyes of a tech-savvy ‘social-media butterfly’; but for some it’s all Greek and therefore all the same
Choosing the appropriate tool means that users can effectively and efficiently accomplish the agency’s intended tasks. After all, you wouldn’t use a spreadsheet to write a book report; similarly you likely wouldn’t want to use a forum as a blog, or a micro blog as your means of RSS.
Misapplication of Web 2.0 tools can leave users feeling unengaged or even confused, resulting in miscommunication and abandonment. Like two ships passing in the night, neither are the wiser.
The importance of getting it right the first time around is two fold: [1] failure could create resistance in future Web 2.0 initiatives within your organization, and [2] most important, once you have lost the unengaged or, worse, disinterested users it’s more difficult to get them back on track.
In joining the Social Media Subcouncil, I’m working to help share experiences and shed light on important issues like identifying the right channel. Hopefully if you have any similar stories, start a discussion. Even better if you have a best practice or other guidance to share, we’d love to see that too. If you haven’t already, head over to our wiki and see what others are talking about!
Yaron Benjamin is a Web Developer/IT Specialist for the Defense Commissary Agency. You can connect with him on Twitter or GovLoop.
I’m sure we all have similar stories, and hopefully we can learn from misguided courses that have been charted by others.
When it comes time to implement Web 2.0 tools to your overall strategy, it is really important that everyone involved fully understands what your agency is trying to accomplish before committing to any tool. Knowing your mission should always come first.
While organizations are eager to join the social media phenomena they first ask “what are we trying to accomplish?” and only after having a clear answer comes “Which tool is the most appropriate?” Comparing and differentiating between blogs, wikis, micro blogs, and forums may be like comparing apples to oranges in the eyes of a tech-savvy ‘social-media butterfly’; but for some it’s all Greek and therefore all the same
Choosing the appropriate tool means that users can effectively and efficiently accomplish the agency’s intended tasks. After all, you wouldn’t use a spreadsheet to write a book report; similarly you likely wouldn’t want to use a forum as a blog, or a micro blog as your means of RSS.
Misapplication of Web 2.0 tools can leave users feeling unengaged or even confused, resulting in miscommunication and abandonment. Like two ships passing in the night, neither are the wiser.
The importance of getting it right the first time around is two fold: [1] failure could create resistance in future Web 2.0 initiatives within your organization, and [2] most important, once you have lost the unengaged or, worse, disinterested users it’s more difficult to get them back on track.
In joining the Social Media Subcouncil, I’m working to help share experiences and shed light on important issues like identifying the right channel. Hopefully if you have any similar stories, start a discussion. Even better if you have a best practice or other guidance to share, we’d love to see that too. If you haven’t already, head over to our wiki and see what others are talking about!
Yaron Benjamin is a Web Developer/IT Specialist for the Defense Commissary Agency. You can connect with him on Twitter or GovLoop.
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