Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transparency and
Open Government
Spring 2009
Transparency in Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Transparency in Government
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive By Darlene Meskell
Departments and Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Director, Intergovernmental Solutions
Recovery.gov Reveals Details GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications
of the Stimulus Spending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Democratization of Data
ewly elected President Barack Obama has taken bold steps to
N
Unfettered Access to Data
Can Transform Government? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 inaugurate an era of government openness and transparency. In
Technology as a Game-Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 one of his first official acts, the President issued a
Information as a Public Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government, affirming
Citizen Views On Transparency . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 his commitment to achieving an “unprecedented level of openness in
government.” Making known his belief that transparency is a
Practices at Work in Government fundamental responsibility of a democratic government, he called for the
Texas Websites Improve Accountability . . . . . .13 creation of an Open Government Directive that would require agencies
Georgia’s Commitment to Customer to reveal their inner workings and make their data public.
Service and Good Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Transparency 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 A commitment to government accountability is at the heart of this
Measuring E-Government 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 message. By allowing citizens to “see through” its workings and
E-discovery, Transparency investigate whether or not their leaders and organizations have met
and Culture Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 their expectations, the government brings the public into its inner circles
AGA Opens the Doors of Government and empowers citizens to contribute to decision-making. As citizens
to the Citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 gain knowledge and understanding, their trust in government begins to
Shedding Light on Corruption grow.
India: Revolutionizing Land Records . . . . . . . . .23 Providing government data to citizens in a meaningful way will require a
Fighting Corruption, While Building culture change, away from one where data are stored away for internal
Energy Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 purposes to one that looks broadly at how data can be made accessible
Through a Glass, Darkly. What do we for re-use by the public. The federal website Recovery.gov Reveals
mean by transparency in government? . . . . . . .28
Details of the Stimulus Spending on the $787 billion American
Transparency in Government Begins Outside .29
Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It will put the data out in useable form
The Collaborative Government so that people can slice, dice and mash it up to gain meaningful
Beyond Transparency in Government . . . . . . . . .31
information about how government is working.
Get Ready for Wiki-Government . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 These data feeds create opportunities to look at government programs
Building the Digital Public Square . . . . . . . . . . .35 in new ways that could never have been imagined by the data collectors.
Open Government Serves Citizens . . . . . . . . . .37 The District of Columbia’s Apps for Democracy Contest drew upon the
public’s imagination to make D.C. data more useful to constituents.
Under the leadership of then-CTO Vivek Kundra, the District sponsored
a contest seeking creative applications that use D.C. government data.
The results were astonishing. The 47 entries submitted to Apps for
Democracy within only 30 days “produced more savings for the D.C.
government than any other initiative,” according to Kundra, who has
since been named federal CIO.
Continued on next page...
The Intergovernmental Solutions Newsletter is produced twice a year by the Intergovernmental
Solutions Division, GSA Office of Citizens Services and Communications; Lisa Nelson, Editor.
Send comments and suggestions to: lisa.nelson@gsa.gov.
The president’s January 21, 2009, memo on
transparency and open government viewed
as a word cloud.
http://www.wordle.net/
Making government data available is government’s need to look beyond local government is to provide
just the beginning of the process. To transparency and accountability when citizens with timely, easy to
reach the president’s goal, agencies delivering data to increase worker understand information on how their
must solicit public feedback to productivity and citizen engagement. how their taxpayer dollars are being
identify information of greatest use to Technology as a Game Changer spent. Texas Websites Improve
the public, expanding citizen looks at the transformational Accountability describes the state’s
participation in public policy possibilities of inviting greater three initiatives aimed at improving
decision-making. It will bring a new participation and collaboration from government accounting, spending and
wave of remarkable technological citizens. Information as a Public transparency. The State of Georgia’s
applications that will have Good presents examples of Web- gateway to information and key
government and citizens working based geospatial technologies that documents about how the state
together in partnership. The resulting are leveraging government data as a spends tax dollars and other revenues
network within which citizens and public good. The results of a survey is outlined in Georgia's
their government can work together to conducted by Rutgers University on Commitment to Customer Service
solve problems, will change the way the different dimensions regarding and Good Government.
citizens and governments interact. what citizens are looking for in the
New Zealand is moving strategically
way of transparency are detailed in
to use online tools to engage citizens
Democratization of Data Citizens’ Views on Transparency.
and learn their views on matters
Information technology has made important to them. Online
data available to everyone. This
Practices at Work in Government communities are viewed as partners
democratization of data unveils the Web 2.0 practices are changing public working to improve the quality of
internal workings of government and services now. Governments are government in Transparency 2.0.
sets in motion the wheels of providing citizens with extraordinary Recognizing the need for a new
transformation. Unfettered Access tools that inform them and others approach in the maintenance of
to Data that Can Transform with similar interests. One of the federal records, E-discovery,
Government examines the fastest growing trends in state and
Continued on next page...
2
Transparency and Culture Openness and transparency are government using collaborative
Change lays out a framework for necessary for effective government technologies.
changes that will enhance access to oversight and accountability. The idea
Even today, Open Government
public documents. Current that transparency does not guarantee
Serves Citizens, as Maryantonett
methodology for measuring accountability is explored in Through
Flumian, the founding head of Service
eGovernment progress is nearing the a Glass, Darkly: What do we mean
Canada illustrates, offering numerous
end of its usefulness. Measuring E- by transparency in government?
examples of transparent government
Government 2.0 presents a new The need for government to tap into
from the public and private sectors in
benchmarking approach for the expertise of others and withstand
the U.S. and around the world.
measuring e-government’s return on public scrutiny is discussed in
Following her lead, this newsletter
investment. The Association of Transparency in Government
offers more of the many stories of
Government Accountants establishes Begins Outside. As U.S. Supreme
how cooperation and innovative
a baseline for understanding public Court Justice Louis Brandeis so aptly
technology are being used to confront
attitudes with regard to transparency put it “sunlight is the best
the huge changes required to create
and accountability in AGA Opens disinfectant.”
an open and participative
the Doors of Government to
government. The range of subjects is
Citizens. Collaborative Government just the tip of the iceberg, and shows
The issues of culture and policy need how better communications—on all
Shedding Light on Corruption to be addressed before major levels—must be a key priority for
Increasing transparency and citizen progress can be made toward a truly government in the future.
participation goes a long way toward collaborative government. President Obama’s January 21 open
undermining the problem of Transparency in Government government memoradum calls for
corruption. Transparency in the oil, speaks to theses challenges and the transparency, participation and
gas and mining industry has been need to engage citizens to solve collaboration in government. These
gaining traction over the last decade. today’s complex problems. Get three concepts have been underlying
Fighting Corruption while Ready for Wiki-Government looks American democracy since the start,
Building Energy Security looks at at the millennial generation’s use of but never have they been so central to
the paradox of resource-rich countries social networks. This generation will a presidential vision. With advanced
that are impoverished because of change the shape of America’s technologies and creative use of the
corruption and conflict. In India, land governing processes to one where Internet, a commitment to open
records are vital documents for both some decisions will be made by government will go a long way toward
farmers and the government. They are crowds. giving the public control of the levers
used to prove ownership and are of power, and encouraging
Government in ancient Athens was
required for numerous administrative widespread participation in the civic
conducted in the public square.
functions. India: Revolutionary life of the nation. ■
People met there to debate civic
Land Records reveals the incredible
issues and drive policy decisions.
impact computerization of land
Building the Digital Public Darlene Meskell is the Director,
records has had on the livelihood of
Square describes how the District of Intergovernmental Solutions, GSA. For
small farmers. additional information contact
Columbia is re-creating the public
square to bring people closer to their lisa.nelson@gsa.gov
3
Memorandum for the Heads of
Executive Departments and Agencies
SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government
M committed to creating an
unprecedented level of
openness in Government. We will
from having access to that dispersed
knowledge. Executive departments
and agencies should offer Americans
work together to ensure the public increased opportunities to
trust and establish a system of participate in policymaking and to
transparency, public participation, provide their Government with the
and collaboration. Openness will benefits of their collective expertise
strengthen our democracy and and information. Executive
promote efficiency and effectiveness departments and agencies should
in Government. also solicit public input on how we
can increase and improve
Government should be transparent.
opportunities for public participation
Transparency promotes
in Government.
accountability and provides
information for citizens about what Government should be collaborative.
their Government is doing. Collaboration actively engages
Information maintained by the Americans in the work of their
Federal Government is a national Government. Executive departments
asset. My Administration will take and agencies should use innovative
appropriate action, consistent with tools, methods, and systems to for an Open Government Directive, to
be issued by the Director of OMB,
Information maintained by the Federal that instructs executive departments
and agencies to take specific actions
Government is a national asset. implementing the principles set forth
in this memorandum. The
law and policy, to disclose cooperate among themselves, across independent agencies should comply
information rapidly in forms that the all levels of Government, and with with the Open Government Directive.
public can readily find and use. nonprofit organizations, businesses,
Executive departments and agencies and individuals in the private sector. This memorandum is not intended to,
should harness new technologies to Executive departments and agencies and does not, create any right or
put information about their should solicit public feedback to benefit, substantive or procedural,
operations and decisions online and assess and improve their level of enforceable at law or in equity by a
readily available to the public. collaboration and to identify new party against the United States, its
Executive departments and agencies opportunities for cooperation. departments, agencies, or entities, its
should also solicit public feedback to officers, employees, or agents, or any
I direct the Chief Technology Officer, other person.
identify information of greatest use
in coordination with the Director of
to the public. This memorandum shall be published
the Office of Management and
Government should be participatory. Budget (OMB) and the Administrator in the Federal Register. ■
Public engagement enhances the of General Services, to coordinate
Government’s effectiveness and the development by appropriate
improves the quality of its decisions. executive departments and agencies, BARACK OBAMA
Knowledge is widely dispersed in within 120 days, of recommendations
4
Recovery.gov Reveals Details States were also expected to create
their own Recovery Act pages providing
data and information from, and links to,
of the Stimulus Spending every participating state agency,
locality and municipality in the state.
The states’ certifications and their
By John R. Murphy recovery pages are linked to a state
Deputy Program Manager
Recovery.gov
section of Recovery.gov.This map
shows Recovery.gov’s links to state
sites at the beginning of April 2009.
5
Democratization of Data
Unfettered Access to
Data CanTransform Government
By W. David Stephenson
Principal
Stephenson Strategies
6
private sector Many Eyes and Swivel assigned a different color rectangle. In less than a month, 47 usable
sites are good examples) that will help City blocks where multiple indicators applications were created, ranging
them interpret, make sense of, and are present (and which are at higher from do-it-yourself walking historical
share the data. risk of serious socio-economic tours using an iPhone to a “We the
problems) are immediately obvious to People” transparency & accountability
The District of Columbia used such an
users. Because these seven sets of wiki to help the public track D.C.
approach with a high-priority program
data are typically created by different spending. The crowdsourcing
to deliver more than 6,000 PCs to
agencies, it is highly unlikely that they phenomenon offers access to data and
public school classrooms. The team
were shared in the past. Agencies that free rein to a wide range of people with
charged with executing the project had
might have previously treated differing interests and expertise.
access to the District’s GIS systems,
symptoms of decay in isolation can BTW: I wonder which agency will be
and created custom Google Maps
now see which blocks must be the first to sponsor an internal “Apps
allowing them to deliver and install all
addressed first and work together, for Democracy” contest that allows its
of the PCs in only 7 weeks. An earlier
reducing the cost and increasing their employees, no matter whether they’re
plan, without the data-sharing tools,
effectiveness. in IT or not, to design a widget or other
had estimated the project would take a
application that would help their co-
year. Finally, democratizing data can
workers!
facilitate an uncharted area of
Another example of how real-time
government innovation, in which the Why stop with accountability if the
access to actionable data can
public takes structured data feeds and same mechanism that makes possible
transform government was pointed out
creates new computer applications automatic delivery of structured data
by the Neighborhood Knowledge LA
that provide real service to the public. can also help government workers be
(NKLA) project, a collaboration
The District of Columbia was again more productive and even involve
between UCLA and neighborhood
the pioneer in this regard, with its citizens in designing innovative
groups. They used the Center for
“Apps for Democracy” contest in 2008. applications to supplement traditional
Neighborhood Technology’s
Design firms and individuals were governmental services. I’d call that
“Neighborhood Early Warning
invited to use one or more of the more Transparency Plus. ■
System,” which looks at seven
than 260 different data feeds in the
indicators of neighborhood decline,
“Citywide Data Warehouse” to drive W. David Stephenson is an e-gov and Web
such as code violations and/or
applications that would increase 2.0 consultant and theorist. He is the lead
property taxes in arrears. NKLA’s site
transparency or enable public use of author of the forthcoming Democratizing
plots the information on city maps, Data.
the data.
with each of the seven factors
T
citizens, and make it easier to follow
government is not just to and functioning of government. the government money trail.
substitute one delivery system During the campaign, candidate
for another. If people go online and Barack Obama pledged to put Digital technology represents a way
print out a report instead of calling up detailed public sector information for government to become more
the Food and Drug Administration, online and make it searchable. He transparent and pro-active in dealing
that is not a major system stated that he wanted to create “a with citizens and businesses. Many
transformation. It doesn’t change how centralized Internet database of government agencies today are
government functions or how officials lobbying reports, ethics records and reactive in nature. They wait for
think about their mission. campaign finance filings in a people to request information or
searchable, sortable and services. However, the Internet
Rather, it is important to think of allows government agencies to
downloadable format.” In addition, he
technology as a “game-changer” that customize information and push
Continued on next page...
7
material out to people. On some Digital tools offer the potential to domestic agenda (health care
government websites, you can involve more people in decision- reform).
register as having interests in making. Before President Obama
There are 13 million email addresses
particular subjects. Let’s say you are a signs legislation, he plans to wait five
in the Obama campaign database.
soybean farmer in Iowa and have days to allow for public comments.
After the election, the campaign sent
registered that interest with the U.S. People will be able to go to a website
a survey to each of these, asking for
Department of Agriculture website. and say,”Yes, you should sign this
zip code, phone number, issue
When new research comes out of bill” or”No, you shouldn’t, and these
interests (such as gay rights,
Iowa State University on soybeans, or are the reasons why you shouldn’t.” In
disability, health care, or education),
market conditions change, the same vein, the Environmental
and willingness to contact public
government agencies can email Protection Agency has been using e-
officials. It is obvious what Obama is
reports to those people and say here rulemaking on proposed federal
going to do with this information.
is something you should know about. regulations to broaden citizen
When tough votes come before
It brings a different mentality to participation in government. The
Congress, he is going to ask
government and puts agencies in the Brookings Press is publishing a book
supporters to contact legislators in
mold of helping people where they entitled Wiki-Government by Beth
same way President Reagan did in
want to be helped. You can envision Noveck formerly a professor at New
1981 with letters and phone calls
similar applications in health care, York Law School, and now in the
when he wanted to pass his landmark
8
Information as a Public Good
By Sean Gorman, PhD
CEO and Founder
FortiusOne
Introduction asking agencies to share with citizens with companies and non-profits
can be viewed as a public good. If the taking open government data and
The new administration has made EPA makes information on the creating sophisticated technology and
transparent and open government a location of toxic dumping available, services around them. A stellar
top priority. As part of this mission, and I use that data to inform my example of this is the phenomenal
agencies are encouraged to “harness neighborhood of hazards, I have not growth of Web-based geospatial
new technologies to put information inhibited anyone else from using the technologies – often called the
about their operations and decisions data for other purposes. There is a GeoWeb. Google Earth uses data
online and readily available to the societal benefit to making information from NASA, NOAA, U.S. Navy,
public.” Further, agencies are asked open and available to the public. National Geo-spatial-Intelligence
to view information as a “national Agency and other government
asset” to be shared with the citizens. This concept is not new, but if we
agencies to create the virtual
I would contend that the information connect the idea to technology there
panoramas of our planet.
9
Democracy,” for developers to create contributors and 800 million data receiving higher quality data in return,
innovative applications with the data. points. When OpenStreetMap came and arguably the data has driven
This contest resulted in the to the United States, the Census production of technology applications
development and submission of 47 Bureau’s TIGER line street data were that the government would have
applications. The D.C. CTO’s office already available in the public domain. contracted for. Further, the
estimated that the cost of having the This provided a huge jump-start for government has created an economic
D.C. government develop these apps OpenStreetMap and the team quickly stimulus by providing data around
would have exceeded $2 million and began updating and correcting errors which business can be built. Of
required 1-2 years of effort between in the data. special significance is the innovation-
contracting, procurement and based economic stimulus for small
Now there is a resource with updated
development. The contest cost a total and medium sized businesses, which
and more accurate TIGER data
of $50,000 and was delivered in 30 are the backbone of America’s job
available for the public. This cost
days. Not only did Kundra’s efforts creation engine. Most importantly,
Census no additional resources and
enable more transparency around these projects and the approaches
no additional budget. In addition, the
D.C. Government, they also saved the outlined serve the purpose of making
data made available by
city a substantial amount of money. government more transparent and
OpenStreetMap has provided the
inviting greater participation and
foundation for several technology
OpenStreetMap collaboration. Each of these examples
start-ups creating new jobs and
built a community around the data
The benefits to government of making innovation in the marketplace.
that is passionate about both its
data public do not stop with saving accuracy and application. We have a
money. In the United Kingdom, much Conclusion collective opportunity to promote
of the data produced by the change that will revitalize the
All four examples; Google Earth,
government is sold for a fee. This is economy and society, and this is one
EveryBlock, Apps for Democracy and
especially true in the case of path that will get us closer to those
OpenStreetMap, demonstrate the
geospatial data, where the Ordinance lofty goals. ■
potential of leveraging government
Survey charges large sums of money
data as a public good. The public has
for a variety of geospatial data. This
greatly benefited from the Sean Gorman founded FortiusOne in 2005
led to the creation of a non-profit
technologies built around the data, to bring advanced geospatial technologies
project called OpenStreetMaps, to market. For further information, contact
and the use of the data has not
where volunteers use consumer GPS sean.gorman@fortiusone.com,
removed value from the government.
units and Web software to map out 703.247.9280 or elarson@fortiusone.com,
In fact the government has gained –
street infrastructure. The project has 703.622.4878.
saving money, saving resources,
gone global with more than 80,000
10
Citizen Views OnTransparency
By Suzanne J. Piotrowski and
Gregg Van Ryzin
Rutgers University - Newark
he proper balance between Research Method there are several dimensions to the
11
and who frequently contact Finally, a number of potential these issues to either confirm or
government also tend to demand predictors we expected to be related disprove the expected relationships.
more transparency. to the demand for transparency failed
This research begins to develop a way
to enter significantly into our models.
The trust-in-government literature of measuring dimensions of the
Although past literature identifies
has found that there is a relationship public’s demand for transparency, and
race as related to trust in government
between trust in government and the some of the determinants of these
and satisfaction with government
perception that democracy is dimensions. Because no previous
services, race was not related to
“working well.” In three of the five research has attempted to measure
attitudes toward transparency. Race
scales, confidence in local officials these concepts, this study should be
was, however, related to the behavior
had a statistically significant, seen as providing an exploratory,
of obtaining government documents.
negative relationship to demand for empirical foundation for future work
12
Practices at Work in Government
n the Texas State Comptroller’s In 2007, the Texas Legislature asked contracts, individual purchasers can
13
government finance. The website public. Transparency and wise spending are
offers transparency guidance to local important during the best of times and
The website highlights local
governments and provides Texans an absolutely essential in an uncertain
government success stories, provides
opportunity to see how well their local economy where there are no dollars to
links to exemplary local government
governments stack up in offering waste. To operate with the utmost
websites and gives taxpayers tips to
online access to financial information. integrity, all governments should
ensure that their government is open
show the same common sense,
In implementing this initiative, we and accountable.
resourcefulness and thrift when
researched the financial transparency
When you know what you are spending money as taxpayers. ■
of the top 50 Texas cities, Texas
spending, you know how to spend
counties, school districts and other
better. Our office is committed to Susan Combs was elected Texas
local entities. Texas Transparency
seeing that philosophy spread to Comptroller of Public Accounts in
Check-Up reveals the results. The site
every level of government. In the age November of 2006. For an in-depth look at
also offers local governments step- Open Book Texas initiatives, visit
of the Internet, there is seldom a
by-step advice for posting information www.window.state.tx.us/openbook.
reason to not publish public
online and presenting it in a way that
information online.
is readable and understandable to the
14
Georgia’s Commitment to Customer
Service and Good Government
By the Georgia Governor’s Office of Communications and the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office of Media Relations
eorgia elected officials show a the website allows you to find Government initiative. Georgians can
G commitment to government
transparency and high ethical
standards through the use of
professional services expenditures
made by state organizations. Open
Georgia also includes financial reports
access her agency’s budget and
monthly expenditures, with detailed
information on spending categories.
technology. Through the Open Georgia containing the Comprehensive Annual The Secretary of State’s website
website (www.open.georgia.gov) and Financial Report, budgetary highlights the agency’s ethics policy
the Secretary of State’s Transparency compliance reports, the Budget in and Secretary Handel’s personal and
in Government website Brief and single audits. The site allows campaign financial disclosures.
(http://www.sos.georgia.gov/TIG), Georgians to review payments to
“Responsible fiscal management
citizens have direct access to detailed vendors doing business with the state
begins with a commitment to
accounts of government spending. during the two previous fiscal years.
transparency and accountability,” She
The Open Georgia site was created by The website also allows citizens to said. “Georgia taxpayers deserve to
the Transparency in Government Act search for reports that evaluate how know how their tax dollars are being
and formally launched on January 5, well various state programs are spent, and I am pleased to provide
2009. operating, including performance them with that information.”
audits, program evaluations, and
“The Open Georgia website makes In addition to these new tools, Georgia
special examinations released by the
state government more transparent to lawmakers continue to look for
Department of Audits and Accounts
its customer, the taxpayer,” said additional ways to make public
over the last five years. In 2010, it will
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue at the information easily accessible. Rep. Ed
be expanded to include grant and
time. “By being willing to further open Lindsey introduced legislation in the
contact payments to vendors by state
the halls of government to the public, 2009 session of the General Assembly
agencies.
we give citizens more confidence that that would require counties, cities and
their tax dollars are being spent There are numerous ways to search for school boards with budgets over $1
wisely.” salary and vendor information. Users million to develop a free, searchable
can search by name, title, description website that would include all sources
“We have taken a major step towards
and agency and export search results of revenue, itemized by amount; the
fully open and easily accessible
to Microsoft Excel or Adobe .pdf entity’s annual budget; a list of all
accounting of how every state tax
formats. contracts and obligations of more than
dollar is spent,” said its sponsor State
$1,000; and an itemization of salaries
Senator Chip Roberts. “The very best To ensure that the website is able to
and other expenses paid to all public
way to prevent wasteful government carry out its mission the state has
officials and employees.
spending is to let those paying the bills trained operators at its main phone
see exactly where their money is number, 1-800-GEORGIA, to direct Georgia officials know government
going.” citizens to a specific web address or to functions best when it is made
answer detailed questions about the accountable to the citizens who fund it.
Open Georgia allows citizens online
state’s performance. The commitment Georgia’s dedication to making
access to agency expenditures on
to provide further details on spending information easily accessible
professional services, employee
is part of a larger commitment from the demonstrates that the state continues
salaries and travel expenses, state
state to make government more to lead the way in truly becoming a
financial reports and program reviews.
customer-friendly. citizen-friendly government. ■
In the Salaries and Travel
Reimbursements section, the public Georgia Secretary of State Karen
can find salaries and travel Handel has demonstrated a For additional information, please contact
reimbursements paid to employees of commitment to government the Georgia Governor’s Office of
Communications at 404-651-7774, or the
the state and employees of local transparency, ethics and responsible Georgia Secretary of State’s Office of Media
boards of education. The “professional stewardship of taxpayer dollars Relations at 404-656-4269.
Services and Expenditure” section of through her agency’s Transparency in
15
Transparency 2.0 processing power, tools, bandwidth,
and mobile computing -- that was
previously only available to large
organisations and governments.
By Laurence Millar
Deputy Commissioner and Government CIO Futurists point to non-linear change
State Services Commission which means that people’s capabilities
New Zealand will only accelerate.
The Web has gone from read-only to
read-write. The 2.0 dynamic is very
hanks to the popularity of the mostly by individual agencies. The different from the 1.0 state. People are
16
and it is timely. investment decisions and wider Key Message
choice.
Finally, there needs to be a shift to Our vision is “A world class system of
genuine dialogue; with two-way These are still the exception rather professional State Services serving
conversations and participation than business as usual. They are the government of the day and meeting
replacing consultation. Key enablers however beginning to have a small but the needs of New Zealanders.” These
are a reduction of information real impact on outcomes and are needs are changing, now more than
asymmetries and the development of promising signs of the dawn of ever, and therefore the State Services
mutual respect. Transparency 2.0. needs to change. One good response
Within the New Zealand State One of the challenges is measuring is to develop a new level of
Services there have been a few progress. A promising framework to transparency fit for the 21st century -
tentative steps towards this goal. It’s measure transparency in this new era call it Transparency 2.0 or something
blog In Development (http://blog.e.- has been put forward by European else - even as we strengthen our
govt.nz) allows for a much richer and Commission researcher David Osimo. current transparency regime.
ongoing conversation between Osimo contends that the model This new level of transparency will be
officials and people. Public inputs into currently being used to measure e- based on a win-win dynamic.
revamping the Police Act in 2007 used government progress is outdated and Government will work with
a wiki with some success. A commun- based on an old vision of government. communities as a partner, jointly
ity forum was also used in 2007 to To accurately measure progress in a achieving the public outcomes that
discuss and come up with ways to Web 2.0 world, the Osimo model has society wants. ■
increase road safety. A broadband four stages of transparency and
map provides transparency of supply reusability of public data (from no
Laurence Millar is the first New Zealand
and demand National Broadband Map information to reusable and machine- Government CIO. For additional
homepage (http://broadbandmap.- readable data). information contact
govt.nz/map) on the leading to better Laurence.Millar@ssc.govt.nz.
17
We argue that just as the flagship goal understand and meaningful. For
of e-government has been until now example, through visualization tools,
“making services available online,” the government can no longer hide behind
new flagship goal should be analysis and charts they themselves
transparency, “making public data provide. Only reusable data make
available for reuse.” transparency a reality because they
enable new intermediaries to make
The most successful web 2.0 initiatives
sense of public data and openly
in the public field—such as
discuss them.
farmsubsidy.org and
theyworkforyou.org in the EU, Reusable data are important because
everyblock.com and the various they change the incentives of
initiatives of the Sunlight Foundation in government behaviour.The publicity of
the US—are built on reusing citizens’ feedback induces civil
government data in order to enhance servants to be more responsive to
transparency and accountability of citizens.The visualization of voting
government. One of the main barriers behaviour of politicians makes them
to a wider diffusion of such initiatives more responsive to voters.
is the lack of available and easily
Traditional e-government initiatives
reusable data.Too much time is spent
require cultural change to generate a
scraping and cleaning public data in
positive change. Web 2.0 applications
order to make it usable. In December
create cultural change by altering the
2007, 30 open-government advocates
incentives behind government The proposal tries to combine the
spelled key requirements for
behaviour. Moreover, the expenditure to simplicity and feasibility of the EU
government data which emphasized
make public data available is much approach with the new values of Web
the need for easily accessible,
smaller than the investment to make 2.0. It identifies a limited set of ¨basic
machine-processable and highly
services available online. public data¨ and it proposes 4 stages of
reusable data.This would dramatically
reduce the barriers to developing web- We propose a new approach to data availability.
based applications that bring social measurement of e-government, which, The key benefit of this approach is that
value, as it has been recently shown by rather than measuring the availability not only does it provide a way to
the appsfordemocracy.org initiative. of online services, measures the monitor the degree of transparency of
availability of reusable and machine- different governments, but also it
Web 2.0 applications are particularly
processable data. creates a peer-pressure mechanism
good at making data easy to
towards the publication of reusable
Benchmarking e-government 2.0 data. It provides a clear roadmap to
policy-makers where the publication of
Select 20 types of basic public data such as: reusable, machine processable data is
• beneficiaries of public funding (agriculture, research, industry etc); the ultimate goal of e-government.
• draft legislation;
• MPs votes Further work is needed to define
Phase 1 • party donations priority data, refine the stages and the
• planning applications;
appropriate format of data, and pilot
• air pollution data
• citizens feedback / satisfaction surveys results the methodology. However, consistent
• procurement contract assigned with the Web 2.0 approach, this
measurement does not have to be
For each type, assess to what extent these data are available on the web:
0 (no information available)
implemented by government. It is quite
1 (description of the procedure to obtain the information through easy to imagine a crowdsourcing
Freedom of Information) scenario, where an NGO provides an
Phase 2
2 (information available in non reusable, non-machine online, free data-collection tool,
readable format) through which citizens can input
3 (information available in reusable and machine processable format information on the availability of
such as xml , csv) reusable data on the website of their
Compute “data availability” scores for each country based on an municipality. ■
Phase 3
average the scores for each type of data.
Compare the average scores for the countries being benchmarked and David Osimo is a managing partner of
Phase 4
develop international rankings. Tech4i2 ltd. For additional information
contact david.osimo@gmail.com.
18
E-discovery, Transparency entertaining requiring (a) the
production of electronic versions of
records with associated “metadata,”
and Culture Change even if hard copies exist in “official”
recordkeeping systems, and/or (b)
expedited searches of hundreds of
By Jason R. Baron, Esq. thousands or millions of e-mails,
including from backup tapes, even if
such media and systems are not set up
to handle that kind of demand. Of
he December 2006 changes to Brave New World, Part 2: In a civil
19
no attention is being paid to preserving e-mail from the mail server to manage each agency faces;
in a coherent, uniform, and consistent it in a central location, without much or • Improving their baseline knowledge
fashion potentially large numbers of any effort on the part of individual management of their own
electronic communications on users. Agencies considering e-mail
information assets, starting with
otherwise highly networked systems archiving without also thinking through
inventorying and/or data mapping all
that constitute long-term temporary or its records management implications
agency ESI repositories,
permanent federal records. As a exchange short-term litigation risk in
consequence, government agencies are terms of deleted information, for the applications, and platforms in
at least two steps behind when expense and attendant risk associated anticipation of discovery about those
confronted with a serious and with building up huge, unstructured very subjects;
sophisticated e-discovery demand. data collections that cannot be • Changing workflow to support
They routinely have trouble collecting adequately managed or searched.The electronic business processes;
and preserving records in their native, adoption of e-mail archiving combined • Updating legacy records schedules
proprietary form (with metadata), and with appropriate records management
and ensuring that unscheduled
they have trouble searching them in a controls and filters may well be a
electronic records (in the form of
reasonable way – especially if they must constructive step forward, however.
databases or on network
rely on the enormous expense of Agencies moving toward the adoption
restoring disaster-recovery backup of such new technologies should, in my applications) are properly scheduled;
tapes to do so. view, be applauded in thinking outside and
the present “only hard copies are • Appointing a “knowledge counsel”
The “print-to-paper” world of
official records” box. For additional who will be the “go to” person in
government recordkeeping has
guidance, see NARA Bulletin 2008-05 each headquarters and regional
continued to survive the Electronic
(Guidance concerning the use of e-mail component of a General Counsel’s or
Freedom of Information Act, the
archiving applications to store e-mail), Solicitor’s office, who would function
Government Paperwork Elimination
available at as a clearinghouse and repository of
Act, the E-Government Act, and a host
http://www.archives.gov/records- information on the IT and
of similar statutes. With limited
mgmt/bulletins/2008/2008-05.html. recordkeeping practices of the
exceptions, federal agencies generally
have failed to adopt modern, efficient The business case for adopting agency.
means of preserving e-mail and other electronic recordkeeping should be Although agencies could probably
forms of unstructured electronic apparent. E-discovery increases risks continue to live in a world of paper
records on the desktop, in a manner exponentially for agencies that rely on recordkeeping practices absent e-
that upholds the highest ideals of the paper, on backup tapes, and on end discovery, e-discovery is and will most
recordkeeping laws. users to respond to discovery assuredly continue to be a driver of
obligations. Agencies must begin to culture change. How many more
Ironically, the place in government
treat information as critical assets to litigation shocks to the system should
generating the most public controversy
be managed strategically, which the federal government take before
for flaws in its recordkeeping system,
increasingly will mean managing agencies understand the value of
namely the White House, actually has
information electronically.They should better, more automated processes for
remained comparatively ahead of the
be working to transform current the long-term maintenance of federal
curve. Notwithstanding allegations of
business practices to truly embrace e- records, so as to ensure better
“missing” e-mail, approximately 32
government in cradle-to-grave transparency in the form of enhanced
million Clinton e-mail records, and now
workflow processes, from record access?The world awaits our collective
on the order of ten times that amount of
creation through ultimate disposition. answer, and if none is forthcoming,
Bush 43 e-mail records, have been
preserved in electronic form under the My six prescriptions for change include parties certainly won’t be reticent about
Presidential Records Act and the federal agencies: filing additional lawsuits demanding
Federal Records Act. greater and more costly disclosures of
• Committing to electronic the government’s electronic records. ■
No other place in government has so recordkeeping and/or e-mail
far approached this volume of archiving with records management Jason R. Baron is Director of Litigation at
wholesale e-mail capture under the controls in place; the National Archives and Records
public records laws, although some Administration. The statements expressed
• Embracing preventive measures in
have begun to contemplate the idea of in this article are the author’s personal
“e-mail archiving,” which holds out the the form of ad hoc, interdisciplinary views and do not purport to represent the
promise of a “quick fix” to litigation groups of professionals (records positions taken by NARA or any other
risk, especially from an IT perspective, officers, attorneys, CIOs and IT staff, component of the federal government. For
and senior executives), meeting to additional information contact
where the agency “just” saves Jason.baron@nara.gov.
everything. Such technologies remove discuss the future e-discovery risks
20
AGA Opens the Doors
of Government to the Citizens
By Relmond Van Daniker, DBA, CPA
Executive Director
Association of Government Accountants
21
fourth looks forward to the year 3. Bar and/or pie charts to display hallmark of AGA’s effort to advance
ahead. revenues and expenses. government accountability at all
levels by making government more
AGA believes that these reports will 4. Statements such as: An accessible to the people it serves—
make governments more accountable independent audit was conducted, the taxpaying public.
to their citizens, and will help resulting in a clean audit opinion.
Americans become better educated Complete financial information In addition to this initiative, AGA
and better able to participate in can be found at www.xyz.gov. offers a well-respected Certified
government activities. Government Financial Manager
5. Future challenges affecting the designation, which recognizes the
The AGA Citizen-Centric entity. unique skills and experiences
Government Reporting Initiative is
6. Statements such as: We want to required to succeed in today’s
steadily expanding. The U.S.
government finance environment.
Departments of the Interior and hear from you. Do you like this
Also in keeping with our efforts to
Defense, as well as the U.S. Coast report? Do you believe it should
advance government accountability,
Guard, have produced reports at the include any other information?
we reward outstanding Performance
federal level. Oregon, Nevada, Please let us know by contacting and Accountability Reports (PARs) at
Tennessee, South Carolina and xxx. the federal level, and Service Efforts
Washington and cities and counties
7. Report is ‘free’ of technical and Accomplishments Reports
such as the District of Columbia,
accounting language. produced by state and local
Saco, ME, Tallahassee, FL, Portland,
governments.
OR, Bellevue, WA, and Blount County, 8. Report incorporates pictures and
TN, have produced Citizen-Centric other graphics to make it visually AGA provides a wide array of training
Reports. Many others are in the appealing. courses to help government finance
works. professionals remain up-to-date and
9. Report has been distributed relevant as they provide the
AGA now offers a free Certificate of (hard.c.opy, posted to website information decision-makers need
Excellence in Citizen-Centric
and/or posted in newspaper) each day. Without timely, reliable,
Reporting to recognize entities that
efficient financial details, program
prepare and distribute high-quality 10. Report is issued in a timely manner
managers can’t succeed. Our
Citizen-Centric Reports. To be eligible following the close of the entity’s
members are on the front lines of the
for the certificate, governments must fiscal year: effort to ensure this information is
meet high standards of content, visual
a. First-year report submitted to readily available.
appeal, readability, distribution and
timeliness in reporting as outlined AGA: must be within six months We’re making strides in our effort to
below by our guidelines. b. Second-year report submitted open the doors of government to the
to AGA: must be within five citizens. They pay the bills, so it’s only
The following elements must be
months fair that they know where the money
included in the report to be eligible for
goes, what they got for it and that it’s
the Certificate of Excellence: c. Third-year report submitted to being managed properly. That’s why
1. How the entity is organized/- AGA: must be within four months we also recommend that governments
operates (items such as vision include information about their
d. Fourth-year and beyond report
statement and strategic goals) financial statement audits, which
submitted to AGA: must be within
provide another layer of
2. Key accomplishments surrounding three months
accountability. ■
key missions and service and/or Citizen-Centric Reports represent the
along with selected performance future of government financial For more information about AGA visit
measures. reporting. This program has become a www.agacgfm.org.
22
Shedding Light on Corruption
I
Agriculture still plays a vital role in the percent of Karnataka’s domestic
is late in the morning as M. Ramaiah, economy of this state, which has an product and remains the largest source
55, a farmer and father of three, area equal in size to the United of employment in the state.To increase
stands straight and still, his eyes fixed Kingdom and a population twice that of farm incomes and empower local
on a computer screen in front of him. Australia. farmers, land ownership is essential.
He waits patiently as the computer And land ownership, to be
The contrast between rural Karnataka
indicates that the printing process has acknowledged, must be documented.
and technology-driven Bangalore
begun. Shortly afterwards, he receives Ironically enough, the most precious
couldn’t be sharper. Could technology
a neatly printed document.The piece of possession a poor illiterate farmer may
be the missing link, capable of bringing
paper in his hands states that he owns have, next to his land, is the written
development to the villages and their
a small plot of land near Ittamadu, a land record that safeguards his rights
millions of residents?
village located some 50 kilometers from as legal owner. Land records are vital
Bangalore, the information technology The answer is not completely clear. But documents for both farmers and the
capital of India. what is sure is that technology, through government, used to prove ownership
as simple a means as computerized and required for numerous
In Bangalore, the huge growth of the
land ownership records, is providing administrative functions as well. Land
information technology industry has
these farmers with a measure of records are needed three times a year
attracted an influx of clients from
security and peace of mind they did not to secure crop loans; they are also used
around the world—multinational
previously have. for verification and for access to
companies taking advantage of low
pensions and various other government
wages, low maintenance costs, and
A Vital Record programs.
state-of-the-art technology. But outside
the city, in the rest of the state of Agriculture accounts for about 28 These records form the basis for
Karnataka, it’s a different story.
Continued on next page...
23
assignment and Putting land records called “mutation record,” which is rupees to prove that he owned his small
online means easy access to vital needed if a farmer wants to sell land or plot of land. “First, we had to search for
information for settlement of land titles buy a plot of land elsewhere, to be the officials, and then wait for them to
and must stand up under legal scrutiny. delivered to the farmer.The mutation hear our pleas. Now, within a few
But for 200 years, the responsibility of process is now completed in 45 days. minutes and by paying only 15 rupees,
maintaining land ownership records we are able to get our land deeds in no
Besides these efficiency improvements,
has been under the tight control of a time.”
Bhoomi’s important safeguard features,
powerful minority of village
such as its biometric logon system,
accountants. Fair User Fee
help ensure against fraud.The logon
system is used to authenticate— G. Venkatanaraiah, like other Bhoomi
Bhoomi through their fingerprints—the village users, doesn’t begrudge the 15 rupees.
In the local language of Karnataka, accountants and other administrative That’s because another successful
bhoomi means land. Bhoomi is also the personnel who access Bhoomi. Each feature of the computerized system has
name given to a groundbreaking piece village accountant must be been its introduction of a standard user
of software created to computerize 20 fingerprinted in order to have access to fee.
million land records in the state.The the machine where the database is
stored; this system also creates a According to G. Satyavathi, deputy
manual upkeep of land records before
record of who was the last person to secretary for E-governance in
Bhoomi provided ample latitude for
access the deeds.The biometric logon Karnataka, farmers do not mind paying
tampering, exploitation, and
system has thus virtually eliminated the this fee because they are satisfied with
harassment from powerful vested
opportunity for corruption and fraud. the system. Before, the price for a land
interests.Those who suffered the most
record was at the individual village
from this system were the small and
accountant’s discretion. Further,
marginal farmers who spent all of their Yesterday and Today revenue collection from land records
meager resources fighting to keep their
G. Venkatanaraiah, 40, a poor farmer rarely made it back to the state coffers.
lands, bribing and cajoling village
from the small village of With Bhoomi, on the other hand,
officials in order to obtain a record.
Gundhatherhalli, located about 14 farmers are pleased with the quality
Unfortunately, in all too many cases,
kilometers from Ramanagaram, in rural and consistency of the service, the
these farmers would lose not just their
Bangalore, owns a 2.5-acre plot of land. government has increased its revenues,
land, but also their faith in the concept
He came to the district office today to and the system’s sustainability is
of justice.
get a printout of his land record. G. ensured.
Before Bhoomi, over 9,000 village Venkatanaraiah is a small man, with
In the Ramanagaram district office, for
accountants maintained 20 million deep, dark eyes and an expressive
instance, over 62,000 records have been
records manually.The subdistrict smile. As he approaches the Bhoomi
issued since Bhoomi’s introduction in
offices, such as Ramanagaram’s, rarely kiosk, a small group of villagers
2001, and the state has collected over
received any copies of the records that surround him, interested in seeing what
960,000 rupees.
were manually updated on the fields. the novelty is all about.
Thus, a virtual monopoly over these M. Ramaiah came to Ramanagaram
Thanks to the Bhoomi program, G.
records evolved—along with a today to get a printout of his land title in
Venkatanaraiah is able to print his land
seemingly limitless opportunity for preparation for his son’s upcoming
record in less than five minutes. With
corruption and fraud, not to mention marriage. Because of the marriage, he
this record, he hopes to get a loan to
error and inefficiency. needs proof of land ownership. Also, he
purchase fertilizers.The quality of his
wants to know how much land he
Bhoomi has changed all that. Notes land is not very good, but he can still
actually owns. He is concerned that,
Deepa Narayan, a senior advisor for the grow ragi—a grain similar in
because of his son’s marriage, there
World Bank, “It is telling that all of us consistency to bulgur that is one of the
will be a split in the family and that his
could recall family conflicts over land staple foods of Karnataka—and the
wife and daughters could lose their
records because of the high discretion” grain jowhar in enough quantities to
rights to the land.
of land recording officials. With feed him, his wife, and their two sons.
Bhoomi, 20 million land records for 6.7 The leftovers, together with some Bhoomi’s efficiency means he can
million farmers in 177 subdistricts have mangos from his plot, he will sell in focus on business rather than on
been computerized in the state of Ramanagaram. logistics. “The system is easy, and I am
Karnataka. very satisfied. Before, it would have
Before Bhoomi, G. Venkatanaraiah had
taken me three to four days to locate
Records that used to take weeks, or to pursue village accountants for
the village accountant—and they
even months, to obtain are now sometimes up to one week in order to
always changed the price for the
promptly available. For instance, it get a land record. Moreover, he used to
certificate. Now I pay 15 rupees every
could take up to six months for a so- have to pay anywhere from 5 to 50
Continued on next page...
24
agricultural sector more closely. Many
lessons are being learned through this
new ability to analyze ownership trends.
One of the things that Bhoomi was able
to demonstrate in quantifiable terms
was the huge disparity in land
ownership between the men and
women of Karnataka. According to the
records, only 10 percent of the state’s
land belongs to female farmers.
Another lesson is that information
technology can play a powerful role in
poverty reduction, but that its use and
potential have been largely overlooked.
Technology that increases poor
people’s access to information whether
of markets or services, and
computerization that reduces the
discretion of service providers, can be
powerful tools for self-empowerment
time.” When asked if M. Ramiah these do not require high literacy skills and poverty reduction.
receives a print out of his landthe price on the part of users seeking to access It is about noon when M. Ramaiah
was too steep, M. Ramaiah smiled and their records. leaves the Bhoomi kiosk in
said no. He too had been a record.“Now Ramanagaram. He folds the newly
they cannot take my land away.”victim Lessons From a Model System printed land record neatly and puts it in
of village accountants’ greed before. the front pocket of his shirt. “They will
Today, 10 million computerized records not take my land away now,” he says, as
are issued every year in Karnataka—an
Brain Child of a Civil Servant achievement other Indian states envy.
he climbs on a small, rusting bike,
which was leaning against the wall, and
It was Rajeev Chawla, a government Notes Sathayavathi, Karnataka’s E- starts to ride back home. In the
civil servant working at the National governance deputy, “Here is a distance, he stops to catch his breath,
Informatics Center in Bangalore, who successful project which has shown to and looks back. With a smile on his
recognized the need to find alternatives the people and the citizens of this state face, he waves. ■
for land-record reform.The state that, yes, it should be scalable to other
government supported Chawla as he states—and why not to other
designed, and then put into action, a countries? It’s a good model, and it is For more information about this and other
Development 360 stories,please contact
project to put all the local land records delivering services. I think this is a Ana Luna Barros
into a central computer. revolution in land records.” atalunabarros@worldbank.org.
The Bhoomi system soon followed. With the computerization of land titles,
Completely designed in-house by the the state is now able to take further
National Informatics Center, Bhoomi steps toward keeping an online
features touch screen kiosks, since database and scrutinizing the
25
Fighting Corruption, opaque government, and the role oil
and diamond revenues played in
funding the country’s destructive 27-
While Building Energy Security year civil war. In recent years, the
Angolan government has begun to take
some important steps to introduce
By Kathryn Joyce revenue and expenditure transparency
Revenue Watch Institute
into the public management of its
petroleum and mineral wealth,
including new elections and the
publication of budgets. However, the
n the Niger Delta of West Africa, the less than two dollars per day as they
26
role that the United States can play in behave with greater transparency internationally operating oil companies,
promoting transparency worldwide— wherever they operate. including most major non-US
and why it is fitting that the U.S., one of companies, reducing the risk that more
The global transparency movement has
the world’s leading resource consumers transparent American companies
been growing for some years,
and the destination of 20 percent of would be put at a competitive
particularly since the introduction in
Nigerian oil alone, should take a leading disadvantage by their compliance. As
2002 of the voluntary Extractive Industry
role in this promotion. one of the largest consumers of other
Transparency Initiative (EITI), which
countries’ extractive resources, the U.S.
In the last Congress, a bill was standardizes a process for
is invariably affected by the business
introduced in the U.S. House that would governments to measure and improve
standards of oil-producing countries.
bolster transparency and accountability their disclosure practices for revenues
“Like it or not, we have a role to play.”
in the oil, gas, and mining industries from extractive companies.The broad
dramatically.The Extractive Industries support this initiative enjoys from A growing number of members of
Transparency Disclosure (EITD) Act companies, the Organization for Congress appear to share this attitude.
sponsored by Chairman Barney Frank Economic Co-operation and Since its introduction in 2008, the EITD
of the Financial Services Committee Development, as well as resource rich Act picked up 42 sponsors in the House
mandates that all domestic and foreign exporting countries, signals that and Senate, following the determined
companies registered with the increasing transparency is not just a work of Publish What You Pay, Revenue
Securities and Exchange Commission concern for low-income countries. Watch, Global Witness, Oxfam
(SEC) report their payments to America and many other coalition
The movement is beginning to take off
governments for any extractive industry members.The Senate version of the bill
in the United States as well. Senator
activity. was sponsored by New York Senator
Richard Lugar, ranking member of the
Charles Schumer.
Sarah Pray of the Publish What You Pay Senate Foreign Relations Committee
U.S. coalition, part of an international and a co-sponsor of the EITD Act, In September, Revenue Watch board
coalition on the forefront of the released a report on the resource curse members, partners and authors
transparency movement, compares in October 2008 entitled “The testified in support of the bill at two
today’s EITD act to an older example of Petroleum and Poverty Paradox: Senate hearings. “When major oil
the U.S. taking on corruption. In the Assessing U.S. and International producing countries are hobbled by an
1970s, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Community Efforts to Fight the unstable business environment, the
Act (FCPA) brought sweeping reform Resource Curse.”The report calls for U.S. economy and our energy security
of corrupt activities by American the U.S. to join the EITI and submit the suffer,” Revenue Watch Director Karen
companies operating abroad, taking on Interior Department’s royalty collection Lissakers testified. “Information is the
a culture of corruption so pervasive that to outside audit; to assist resource-rich lifeblood of healthy markets and of
some countries allowed tax deductions countries in managing their new healthy political systems, and the EITD
for bribes.Then, says Pray, the United revenues; and to “back their Act will contribute to both.”
States took the lead then because it transparency words with deeds,” by
With the findings of the Lugar report
was the right thing to do.Today, Publish requiring that extractive companies
and a new incoming administration,
What You Pay is leading the call for the publish their payments country-by-
Revenue Watch and the Publish What
EITD Act, along with the Revenue country, as the EITD Act requires.
You Pay coalition are optimistic about
Watch Institute and many other
Sarah Pray concurs with this “practice the passage of the EITD Act in 2009. We
coalition members. Pray says that new
what you preach” message. “If we're will continue to promote the standards
transparency in extractives revenues
encouraging other countries to of transparency and accountability that
around the world will have the same
implement the EITI, we should have a the bill represents. ■
long-term benefits as the FCPA has
law on our books, and also implement
had, by helping to make sure that
EITI ourselves.” Not only would this The Revenue Watch Institute
corrupt governments do not withhold or
boost U.S. credibility in its own calls for (www.revenuewatch.org) is a non-profit
mismanage extractive revenues that
transparency around the world, and in policy institute and grantmaking
could help build and sustain their organization that promotes the responsible
countries whose stability is linked to
countries. management of oil, gas and mineral
U.S. interests, but it would also be a
Just as the U.S. positively wielded its boon in countries where more resources for the public good.
economic influence in 1977 to begin to transparent behavior by U.S.
change business practices around the companies would improve U.S.
world, today it is in a position to drive diplomatic efforts and reputation.
the transparency agenda in the global “These companies are our
oil and mining sectors, by requiring ambassadors abroad. How they do
those companies under the jurisdiction business reflects on the U.S.”The bill
of the SEC from these sectors to would cover 90 percent of the top 50
Continued on next page...
27
Through a Glass, Darkly
What do we mean by transparency in government?
By Matthew Dunlap
Secretary of State
State of Maine
n 1973, America was shocked by The good news is that technology and the public and make their participation
28
what would be comparable in the have greater opportunity than ever to the watchtower, that all the
private sector. But contextualizing share information. Many websites are safeguards against arrogance and
information is also controlling it, and now dedicated to examining not only corruption work. But they don’t. This is
many public officials are reluctant to programs, but what is said about the unsolvable problem of
editorialize or justify their actions to a them, and monitor for disparate facts transparency: it doesn’t guarantee
wary public, seeking instead to avoid a and truthful statements. Of course, accountability—only vigilance does
fight. the old-fashioned public forum where that. There is no ready substitute for
policymakers and administrators an engaged public, or method in law
But the public also has a
answer questions and present that assures that elected officials and
responsibility, too, and there’s the
information in person still has a the bureaucrats who report to them
political hair trigger. When the public
significant place in the realm of will behave in the public’s best
is outraged, there’s little room for
transparent government. Any method interest.
civics lessons, especially coming from
for encouraging public participation is
government officials. If government Can you trust me? I ask people that all
going to be hard work, but anyone who
officials and agencies establish the time. They always say yes. I’m sure
does it will testify to its effectiveness.
collaborative relationships with they’re sincere. But I follow up with
watchdog groups and respond readily Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of this question: if you can really trust
to requests for information, problems transparent government is the total me, then why do we need to hold an
can usually be quickly avoided. After lack of reward. People expect that election every two years? ■
all, people just want honest answers their officials are doing the right thing
to their questions. and are behaving transparently, and Matt Dunlap is Secretary of State for the
thus offer no acknowledgement of State of Maine and Chairman of the National
Attaining such answers is now
best practices or for good behavior. In Electronic-Commerce Coordinating Council.
available in more vectors than at any
a way, it’s not transparency at all
time in history. With blogs, online
people want; it’s assurance.
chatrooms, wikis, and electronic
Assurance that someone is manning
forums, policymakers and the public
29
support for the Center for Responsive passage of the Federal Funding Each of these projects affects not only
Politics, whose OpenSecrets.org Accountability andTransparency Act the users who employ them, but also
website provides an unparalleled view (often referred to in a recent political the government employees who were
of money in politics. Designing with campaign as Coburn-Obama).That the original stewards of the data.This
open access and data architecture in legislation created USASpending.gov, feedback loop is essential to the role
mind, many sites like OpenSecrets.org made in the precise image of that outside actors have in helping
now feature APIs, or Application FedSpending.org. Even government live up to its digital
Programming Interfaces, which allow FedSpending.org’s carefully crafted potential: while federal information
other sites to repurpose the underlying API carried over to the federal site, a policy can be hard to affect from the
data. In this way, for example, the clear example of the federal outside, the individuals who are most
Center’s campaign finance data (a government following the example of a intimately familiar with any system are
cleaned-up version of Federal Election non-government organization. often the biggest champions for its
Commission data) has been integrated reform. In this way, just as Sunlight’s
Legislative information is being
into other sites, like Congresspedia or work has set a powerful standard for
similarly reprocessed from outside
MAPLight.org. how government should approach its
Congress. Legislative documents
technology, we also hope to empower
Congresspedia is a citizen's wiki on follow a complex path to most citizens’
the mechanics of digital democracy:
Congress, featuring comprehensive computer screens. After being drafted,
new-media staffers, Webmasters,
details on all things congressional, and they go to closed congressional
CIOs, systems administrators, and
now featuring campaign finance data databases, then the Library of
even the occasional member of
generated from the Center’s Congress to be posted publicly, and
Congress or agency head.
databases. In a similar reuse of data, then to GovTrack.us, the primary public
MAPLight.org combines campaign hub for legislative data. GovTrack.us The better America’s visions of
contributions with vote tallies, was created by its sole proprietor, accountability, transparency, and
uncovering suggestive patterns, where University of Pennsylvania student interactivity are connected to the
spikes in political giving often precede JoshTauberer, to produce more user- policy-makers, journalists, and the
important legislation by only a few friendly legislative information. Many democracy practitioners, the better
days. other sites, including Obama’s vision of openness can be
OpenCongress.org, reuse GovTrack’s realized. ■
The impact of nonprofit innovation can
data to present a fuller view of
be seen even more clearly through the
Congress. OpenCongress.org, another John Wonderlich is the Program Director for
example of FedSpending.org. With
Sunlight grantee, has created a rich the Sunlight Foundation, a D.C. based non-
support from a Sunlight grant, OMB
social layer on top of congressional partisan, non-profit transparency advocacy
Watch created the FedSpending.org organization. For additional information,
information, allowing users to track,
website, offering searchable access to contact johnwonderlich@gmail.com or at
share, and comment on bills online,
all federal grants and contracts.The 202/742-1520.
adding rich explanatory content to the
example set by OMB Watch was so
usually inscrutable information.
strong that it helped lead to the
30
The Collaborative Government
s Supreme Court Justice collaboration that we have never seen participatory, and collaborative.” And
A Good Start
see it: timely, accurate, and reliable from each other, as well.
information made available to the Nevertheless, some have begun to Hitting the President’s trifecta of
public. And we understand why reach across and outside of good government may be easier said
transparency is important: it is the government to access the collective than done – but it won’t be because
basis for accountability and guards brainpower of organizations, technology is standing in the way.
against the three bureaucratic evils of stakeholders and individuals. A little more than a year ago, the
waste, fraud and abuse. National Academy of Public
On his first full day in office,
Increasingly, however, government President Obama put government on Administration launched the
leaders recognize that solving the notice that this new, more Collaboration Project. This
complex problems facing America collaborative model can no longer be independent consortium of
today will require more than simply confined to the efforts of early government leaders comes together
keeping citizens informed. Meeting adopters. He called upon every on-line (www.collaborationproject.org)
challenges like rising health care executive department and agency to and in-person to share ideas,
costs, climate change and energy “harness new technology” and make examples and insights about
independence will require a level of government “transparent, leveraging web 2.0 and collaborative
Continued on next page...
31
technology to solve government's What’s Stopping Us Now? media, where documents evolve
complex problems. collaboratively online. How many
There are two fundamental versions of a single page of a
In addition, as part of the challenges that stand in the path of government wiki must be preserved
Collaboration Project, the National rapid progress toward collaborative for potential FOIA disclosure?
Academy has collected, posted and government: culture and policy. Similarly, when and how must instant
begun to analyze more than 50
The President’s call for a new era of message (IM) exchanges be
examples of innovative uses of
transparency and collaboration will, preserved and be subject to FOIA or
collaborative technology in federal,
without question, begin to break down other record-keeping and disclosure
state and local government. These
the cultural barriers inside requirements? It has been reported
case studies range from powerful
government that have impeded that the Obama White House has
mashups of satellite imagery and
progress. As desirable as it may barred the use of IM, because
government databases, to relatively
sound, our expectation that attorneys believe the Presidential
simple forays on popular social
government agencies should act as Records Act would apply, requiring
networking sites.
stewards over the use and preservation and public disclosure
The Alabama Department of dissemination of the data they collect five years after the president leaves
Homeland Security, for example, often stands in the way of office.
convinced local government and non- transparency and collaboration. Another layer of complexity is added
governmental stakeholders
Changing this “ownership and when government agencies, like the
throughout the state to overlay data
control” culture in government will not Library of Congress, want to create a
that they “owned” on a
be a small task, especially as we presence on free third party sites like
comprehensive online database of
reaffirm our commitment to Flickr, YouTube and Second Life. Can
satellite imagery. The resulting
accountability. Government agencies federal agencies simply sign up, or is
application, known as Virtual
must provide information in a format this transaction subject to federal
Alabama, is a visualization tool that
that allows people to engage with procurement regulations? Can they
uses an enterprise version of Google
data, make their own discoveries, and “click the box” and agree to terms and
Earth, customized to show the state’s
tell others what they have learned. conditions that bind them to state law,
most critical data overlaid on maps.
“Transparency” can no longer mean despite the Supremacy Clause in the
With the click of a mouse, first
simply publishing information in a U.S. Constitution?
responders and emergency response
planners can use Virtual Alabama to static format. Key to making progress,
view three-dimensional models of however, will be a common The Promise of
schools, bridges and critical understanding of when and what data Generational Change
infrastructure, overlaid on satellite must be protected by government, and
what data should be considered a Having entered government in the
imagery and showing the locations of wake of Watergate, my generation of
fire hydrants, gas pipelines, national asset, free to be mined by
anyone for any reason. public servants strongly believed and
hazardous chemicals, and other still believes that government should
critical information. A related but potentially more work for the people. But we didn’t
At the other end of the spectrum, the daunting obstacle is the vast number really understand that we also needed
U.S. Library of Congress has tapped of laws and official policies that to work with the people.
into the “wisdom of the crowd” restrict government’s ability to take
full advantage of new technologies Today, government is quickly
through a publicly available photo- transitioning to a new generation of
sharing website, posting thousands of and opportunities for collaboration.
Working with Collaboration Project managers and leaders, for whom
photos and inviting the public to online collaboration is not a new
provide information, tags and members, Fellows and staff of the
National Academy have begun to frontier but a fact of everyday life. We
descriptions. While extending the owe it to them—and the citizens we
reach of its collection to millions document the myriad official
“obstacles” that stand in the way. To serve—to recognize and embrace
across the nation and around the transparency, participation and
globe, the Library has also been able be fair, most were enacted or adopted
long before the era of web 2.0 and collaboration as essential to good
to significantly enrich its photo government in the 21st Century. ■
collection without undertaking costly could not anticipate its potential use
and time-consuming staff research. It in the work of government. They are,
now loads an additional 50 photos nonetheless, real and numerous. Jennifer Dorn is President and CEO of the
National Academy of Public
each Friday and averages about half a For example, the Freedom of Administration. For additional information
million views each month. Information Act (FOIA) did not contact jdorn@napawash.org.
anticipate the emergence of iterative
32
Get Ready for Wiki-Government
By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
resident Barack Obama’s fundamentally reshape how on how best to “reinvent government”
33
millennials will draw their inspiration legislator Steve Urquhart as a place Despite its “bleeding edge” character,
for reshaping America’s governing “where Utahans could debate issues Politicopia.com was warmly received
processes. coming before the legislature.” It was by the legislature. “It moved the
used to influence the policy decisions needle…it helped improve the
While Wikipedia’s open structure,
in that state’s 2007 legislative session. dialogue. I think that’s what a lot of us
complete transparency and user
Technologically, Politicopia operated are yearning for in politics these days,”
participation has made it a favorite
in a very “millennialist” manner, being is how founder Urquhart summed up
site for millennials, many more
“based on a user-controlled wiki the experience. His legislative
traditional opinion-makers abhor the
system that allows anyone to join the colleague, Steve Sandstrom, agreed. “I
notion of “decision-making by crowds”
discussion. Unlike activist groups such think we’re on the verge of something
that the site represents. But the rapid
as MoveOn.org, it does not push an new…it was intelligent, thoughtful and
evolution of online politics engineered
agenda other than open discussion.” produced a consensus. It was pretty
by the Obama campaign provides an
neat.” The result put Utah “at the
inherent antidote to the problem of Andrew Rasiej, founder of the
vanguard of the future of American
unfettered aggregation and lowest- Personal Democracy Forum and a
politics in the twenty-first century,”
common-denominator outcomes strong advocate for more openness in
34
Building the Digital Public Square
By Vivek Kundra
United States Chief Information Officer
n ancient Athens—the model for technological advances now allow data on every aspect of government
35
businesses, such as the locations of requests, community meetings, and Facebook alone, founded just four
District establishments that hold more. A private entrepreneur has years ago, now has over 60 million
liquor licenses. Mapping technology assembled law enforcement data from active users, and YouTube, a year
also allows users to view data the District and across the country younger, hosted 3 billion video views
geographically with a single click. into an online database, called in a single month this year. We
Using an ordinary Web browser, “CrimeReports.” Visitors can get responded to these new
anyone in the world can access this crime data and maps by address, zip communications trends by expanding
information. code, and type of crime and sign up D.C. Government’s presence on
for personalized crime alerts. Facebook and posting job listings and
When we first opened the doors to
bid solicitations on YouTube under the
government data, people were quick These are truly grassroots ventures.
“D.C. Government” channel.
to respond. Individuals and The democratization of government
Leveraging consumer technology in
organizations are not only viewing our data has revealed an enormous
this way allows us to reach wider
government data, but are actually appetite for civic participation. We are
audiences at no cost to taxpayers.
improving upon our work by analyzing ushering in a new age of participatory
36
Open Government Serves Citizens
By Maryantonett Flumian
Ottawa University
he confluence of technology, outcomes. Information fuels is to use Web 2.0’s tools to answer
37
potential synergies between programs, (www.dellideastorm.com) looks and that governments are keeping pace
empower larger portions of their feels a lot like Digg.com, the popular with innovative uses of technology. The
workforces, and reduce operating technology news aggregator. Users official tourism foundation of Tuscany,
costs. Having learned how to alter post suggestions and the community is one of the first public-sector
policy-making and evaluation votes; the most popular ideas rise to organizations to exploit Second Life as
processes based on these new the top. The user-driven idea-filtering a medium for tourism-related
sources of information and insight, process eases the burden on company marketing and services. Its Toscana
they can then invite the public to use resources by harnessing “the crowd” Island lets Second Life visitors tour
the tools, with comparable benefits. to sift through mountains of feedback. the Tower of Pisa, the Ponte Vecchio
“Emergent behavior” can lead to new Less than a week after IdeaStorm’s and the Duomo in Florence, with audio
insights, innovations and strategies launch, users had contributed over commentary available. At the U.S.
that even the smartest individuals 1,300 ideas that were voted on more Centers for Disease Control and
couldn’t produce in isolation. than 120,000 times. Dell has already Prevention Island, users can watch
translated many of the ideas videos and pod.c.asts and use a slate
Embrace open standards and Web
contributed by Dell customers into of interactive and innovative tools to
services. Leading governments are
product and service innovations. review educational information. The
emulating their private sector
U.S. National Library of Medicine has
counterparts and embracing the new Leverage new channels for
established Health Info Island with a
standards, capabilities and feedback. New Web-based tools that
medical library and virtual hospital
architectures of Web services. Most improve the ability of organizations to
facility. It will eventually offer training,
important, there’s a change in mindset gather and analyze feedback from their
outreach, consumer health resources
from thinking about enterprise customers are emerging to support
and one-on-one support on Second
applications only, to building an continuous innovation and
Life to bring public health information
Enterprise Service Architecture (ESA) improvement. In many cases, third
and interventions to consumers where,
founded on Web services, the new parties in the non-profit sector are
when and how they need them.
paradigm in software. Here, a single running excellent customer feedback
service platform enables and drives all sites, suggesting that in some cases Reaching the next frontier of service
applications so that internal or governments could readily tap into means opening up government
external users can access important existing online communities rather officials, stakeholders and citizens to
services regardless of channel. Web than build their own. Initiatives such collaboration. Technology and tools
services and an ESA reduce as www.fixmystreet.org in the U.K. enable productive dialogue. The array
integration costs and dramatically enable residents to submit concerns of tools--from blogs, to social
speed application development, about safety, vandalism or other local networks, to wikis and beyond--will
creating much more open, powerful issues directly to their municipal continue to evolve in their
and adaptable IT environments. With council. The site features a tracking sophistication and application. They
an Enterprise Service Architecture, mechanism that indicates whether provide platforms for the collaboration
governments have Net-based, local concerns (such as a pothole- that reshapes government and helps to
standards-oriented, flexible software riddled road) have been addressed by open it up to its citizens.
environments that can encompass the relevant authorities. Using the site,
The single biggest driver towards
information in structured and British residents play a more active
these horizons is leadership. As we’ve
unstructured form, as well as in role in increasing public welfare, while
seen, political leadership and
multivendor systems. This, in turn, helping local government officials
executive leadership are critical. And
provides the foundation for delivering identify issues in their jurisdiction. In
citizens are pushing us all. ■
high-quality services--such as the health care arena, the independent
education, health, and security--as an UK-based www.patientopinion.org
integrated ecosystem of providers allows patients to rate different Maryantonett Flumian was the first head of
(perhaps blending public and private hospitals and provide feedback on Service Canada, the Canadian
Government’s agency for providing secure,
services), not as a collection of their experiences. one-stop, personalized services to citizens.
hundreds of departments with Maryantonett Flumian is an Associate
Open a virtual service desk.The
incompatible systems. Professor at the University of Ottawa
number of citizens participating in
Graduate School in Public and International
Create an Ideastorm. Governments virtual worlds such as Second Life Affairs. For additional information
can harness the power of presumption may be low, but it is not too early to contact Maryantonett.Flumian@uottawa.ca
by asking customers how to improve experiment with virtual service desks
service quality. Dell Computer’s in the medium. A number of agencies
IdeaStorm provides a useful template have already done so, citing the
for government agencies. Launched in relatively low costs, the ability to reach
2007, IdeaStorm young people and the desire to prove
38
39
U.S. General Services Administration
Office of Citizen Services and
Communications
Intergovernmental Solutions Division
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use, $300