RE: [tgf] Possible outreach target

I think there’s some good stuff here. Some weaknesses, but also much which is in line with TGF thinking.

As others have said, life events are not the sole answer. They can sometimes be a useful way of organising content and services for some purposes; but they do not bear the sort of weight that this Smart Lean project wants to put on them. Basically, this is because many important interactions that citizens have with government do not fit neatly under life event headings. The examples David Webber cites are good ones. That is why the UK abandoned “life events” in favour of “customer segments” as the organising principle for its online services.

All that said, if you substitute “customer segments” for “life events” in the Smart Lean ideas, then there is a lot of read-across to the TGF. The basic insight is the same: that layering IT and e-services into the old silo-based business model of government does not work, and that a new business model is needed – a “Transformational Business Model” in the words of the TGF pattern. And the model which Smart Lean recommends is in many ways similar to the Franchise Marketplace model recommended by the TGF: for example, they talk about a new “virtual” business inside government, based around “Communities of Services” and using an SOA-based approach to IT integration. The key differences I think are: a) the focus on Life Events rather than a more holistic set of customer needs; b) the lack of any vision or roadmap for how to move towards and implement this model in practice; c) the lack of recognition that some jurisdictions outside the US have already made significant steps in implementing this sort of approach.

I’d be happy to reach out to them on the blog, if we don’t have personal contacts we can leverage. Does anyone on the TC know any of the key players in Smart Lean, or the American Council for Technology which runs it? People listed in the document are:

Chris Parker

Managing Partner, CS Transform

+44 7951 754060

From: tgf@lists.oasis-open.org [mailto:tgf@lists.oasis-open.org] On Behalf Of John Borras
Sent: 25 June 2012 08:35
To: tgf@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: RE: [tgf] Possible outreach target

We did life-events here in the UK years ago and I’m sure Chris and Bill can tell you why that’s not the way to organize things. Question is do we want to reach out to this outfit and try and educate them on TGF? Perhaps we should compose a response to their Blog? Any volunteers?

John

From: tgf@lists.oasis-open.org [mailto:tgf@lists.oasis-open.org] On Behalf Of Andy Gmail
Sent: 24 June 2012 20:44
To: David Webber
Cc: <Colin.Wallis@dia.govt.nz>; <tgf@lists.oasis-open.org>
Subject: Re: [tgf] Possible outreach target

Hi "reporting a pot hole in a street or a malfunctioning / bad traffic signal issue"... Check out http://barnet.fixmystreet.com/

Perhaps 'the times they are a changing',

Andy

On 24 Jun 2012, at 18:00, David Webber <david.webber@oracle.com> wrote:

This appears to have strong political overtones.

But its completely missing the point - its not just major life events - its the day to day routine - across the board delivery of services to citizens.

For example - reporting a pot hole in a street or a malfunctioning / bad traffic signal issue, and receiving feedback on outcomes, scheduled remediation, next steps and so on.

Just try this for your own local town and street. Hours of web page trawling finding contacts, emails, telephone calls, and then a black hole. Months pass, and then you notice road crews
fixing a street two over from your problem but they have no clue about the report you filed. Go figure.

But you can go into Google maps and see where your nearest coffee shop is - but not what road maintenance is planned or issues have been reported - or how many people
have complained about poor signal placement or operation.

Now why do you supposed that is?

Couldn't be that the road service department is guaranteed some work and revenue but the local coffee shop has to hustle for its customers...

As Ross notes - wait ten years - then trot out the old ideas as new again.

----- Original Message -----
From: Colin.Wallis@dia.govt.nz
To: tgf@lists.oasis-open.org
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2012 7:17:05 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [tgf] Possible outreach target

http://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2012/05/initiative-aims-reform-govent-services-around-life-events/55782/

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