civic technology on the front lines
DESCRIPTION
My presentation at the National Association of Government Web Professionals.TRANSCRIPT
Christopher Whitaker@CivicWhitaker
Civic Technology on the Front Lines
@CivicWhitakerCivic Technologist
(Not actually a developer)
Project Manager Consultant @SmartChicago
Midwest Brigade Coordinator @CodeforAmerica
Former Field Office Supervisor at the Illinois Department of Employment Security
Masters of Public Administration @DePaulU
BA Political Science
@SamHoustonState
11B @USArmy
How I got Involved
The “Legacy” System
Runs on DOS Mainframe system – One screen fails, they ALL FAIL
Not run in real timePaper Reports From 1975 – Before Apple Computer, The Space Shuttle, before Saddam took power in Iraq, and before Star Wars
Put it this way:
Worst recession since the Depression and our system was surprised to learn who Luke’s
Father was…
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
You give me a paper…
I stamp it, copy it, give you the copy Scan it into system as TIF file Tell system what it is and whose it is System puts it in file Adjudicator pulls it up Takes questionnaire and enters it into text box I get your employer’s paper via FAX stamp it Scan it into system as TIF file Tell system what it is and whose it is System puts it in file Adjudicator pulls it up Takes questionnaire and enters it into text box Adjudicator decides your unemployment claim. System generates letter in PDF, mails it to you and your
employer Employer sends their appeal via FAX generated by their
computer system. Fax Machine breaks due to overuse.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
But it is…because government tech sucks
CGI Federal’s epic failure to launch Healthcare.gov
California fires & *sues* SAP after MyCalPays failure
Massachusetts fires & *sues* Deloitte after unemployment system disaster
Accenture built system glitch which causes of food stamp payment delays for thousands of North Carolina residents.
Meanwhile….you have these people…
And these people…
And don’t forget this team
What’s the difference?
An ECOSYSTEM built for Civic Innovation
City of Chicago seeing DATA AS FUEL
An active an ENGAGED civic technology community
Real SIGNIFICANT investments by local foundations
A community that fights for the users
The CUTgroup
Collaboration
The Civic Works Project
A Knight Foundation / Chicago Community Trust Grant that will Build five civic apps focused on non-profit issues
Build five civic apps focused on government issues
Write 200 Content Pieces Run the Illinois OpenTech Challenge
We’ve just received an extension and will be running this for a second year.
Get involved!
To get involved with Code for America Brigade
Codeforamerica.org/brigade
To get involved with the Code for America Peer Network
Codeforamerica.org/about/peernetwork
To get more information about Smart Chicago
Smartchicagocollaborative.org
