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Dear Sacha,
That
change in government is good - more than that, that it is in fact
necessary - has long been a matter of debate. No, this has nothing to
do with Mr. Obama's political platform. For change to be
effective it has to be introduced in small, measured doses. This
is what the National Academy of Public Administration is exploring and
hopes to do. I, for one, wish them all the luck in the world in
their efforts.
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National Academy of Public Administration
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The Collaboration Project
"We
at the National Academy are convinced that collaborative technology has
the potential to transform government in America, to tap into the
expertise of people outside the hierarchy of any single agency or
department, to make government more transparent, and to open the door
to a broader array of experts focused on solving a particular problem
or to citizens who want to contribute to making government work better."
-- Jennifer Dorn, President & CEO, National Academy of
Public Administration
Government
jobs are difficult and they're changing. This work is made more
difficult still because there are few, if any, possibilities for
administrators and purchasing officers to seek continuing education or
even just update their knowledge and methodology. As the people
from NAPA observe, "we've tended to do things in much the same way as
we've always done, hoping that through hard work and sheer
determination, we will see a different result." You've guessed
where this is going. Yes, today's challenges require more than
dedication and determination to following the old rules.
This
requires more than a small group of people making suggestions.
That is why the National Academy of Public Administration is working
hard to work together with many others. To make it, as their
chosen name states, a collaborative project. Among their number
they are including people form outside the government - experienced
people and experts who have knowledge and insight that can help.
Technology
is an obvious focus for two reasons. The Internet in general and
the likes of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, in particular, have shown
that they are the premier tool for collecting and sharing
information. The other is the sheer volume of tools that are
available that could make this work that much easier and more
manageable. Tools and solutions that can be surprisingly
affordable. Many of them merit more attention than they're
getting, especially those who aren't backed by the biggest names in the
software industry.
Right now the Collaboration Project is
focusing on the Web 2.0, with the stated aim "to jump start the
adoption of this big idea into a somewhat alien culture. The benefits
will redefine what's possible in government."
Redefining what's
possible in government is a goal that is definitely worth
pursuing. It is what we have tried to do in our small way with
the ElectronicTendering System. I hope you will support it in any way you can, as well.
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I
think it it is fair to quote Neil Armstrong, "One small step for
man..." I certainly don't think the Collaboration Project is
shooting for the moon, no. The spirit of Mr. Armstrong's words do
apply. I firmly believe that NAPA's first step with this project
will lead to great things. This kind of initiative has been a
long time in coming and it will go far.
Sincerely,
Sacha Hartmann
YSER Inc.
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