Star Spangled Geeks: The US Digital Service

he USDS has worked on thirteen major projects involving eleven agencies, and claims to have saved the government many times its $14 million budget. It has charters to place full-blown teams in seven different agencies, with more to come before the end of the year.

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How US Government Workers Collaborate Virtually

From 18F 18F is an office inside the General Services Administration that helps other federal agencies build, buy, and share efficient and easy-to-use digital services. We’re a team of technology experts that work with agencies to diagnose problems and then work alongside agency teams to find the right solutions. Headquartered at 18 and F streets…

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Civic Tech: Movements, Voices and Values

From Lawrence Grodeska: For a community that fashions itself small but mighty, there was much reflection about just how far civic tech has to go to reach mainstream status. At one point when polled, many in the audience considered themselves part of the environmental movement, but how many in the environmental movement would identify with the…

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The revolt of China’s Twittering class

From Ethan Zimmerman (2010) Twitter has become a powerful tool for Chinese citizens as they increasingly play a role in reporting local news in their communities. But the social revolution brought by microblogging might be even more important than the communication revolution. Indeed, here Chinese Twitter users lead the world, using it for everything from…

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Henry Jenkins’ USC course on civic media

Civic Media is any use of any technology for the purposes of increasing civic engagement and public participation, enabling the exchange of meaningful information, fostering social connectivity, constructing critical perspectives, insuring transparency and accountability, or strengthening citizen agency. Excerpts from: Civic Media: A Syllabus.

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The Engagement Pyramid

The most effective social change organizations understand how to wield their portfolio of engagement tactics in Zen-like fashion; knowing just what kind of touch is called for to influence the outcomes of a particular decision. They also know how to meet people where they are at, and craft their calls to action appropriately so as…

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