Government 2.0 is a big interest of mine – just like at the national level, I think we can make local government more open, participatory and productive by using technology intelligently. Although there’s been talk about this for a while, it’s still early days – e.g. see the new discussion, “What Is Government 2.0?” at the Gov 2.0 ning site.
One example: at Imagination Coast, we’ve formed a Data Visualization group to use graphics to help investors and decision-makers understand the challenges and opportunities in the Central Coast’s sustainable economy.
With the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace, I’m exploring similar ideas for coordinating the many government, law enforcement and non-profit organizations involved in the effort to reduce gang violence in Monterey County. For example, a unified client-centered database of at-risk youth and their families, so that we can devote the same level of attention and customization to helping an at-risk youth stay alive as we would lavish on a customer for a new soda pop. This amounts to adapting the practices of Customer Relationship Management to social services.
The California Democratic Party held its annual convention in San Diego April 27-29, and I was there blogging, along with hundreds of other traditional and web-based reporters. Here are some observations.