You're probably wondering what the title means...well many of you would know that GUI stands for Graphical User Interface. This is how we interact with computers - via a keyboard, a mouse, commands, menus, etc - to make them run programs and applications.
NUI stands for Natural User Interface. This is what we now have on smartphones such as the iPhone, where you interact with the device using touch, speech, gestures, etc. According to Steve Balmer, CEO of Microsoft, this is the future. Read his interesting article about NUI technology and the future of computing here.
Lots of food for thought. Now imagine utilizing this technology to deliver government services......
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
IPAC takes a step into Web 2.0
IPAC is moving into using Web 2.0 technology. Having created a Facebook page and a LinkedIn page, we are now moving into Ning. The site is up and running thanks to the impetus of IPAC New Professionals and Jennifer from the National office.
January 27, 2010 is the official launch date. Some of the presenters at the Winds of Change conference will post on the site throughout the day and there will be opportunities to use the site’s chat feature for live discussions.
The site includes opportunities to get involved in discussions, exchange ideas and connect with other public servants across Canada and around the world.
I urge you all to join by going to the IPAC Connect site.
January 27, 2010 is the official launch date. Some of the presenters at the Winds of Change conference will post on the site throughout the day and there will be opportunities to use the site’s chat feature for live discussions.
The site includes opportunities to get involved in discussions, exchange ideas and connect with other public servants across Canada and around the world.
I urge you all to join by going to the IPAC Connect site.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Happy New Year and happy reading
The holidays are not only a time to enjoy family, friends and food, but it is also a time to catch up on making some headway through my pile of books. Over the last two weeks I have had the pleasure of reading a few very interesting books. Here is a short review of two of these books
One of my favourite "genres" of books are on politics. I read a couple of books on the 2008 US presidential election. The first is an insiders view of the Obama campaign. Written by David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, "The Audacity to Win" is an interesting book that recounts how a relatively unknown first-term US Senator won the presidency. In the primary campaign against what was thought was an unstoppable Hillary Clinton, the Obama team developed a strategy that focused on enlarging the democratic tent. This meant mobilizing non-traditional voters to become involved in the electoral process. In the Iowa caucuses, this meant mobilizing young people and because of the rules allowing for open voting, mobilizing independents and republicans to vote in the caucus. Utilizing a combination of new media (internet tools) and extensive person to person campaigning, the Obama campaign was able to dramatically increase the turnout at the Iowa caucuses and win a decisive victory there. They took this same strategy of focusing on mobilizing new and non-traditional voters to the other caucuses and primaries to win the nomination against the Clinton machine. During the campaign against John McCain, the Obama campaign developed a strategy that expanded the standard number of states that they contested. The book is insightful as it provides an insiders view of the campaign. It is quite entertaining, thought there is a bit of repetition in the book. Overall it is a very exciting and informative book about the US campaign.
The second book I read was also about the 2008 US Presidential election by Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson, entitled "The Battle for America 2008". This book provides a behind the scenes look at the Obama, Clinton and McCain campaigns throughout the primaries and the election. It is a good complement to the Plouffe book as it provides a broader context about what was happening in the other campaigns. They cover the interesting strategy followed by the Obama campaign, including when their supporters were pushing them to alter their strategy when things were not going well. Also interesting is the description and rationale of the selection of Palin as the Republican VP candidate. I would highly recommend this book as well to those of you who are interested in politics.
One of my favourite "genres" of books are on politics. I read a couple of books on the 2008 US presidential election. The first is an insiders view of the Obama campaign. Written by David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, "The Audacity to Win" is an interesting book that recounts how a relatively unknown first-term US Senator won the presidency. In the primary campaign against what was thought was an unstoppable Hillary Clinton, the Obama team developed a strategy that focused on enlarging the democratic tent. This meant mobilizing non-traditional voters to become involved in the electoral process. In the Iowa caucuses, this meant mobilizing young people and because of the rules allowing for open voting, mobilizing independents and republicans to vote in the caucus. Utilizing a combination of new media (internet tools) and extensive person to person campaigning, the Obama campaign was able to dramatically increase the turnout at the Iowa caucuses and win a decisive victory there. They took this same strategy of focusing on mobilizing new and non-traditional voters to the other caucuses and primaries to win the nomination against the Clinton machine. During the campaign against John McCain, the Obama campaign developed a strategy that expanded the standard number of states that they contested. The book is insightful as it provides an insiders view of the campaign. It is quite entertaining, thought there is a bit of repetition in the book. Overall it is a very exciting and informative book about the US campaign.
The second book I read was also about the 2008 US Presidential election by Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson, entitled "The Battle for America 2008". This book provides a behind the scenes look at the Obama, Clinton and McCain campaigns throughout the primaries and the election. It is a good complement to the Plouffe book as it provides a broader context about what was happening in the other campaigns. They cover the interesting strategy followed by the Obama campaign, including when their supporters were pushing them to alter their strategy when things were not going well. Also interesting is the description and rationale of the selection of Palin as the Republican VP candidate. I would highly recommend this book as well to those of you who are interested in politics.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year
Just want to wish all my faithful readers a Happy New Year and all the best for 2010!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
David Logan on tribal leadership | Video on TED.com
A friend sent me a link to a very interesting TED presentation by David Logan on tribal leadership. He talks about the 5 stages of naturally forming human tribes. His hypothesis is that by understanding the shared tribal tendencies we can become better human beings. Leaders must understand how to deal with people at all 5 stages and help people move to a higher level. Take a look at this video and you will probably recognize some people you know.
David Logan on tribal leadership | Video on TED.com
David Logan on tribal leadership | Video on TED.com
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Preparing the next Generation of Public Servants
I was having a conversation a few days ago about what kind of skill sets governments are seeking when they are recruiting public servants and what recent employees are saying that they need in terms of skills.
In my years in government I worked in different areas - policy development, program management, operations and financial/fiscal policy. I wanted to have a fully rounded experience in government and was lucky enough to work in different areas and ministries. Having worked most of my career at the Ministry of Finance (Treasury Board, Fiscal Policy) I was always surprised by the lack of financial understanding in some key areas. I was always of the view that a fully fleshed out policy document had to have a robust financial analysis (and these days the full detail of the accounting issues involved - don't you just love PSAB!). But too many times, policy documents were developed without a full understanding of the financial impacts.
Which brings me to what some recent MPA graduates said in a survey that was part of a research paper sponsored by the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS). The respondents to this survey noted the need for more practical education and that there should be more senior practitioners as instructors. They would have like to have been exposed to real life examples of briefing notes, cabinet submissions/ memorandum to cabinet and treasury board submissions.
As well, they would have wanted greater exposure to actual governmental processes such as budget & estimates and central agency and cabinet approval processes. They also commented that it would have been good to have greater exposure to financial management, government accounting, project management and HR management. Finally they recommended that real life public policy/administration case studies be used to complement the theoretical course work.
Well what can I say! Are schools of public administration & policy listening to this feedback? I hope so! And to those schools and to governments I want to underscore that IPAC which brings together academics and practitioners has a well developed case study program that we are in the process of revitalizing. We have over 150 cases in public administration and policy & we are in the process of refreshing these cases, developing new cases and we will soon launch a new case study website. Stay tuned for more in this early in the new year.
In my years in government I worked in different areas - policy development, program management, operations and financial/fiscal policy. I wanted to have a fully rounded experience in government and was lucky enough to work in different areas and ministries. Having worked most of my career at the Ministry of Finance (Treasury Board, Fiscal Policy) I was always surprised by the lack of financial understanding in some key areas. I was always of the view that a fully fleshed out policy document had to have a robust financial analysis (and these days the full detail of the accounting issues involved - don't you just love PSAB!). But too many times, policy documents were developed without a full understanding of the financial impacts.
Which brings me to what some recent MPA graduates said in a survey that was part of a research paper sponsored by the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA) and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS). The respondents to this survey noted the need for more practical education and that there should be more senior practitioners as instructors. They would have like to have been exposed to real life examples of briefing notes, cabinet submissions/ memorandum to cabinet and treasury board submissions.
As well, they would have wanted greater exposure to actual governmental processes such as budget & estimates and central agency and cabinet approval processes. They also commented that it would have been good to have greater exposure to financial management, government accounting, project management and HR management. Finally they recommended that real life public policy/administration case studies be used to complement the theoretical course work.
Well what can I say! Are schools of public administration & policy listening to this feedback? I hope so! And to those schools and to governments I want to underscore that IPAC which brings together academics and practitioners has a well developed case study program that we are in the process of revitalizing. We have over 150 cases in public administration and policy & we are in the process of refreshing these cases, developing new cases and we will soon launch a new case study website. Stay tuned for more in this early in the new year.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Intelligence Squared
I have just come across a wonderful website from the UK that promotes debate on topical issues. It is from an organization called Intelligence Squared.
This organization was founded 7 years ago and sponsors debates that can be seen on-line or on BBC TV as well as live in the UK as well as New York, Sydney, Kiev and Hong Kong. The format is to have a specific statement debated by 2 in favour and 2 opposed with the audience voting at the start and the end of the debate. Recent debates include "The Catholic Church is a Force for Good", "Did the New Deal Work", "Democracy is not for Everyone" and "The World in 2050".
I highly recommend this website & if you have a chance to see the debates live go for it! It is great to see such a high level of discourse and debate on important issues.
This organization was founded 7 years ago and sponsors debates that can be seen on-line or on BBC TV as well as live in the UK as well as New York, Sydney, Kiev and Hong Kong. The format is to have a specific statement debated by 2 in favour and 2 opposed with the audience voting at the start and the end of the debate. Recent debates include "The Catholic Church is a Force for Good", "Did the New Deal Work", "Democracy is not for Everyone" and "The World in 2050".
I highly recommend this website & if you have a chance to see the debates live go for it! It is great to see such a high level of discourse and debate on important issues.
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