Social media participation leads to influence

The empowerment of the individual is all around us.  From the software developer who wants to change the world with their next project to the young student learning how to develop online communication and collaboration skills.

We are clearly defining our digital lives through our participation or in many cases lack thereof.  There is evidence to suggest that this trend is shifting.  For example, Premier Stelmach’s statement about using social media to communicate more directly with Albertans because of the perceived media slant to his government’s message.

I would suggest that it’s a rare government who would publicly state that they’re getting “fair and unbiased” representation within the mainstream media.  Let’s be honest folks, that simply doesn’t happen across the board, the door swings both ways on that point.

Pressure created by way of participation.

I believe the primary driving force behind the shift in communications approach by the Stelmach government is directly due to pressure created by every day Albertans outside of the media.  Pressure created by way of participation.  You’ve demonstrated that the social web is a communications tool and a place for dialogue on what the provincial government is doing.  You’ve demonstrated that in the absence of direct and personal government input, you will still discuss and hold them accountable publicly. This online debate demonstrates that you the citizen, own the government and ultimately control the message.  This pressure to change also exists internally from evangelists doing their part to influence from within, which to date has been a tough, frustrating job to be sure.  Citizens have proven their resilience and that cannot stop.

There is also evidence that more municipal governments and related organizations are embracing citizen participation via open data projects.  Actually they have been for sometime now as demonstrated by the following initiatives.  Washington DC in November of 2008, Toronto, Vancouver , Boston, even a non-profit in New Orleans is helping that city out.  Having said all that, one of the real visionary municipal leaders in the open data game in addition to San Francisco has clearly been the City of Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Leveraging Technical Expertise Locally

Chris J. Moore, the City of Edmonton’s CIO has been steadily learning from these examples.  He’s also been engaging outside of his own IT department with developers in Washington DC, as well as, the Edmonton I.T. community.  The latest example of this is the Leveraging Technical Expertise Locally pilot project.  Edmonton’s concept of a developer contest although narrowly focused on one solution is not entirely dissimilar to that of New York City’s NYCBigApps competition coinciding with the launch of the NYC Data Mine.

Citizen participation is driving open data projects in many cities and at all levels of government around the world.  Including of course the United States government, and here’s an interesting post by David Eaves comparing the US and Canada on the open data issue.  New Zealand should also be listed here for their work.

Through your participation you are influencing the future, pressuring bureaucrats to engage, holding politicians accountable publicly and driving innovation.

User participation creates:

1.  Participation creates a deeper connection between the organization and the audience.

2.  Participation creates opportunities to listen, learn and exchange ideas.  The futureedmonton.ca futurecalgary.ca sites are examples of this.

3.  Participation creates co-ownership of the brand, organization and/or message and that co-ownership results in influence.

How to influence a government or organization?

1. Start with one person who organizes an informal core group of evangelists.  Internally or externally, at first it doesn’t matter.

2. Be a source of statistics, information and opinion.

3. Formalize and self-organize, staying connected online, along with offline meetings.

4. Create a mandate for action.

5. Take focused and consistent action online as content publishers.

6. Internal evangelists should look for external like minded individuals to create discussion with.  External groups should look to identify internal supporters, steering committees or executives and invite them to participate.

7. All parties involved should capture the discussion digitally where ever possible.

8. Sharing the discussion with as many folks as possible through the use of social media channels will help build momentum.