From: Dan Jellinek [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 04 February 2008 16:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: E-Government Bulletin, 04 February 2008: Mobile and flexible
working; Data security and public trust; Second Life and education.
+++E-GOVERNMENT BULLETIN
- ISSUE 256, 04 February 2008.
- A Headstar Publication
http://www.headstar.com .
IN THIS ISSUE: Mobile and flexible working; Data security and public
trust; Second Life and education.
Please forward this free service to others so they can subscribe - full
details at the end.
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++Shared Services in the Public Sector
- 3 April 2008, New Connaught Rooms, London
- Early Bird Discount for Registrations by End Feb
Headstar is pleased to announce it will be hosting the Shared Services
in the Public Sector conference again this year in central London,
building on the strong success of last year's event.
Taking place on 3 April 2008, Shared Services in the Public Sector will
provide insights into the benefits and challenges of sharing systems and
services; identify good practice; and provide a forum to share
experience among those involved with planning the move towards shared
services.
Sponsored by Siemens, the conference will complement an online summit
taking place in February, and will be a combination of plenary sessions
and interactive workshops. Places normally cost 295 pounds + VAT for
public sector and 395 pounds for private sector but registrations before
the end of February will qualify for a 100 pound discount. For more
information, please visit:
http://www.headstar-events.com/shared-services08/
If you are interested in exhibiting and/or sponsoring the event or a
workshop please contact Will Knox on 01273 267974 or email:
[log in to unmask] .
[Special notice ends].
++Issue 256 Contents.
01: Government 'Could Learn From Councils' on Data Security
- Parliamentary IT Committee report on access to personal data.
02: Benefits-Led Approach Best for Mobile Working
- organisations advised to focus on outcomes and work backwards.
03: Pilots For Flexible Working Schemes 'Not Needed'
- public bodies can move directly to full implementation.
News in Brief: 04: Politician Manifesto -modern working for councillors;
05: Citizen Platform - Microsoft targets local government;
06: Innovation Winners - e-government awards; 07: Minister
Transformation - Tom Watson at the Cabinet Office.
Section Two: Parliamentary IT Committee (PITCOM) - Information
Governance and Security.
08: Who's Been Accessing My Data? Information sharing is vital for many
core public services, but recent data loss scandals have severely dented
public trust. A new report looks at possible ways to smooth the way
ahead.
Section Three: Technology Focus - Virtual Worlds.
09: University of Second Life: Exploration of virtual worlds remains a
minority interest for now, but there are pioneers among public service
bodies, particularly in the education sector. Majeed Saleh reports.
[Contents ends].
++Special Notice: e-Access 08: Technology for All
- Access to Services by People with Disabilities
- 50 pound Early Bird Discount until 8 February
- 23 April 2008, Church House Conference Centre, London
http://www.headstar-events.com/eaccess08/ .
Headstar's fourth annual conference and exhibition on access to
technology by people with disabilities is on 23 April 2008 in central
London.
The information revolution and new technologies can change the lives of
people with disabilities, but all service providers must ensure that
their access, marketing and IT strategies are in line with best
practice.
It's not just about the web, but about e-learning, digital TV, mobile
phones, and other portable devices. E-Access 08 is the place to find out
more about how to comply with the law; what elements to include in your
access policies and strategies; and find out about the latest in access
technology.
Supported by E-Access Bulletin, E-Government Bulletin, RNIB and Ability
Magazine our spring event is a must for every modern organisation.
Places normally cost 195 pounds for public sector delegates or 295
pounds for private sector delegates, including all sessions, exhibition,
lunch and refreshments. However, if you register on or before 8 February
you will receive a 50 pound discount. For more information see:
http://www.headstar-events.com/eaccess08/ .
[Special notice ends].
++Section One: News.
+01: Government 'Could Learn From Councils' on Data Security
Central government agencies could look to local government for ideas
about best practice in securing citizens' private data, in the wake of a
wave of government data loss scandals, according to a new report from
the Parliamentary IT Committee (PITCOM).
In the UK's largest local authorities, data security is factored in to
corporate audit processes every year, Birmingham City Council
transformation policy leader Glyn Evans says in the PITCOM report 'Who
can access my data', published this week.
"We have internal and external auditors, and there is a strong focus on
security of and access to personal data," Evans says. "After all, it is
linked to the financial wellbeing of the authority. This practice in
commonplace in the larger local authorities."
Staff vetting might be another area where improvements can be made,
according to the report. In many parts of the financial sector all
staff, including sub-contractors and junior front-line staff, undergo a
stringent vetting process including lifestyle vetting. Very few
government departments outside the military and security services are as
thorough in this respect with their own staff, let alone with
contractors, the report says.
The report examines possible ways the powers of the information
commissioner Richard Thomas could be strengthened, to boost public
confidence in his work. The commissioner himself has called for reckless
or repeated breaches of data security to become a criminal offence; and
for Parliament to grant him the power to force selected data holders to
commission an independent audit of their procedures, the report says.
NOTE: PITCOM is a joint industry-Parliament grouping (
http://www.pitcom.org.uk ). For a full report on its new briefing for
Parliamentarians see Section Two, this issue.
+02: Benefits-Led Approach Best for Mobile Working.
Public sector bodies thinking about implementing mobile and flexible
working practices for their staff should start by thinking about what
beneficial outcomes they want and work backwards to what actions and
systems are required, delegates heard at Headstar's January conference
on the topic.
Stephen Regan, head of management and technologies programmes at the
University of Cranfield, said that by focusing on outcomes first:
"You may find mobile and flexible working is not necessary to deliver a
desired benefit, or you may find it is essential for benefits you never
previously considered."
Working from benefits to actions would also help provide an audit trail
as to "why you're doing what," Regan said. Strategies should never be
driven by what home or office technologies are available to enable
mobile or flexible working.
In an interactive workshop session, delegates described a variety of
motivations and drivers for moving towards flexible and mobile working,
and for building a business case. These included budget pressures; the
CPA (Comprehensive Performance Assessment) process; and customer service
benefits, which can be hard to quantify.
The strongest drivers of all may be environmental sustainability factors
and the fact that modern employees simply expect to be offered flexible
conditions, said Jon Marsh, Principal - Mobility Transformation at BT
Global Services. "You will have to, unless you have a good reason why
not," he said.
The main blocker was the age-old issue of people's resistance to any
change, and it was essential that organisations understand why this
comes about and how it can be tackled, Marsh said. "People at the sharp
end must be involved with planning. Make it voluntary, as far as you are
able, even if you are just offering options within a requirement for
mobile and flexible working such as choosing the types of tools they
use."
Many people expressed concerns about the loss of working in a team
environment, he said. "We are all social animals. But perhaps some of
the new collaborative technology tools that are around could address
that."
For copies of presentations delivered at the event, see the programme
page at:
http://www.headstar-events.com/flexible08/.
+03: Pilots For Flexible Working Schemes 'Not Needed'.
Public sector bodies do not need to run pilot programmes for flexible
and home working schemes enabled by technology, and can usually proceed
directly to full implementation, delegates at Headstar's Mobile and
Flexible Working '08 conference heard.
At a workshop on the topic there was broad consensus that pilots may
provide valuable feedback but in many cases are unnecessary, especially
where an organisation is attempting to catch-up with already established
best practice.
Delegates heard from Ruth Ludbrook of the Department of Communities and
Local Government, which successfully implementing flexible working with
a large publicity and information campaign but no pilot scheme.
The DTI has produced guidelines and flexible working had already been
introduced in other departments so it was seen as a matter of keeping up
rather than being at the cutting edge of policy, Ludbrook said.
Under the Flexible Working (Procedural Requirements) Regulations 2002,
employers are required to consider an employee's request for flexible
working, and at the time the department was responsible for equalities
policy. Furthermore it had come under ministerial pressure to deliver a
better 'work-life balance' and as a result it was decided that flexible
working should become available to all staff.
However, delegates agreed that pilots were most appropriate where a
scheme was is testing new technology or pushing the boundaries beyond
existing best practice.
News in Brief:
+04: Politician Manifesto: A review of councillors' working
arrangements to ensure the best use of technology is among 12 action
points set out in a manifesto published by the independent Local
Government Information Unit (LGiU). The unit is urging authorities to
adopt the 'Supporting Councillors' manifesto to demonstrate their
commitment to strengthening the role of elected members in local
democracy:
http://fastlink.headstar.com/lgiu1 .
+05: Citizen Platform: A product package aimed at helping local and
regional government bodies modernise processes and improve contacts with
citizens and business has been launched by Microsoft. The 'Citizen
Service Platform' draws together a range of existing applications and
tools such as the SMS text alert system currently in use in St Mary,
Jamaica warning of incoming hurricanes; the online citizen
communications system known as 'Digital Town Hall'; and the 'Citizen
Service package' which provides support and data management systems,
including call centre packages, that are currently in use by the City of
London and City of Porto:
http://fastlink.headstar.com/cp1 .
+06: Innovation Winners: Birmingham City Council, The West
London Alliance, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the Fire
Service College were among winners of the 2007 National e- Government
Awards. The finalists were commended for their initiative by the Prime
Minister Gordon Brown in a video address to the
ceremony:
http://fastlink.headstar.com/ega1 .
+07: Minister Transformation: The ministerial portfolio for
transformational government has passed to Tom Watson after Gillian
Merron was reshuffled to the Department for International Development.
The junior Cabinet Office position gives the blogging MP the
responsibility over government strategy for using technology to improve
public services. After taking up the post on 25 January, Tom appealed on
his blog for ideas and suggestions about what he should be working on in
his new role:
http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/ .
[Section One ends].
++Sponsored Notice: Integral Mobile Data
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- Supports Microsoft, Symbian, BlackBerry
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enables full mobile working for your staff in the field, with push and
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Tailored solutions at 'off-the shelf' speed saves time to market and
provides scalability and future-proofing at minimal cost.
For more information email:
[log in to unmask]
Phone: 0870 080 1808
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Web: http://www.integralmobiledata.com
[Sponsored notice ends]
++Section Two: Parliamentary IT Committee (PITCOM)
- Information Governance and Security.
+08: Who's Been Accessing My Data?
by Dan Jellinek.
Despite the many recent scandals over the loss of citizens' personal
data by government agencies and other public bodies, there are many good
reasons why data needs to be shared within government, according to a
new report from the Parliamentary IT Committee (PITCOM), a joint
industry-Parliament grouping.
Without data sharing no tax could be claimed or benefits paid, the
committee says in 'Who can access my data?' its latest technology
briefing for Parliamentarians. And the 'transformational government'
agenda has at its heart a vision of seamless, personalised services
enabled by technology, inevitably entailing further information sharing
and the need for more sophisticated systems of electronic
identification.
There is always a balance between service and security; and there is
much uncertainty about what the public does or does not want to happen
to their data, and who they may or may not trust with it, the report
finds.
Much of the current public mistrust stems from a historic lack of powers
available to the Information Commissioner to enforce data protection and
other laws, Toby Stevens, Director of the Enterprise Privacy Group, says
in the report.
"It is very difficult to build public trust in an environment where the
perception is that no action will be taken against breaches of that
trust", Stevens says.
Since the affair of the missing child benefit disks, steps have been
taken to give the information commissioner's office more powers to
remedy this problem, including the right to conduct spot checks of data
security in any public agency, the report says. A further strengthening
of the commissioner's powers is likely to follow as results emerge from
the various policy reviews instigated by the government following the
largest loss of personal data by HM Revenue and Customs late last year.
In January 2008 the commissioner Richard Thomas anticipated further
policy moves when he appeared before the Commons Justice Committee
calling for reckless or repeated breaches of data security to become a
criminal offence (committee report reference HC 154).
Other sanctions the commissioner requested included:
- The power to force data holders to commission an independent audit of
their procedures;
- A requirement for bodies to notify a specified external body or bodies
- most likely the commissioner's office itself - when a major and
potentially dangerous privacy breach has occurred, as well as notifying
the individuals who may be affected; and
- Wider use of 'privacy impact assessments' - already commonplace in
Canada, the US and Australia - whereby public agencies anticipate and
address the likely privacy impacts of any future initiatives.
Whatever new powers may be given to the Information Commissioner, it may
be that new officials and agencies are needed whose sole focus is on the
prevention of personal data fraud, as well as new laws or regulations,
the PITCOM report finds.
Staff vetting might be another area where improvements can be made.
In many parts of the financial sector, all staff, including sub-
contractors and junior front-line staff, undergo a stringent vetting
process including lifestyle vetting. Very few government departments
outside the military and security services are as thorough in this
respect with their own staff, let alone with contractors.
As far as central government is concerned, it could be that agencies
should look to local government for ideas about best practice. In the
UK's largest local authorities, data security is factored in to
corporate audit processes every year, according to Birmingham City
Council transformation policy leader Glyn Evans.
"We have internal and external auditors, and there is a strong focus on
security of and access to personal data," Evans said in the PITCOM
report. "After all, it is linked to the financial wellbeing of the
authority.
This practice in commonplace in the larger local authorities."
NOTE: E-Government Bulletin publisher Headstar is the official writer
and publisher of PITCOM meeting reports and technology briefings for
Parliamentarians. To download further meeting reports and briefings free
of charge, see:
http://www.pitcom.org.uk .
[Section Two ends].
++Sponsored Notice: Digital Participation Workshops 2008
- Engaging People in the Planning Process
- 6 March 2008, Lille, France
- 10 March 2008, Bristol, UK
Two free workshops to explore the use of 3D visualisation and online
forums to engage people in planning will be held on 6 and 10 March 2008.
Key questions to be explored include:
- do people find 3D plans easier to understand than 2D?
- can 3D visualisation help people to understand issues such as flood
risk?
- does it allow effective commenting?
- what is the future for online participation technology?
Both events will be hosted by the Virtual Environmental Planning Project
(VEPs) with support from ASK Bristol and the Consultation Institute.
For further information please visit:
http://www.veps3d.org
To register contact Nicola Terrett on:
[log in to unmask]
or telephone +44 (0)1225 487622
[Sponsored notice ends]
++Section Three: Technology Focus
- Virtual Worlds.
+09: University of Second Life
by Majeed Saleh.
All the inhabitants of the town of Barnsborough have disappeared, and
nobody seems to know where they've gone or why. The homes are empty, the
streets are silent, and the shops are closed. The clues are scattered
about town and point to one of four possible culprits:
environmental disaster, alien abduction, big-business takeover or a
bizarre reality TV show. The only people who can solve the mystery are
some year five primary school children from Barnsley.
Thankfully, Barnsborough is only a virtual town created by Barnsley
Council in conjunction with technology provider Active Worlds for use in
primary school literacy classes. Pupils are immersed in the interactive
environment to investigate clues which point towards one of four
possible reasons for the mysterious disappearance of Barnsborough's
population. Feedback on the project has been positive, with children
showing great enthusiasm for exploring the town and piecing together the
narrative, gaining new literacy skills along the way (
http://fastlink.headstar.com/barnsley1 ).
In recent years, virtual worlds have emerged as a powerful new tool for
online entertainment, education and social networking. Virtual worlds
such as Active Worlds (http://www.activeworlds.com), There
(http://www.there.com), Habbo Hotel (http://www.habbo.co.uk) and most
prominently Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com/) offer users a
compelling experience of real time interaction with others.
Second Life, created by the California-based Linden Labs, currently
boasts more than 12 million 'residents' and a parallel economy linked to
real world money.
Basic membership is free, though there is a charge for owning and
developing land within the world. For the purchase of large areas, costs
can be quite high: 16-acre 'islands' currently cost 1,675 US Dollars,
plus a further 295 Dollar monthly maintenance fee.
Subscribers choose a virtual persona or 'avatar' and can alter its
colour, size, shape and style. Moving around by foot or through the air
(avatars can fly) is simple, and you can also 'teleport' to any
location.
There is a catch however: to run Second Life you must possess a computer
with a minimum of 512mb of memory, a processor speed upwards of 800mhz
and a broadband internet connection; and for smooth running an even
higher specification is recommended (while researching this article the
Second Life interface crashed regularly on a brand new computer).
Browsing in Second Life is not as straightforward as browsing the web,
finding a relevant place may be difficult if you're not sure what you're
looking for. It is possible to search for people, places and events by
name; but category searches are broad and return numerous red herrings
so unless you're aware of a specific project or event you may have
trouble finding anything of interest. While there is an education
category in Second Life, there is not yet one for the government or
public sector. And with links between sites of similar interest also
rare, using Second Life can seem time consuming, complex and
unrewarding.
So what's the point? According to David Burden of specialist consultancy
Daden Limited, communities in virtual worlds have the potential to be
much stronger than other online communities, because "they are
synchronous and visual, so you are talking live to other people, you can
see them, and you get a sense of participation and community".
Within the public sector, the organisations which have been the earliest
citizens of Second Life have tended to come from the education and
research communities, perhaps reflecting the trend for technological
innovation in these fields, and the potential of virtual environments to
facilitate distance learning.
For example, Second Life makes it possible to stage 'mixed reality'
events. Lectures or seminars can be organised with people attending both
physically and in virtual reality with the ability to interact and
communicate with each other. Entirely virtual lectures or seminars are
also possible and video can be streamed to an audience that can see and
communicate with each other. All of this is a notable advance upon
recordings and forums once available to the distance learner.
Linden Labs are enticing educational institutions to their virtual world
through a scheme called 'Campus: Second Life' which offers them a free
plot of land for the duration of one academic term and 50 per cent
discounts on large islands thereafter.
Education UK (http://www.sleducationuk.net/), a virtual island dedicated
to promoting Second Life amongst British educational institutions, has
been offering assistance in the form of virtual land grants, low rent
office space and virtual currency. The non-profit organisation, run by
individuals from the education sector, currently works with around
twenty organisations and institutions including Manchester Metropolitan
University, The University of the West of England, Barking College,
Teachers TV and the Joint Information Systems Committee.
Several British universities including the University of Edinburgh
(http://vue.ed.ac.uk/) and The Open University have their own space in
Second Life and more are joining them in finding innovative educational
uses for the virtual world. It is surely only a matter of time before a
virtual university challenge is set between two rows of avatars flying
in the air above a virtual TV studio.
[Section Three ends]
++END NOTES.
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+COPYRIGHT NOTICE.
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ISSN 1476-6310
+PERSONNEL
Editor - Dan Jellinek.
Reporter: Majeed Saleh.
Associate Editors - Derek Parkinson, Mel Poluck.
Marketing and Sales Team - Claire Clinton, Jo Knell, Will Knox.
[Issue 255 ends].
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