Posts Tagged ‘innovation’

Grants aim to help Scottish Councils open up their data

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Up to £25,000 is being offering to support four projects which will see local authorities in Scotland open up more of their data and collaborate with developers to build useful, innovative digital services.

The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) is hoping to repeat the success of its Make It Local programme in England, which saw the creation of three new services based on data held by Councils and other organisations.

Organisations have until 31 January 2012 to submit an application for Make It Local Scotland.

An invitation to collaborate in Edinburgh

The City of Edinburgh Council has put out a call for local organisations and developers to get in touch and help develop a proposal, and I’d urge anyone with an idea or experience of building great services around data to get involved. There’s already been some exciting thoughts around a “green/environmental” theme but we’re keen to gather as many ideas as possible – both for this and to also help inform future developments.

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Topics for a Social Media Unconference

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

Tomorrow morning, I’m heading up to Stirling for a Local Gov Social Media Unconference, kindly arranged by the Improvement Service, under the banner of the Customer First programme (enabling councils to deliver better, faster and more efficient services to a wider section of the population).

The day will bring together people from local authorities across Scotland who are using social media (or at least thinking about it) to offer better customer choice and engagement, improve access to services, and reduce costs.

Being an unconference, delegates are expected to bring their own suggestions for topics to shape the agenda on the day. People then vote with their feet and gravitate towards the discussions that interest them most. The emphasis is on collaboration – everyone will have the chance to contribute and share.

A starter for ten

I’m sure everyone will be bursting with ideas, but I thought I’d get some of my own thoughts down here, as a bit of a starter for ten.

Read more about the topics I plan to discuss

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ScotGovCamp 2011 tickets now available

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Scot Gov Camp
We’ve updated the ScotGovCamp website with a few more details of the 2011 event, and I’m pleased to say that booking is now open. The event takes place on Saturday 24th September in Aberdeen.

GovCamps are self organised unconferences for people that work in and around government. They’re free; have no set, pre-defined agenda; focus on attendee participation; integrate with online stuff and are relentlessly positive, constructive and creative. GovCamps enable folk interested in developing innovation and technology in government to come together in an informal setting to share their ideas. And eat pizza.

There will be two different strands to this year’s event:

  • Discussion sessions – the more traditional ‘unconference’ style sessions and presentations
  • Hackday – hacking sessions for those who want less of the chat and more making stuff!

We’d love to repeat the success of last year, so sign up and I’ll see you there!

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Diary of a Social Innovation Camper

Monday, June 20th, 2011

I’m delighted to report that, following an intense weekend, our project came away with the IRISS award for technology based solutions to social isolation.

There will no doubt be better places to read about the weekend and projects involved, but here’s a breakdown of my experience, for anyone interested in the process:

19:00 Friday

People gathering for SI Camp. Photo by theps.net

SI Campers gather at the Informatics Forum in Edinburgh for introductions and alcohol

The weekend kicked off with the usual SI Camp ice-breaker of chatting to people before slapping labels on them.

This was a great opportunity to find out more about the different skills and backgrounds that people were bringing to the weekend, as well as to get a better idea of who was hoping to work on which projects.

Read more about the weekend

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“Lend-a-Hand” chosen for Social Innovation Camp

Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

Thank goodness for Lend a Hand!I’m thrilled to report that the idea which we submitted to Social Innovation Camp has been chosen to be developed further.

The SI Camp judges met last Friday and sifted through no less than 97 entries before deciding on 6 ideas to be developed over the weekend of 17th-19th June in Edinburgh.

Followers of this blog will already have read about my colleague’s idea for Lend-a-hand, a messaging tool for carers to ask family, friends and neighbours at the same time for help with quick-and-easy every-day tasks where a little bit of brief help goes a long way, leaving the carer to worry about more important things.

I look forward to seeing this idea brought to life during what will no doubt be an intense but exciting weekend. If you’re interested in taking part in the weekend, and have skills to offer, find out how you can get involved.

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Social Innovation Camp – an idea

Monday, May 9th, 2011
Woman with mobile phone.

Image by amanky

Earlier today I met with some associates to discuss a possible idea for the upcoming Social Innovation Camp in Edinburgh. The idea had come from a colleague’s personal experience of caring for an elderly relative, and the complications in arranging basic tasks and chores ad hoc – things as simple as getting something from the corner shop or replacing a light bulb. For carers, it can be time consuming and frustrating for the individual and their carer to try to find cover or a helping hand at short notice, and so those simple tasks often end up not getting done, or being done riskily or badly.

My colleague’s idea was for a tool that carers, and the people they care for, can use to easily check if someone in their existing personal and local network of relatives, friends and neighbours can offer a bit of their time. The aim would be to reduce some of the social isolation and stress of caring and being cared for whether the people involved live together or not.

Find out more about the idea, and how to get involved with Social Innovation Camp

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Social Innovation coming to Edinburgh

Friday, May 6th, 2011

Social Innovation CampSocial Innovation Camp is coming to Edinburgh in June, and the call for ideas is already bringing in some fascinating submissions.

Social Innovation Camp brings together software developers and designers with people who understand a social problem to help build web and mobile solutions to social challenges.

The emphasis is on using technology to tackle social isolation, and ideas range from bringing people together via an anonymous text messaging service, an online learning resource for school leavers, and a portal to help people support good causes and get involved in action groups.

The deadline for submissions is 20th May so get thinking and submit your ideas.

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Working in a Wired World – a talk by Euan Semple

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
Euan Semple (image from BCS website)

Euan Semple (image via BCS)

Tonight I went along to the Informatics Forum in Edinburgh to listen to an inspiring talk by Euan Semple on how social media can make organisations more effective. I furiously scribbled reams of notes on a few scraps of paper and have reconstructed them here as best I could. Apologies to Euan if I have misquoted or misinterpreted any of his points. The talk was organised by the Edinburgh branch of the British Computer Society.

During Euan’s time at the BBC, he pioneered the use of weblogs, wikis and online forums to enable staff to work more collaboratively. Now an independent advisor on social computing, his insights help bring a clarity of thought to what is, for many, a brave new world.

My summary of Euan’s talk

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