Weigh In: Code for America Summit Peer Sessions
By: Code For America
Tags: Government, Civictech, Code For America, Cfasummit

This is the third in a series of open-ended questions about big themes we’re tackling at the Code for America Summit May 30 — June 1. In collaboration with New America’s Public Interest Technology Fellows Sara Hudson and Hana Schank, our Chief Program Officer, ST Mayer is leading a series of sessions at the Code for America Summit for practitioners to get in small groups and to share tactics and challenges for the big common problems. These smaller-sized sessions will bring together people who are working on the same types of projects, or encountering similar hurdles.

​We want you to weigh in​ on the Code for America Summit and pick a topic for one of the sessions! Really want to talk about a specific challenge? Looking for other problem-solvers who have already solved a problem your team is working on? Write a response here on Medium or by tagging your response #weighinonCfASummit on Twitter or wherever else you hang out. This is cross-posted of New America’s blog.

The Code for America Summit is coming up fast, and all of us involved in the planning can’t wait to dive in and learn about how to make progress sustainable.

For the last seven years, the Code for America Summit has explored ways to build digital capability in government. This year, Code for America has teamed up with New America to offer practitioner break-out sessions focused on common tactical challenges, who else faces them, how they have solved them, what’s working, and what’s not. Topics of these hands-on sessions includes firsthand stories of citizen engagement success, how to shift from identity as the help desk team to the problem-solving team, smaller location innovation and how to achieve it, despite smaller amounts of resources, and a special session just for Chief Information Officers about the impact their role can and should have. You’ll be surrounded by supportive peers sharing, learning and offering support. You’ll walk away with new names in your contacts and a feeling of camaraderie!

Code for America’s roots have always emphasized the “by the people” part of “for the people and by the people.” And New America’s Public Interest Technology program is focused on building the connective tissue to support and foster the field. Together, we’re focused on weaving stronger networks of connection and collaboration. As both our research at New America and our work at Code for America has shown, it’s easy to feel siloed and alone — even when we so often share the same problems, and potential solutions. We’re working together to strengthen both safety nets of support and break down barriers of resources for practitioners.

And that’s where you come in. What two additional workshops do you want to see? Here’s your current lineup:

This is what success looks like

Haters gonna hate: “overcoming human obstacles”

CIOs as stakeholders and leaders

Recruiting and hiring outside the usual suspects

Innovating in a smaller locales

Turning IT leadership into civic leadership

YOUR CHOICE #1 HERE! What will you choose?

YOUR CHOICE #2 HERE! What will you choose?

What other topics do you want to talk about at the Code for America Summit? Do you want to learn about how service design can help government better meet the needs of its residents? Or how to hack networking, and get the right people to be your contacts? Let us know on this post or on Twitter by using the hashtag #WeighinonSummit!

We’re having this conversation online in the weeks leading up to the Summit, and of course, we want you there in person to hear and be part of the discussion! Use discount code WEIGHINON for 10% off your ticket and we’ll see you in the room where it happens in Oakland.