Ramping up the e-Mayor vision

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* E-Mayor-planks
==Envisioning Internet Use by a new breed of Pittsburgh Politicians==
====Start-up begins with online presentations, discussion, and chats====
Someone on Grant Street needs to champion these issues by hosting an online conference so Pittsburgh can envision the advanced use of the internet. Practically speaking, what should the next Mayor's web site look like and what should happen with the city's site and services? What features, functions, and innovations can we contemplate and prioritize?
In this online conference, participants build a vision, generate ideas, and share experience and practical advice. It will allow busy leaders to participate on their own time with an average one hour commitment required most days for reasonable participation over the course of the event.
A well-structured online exchange will help to raise the bar and set the agenda for the next administration's use of the internet. The online conference seeks to motivate action and online improvements by engaging leading Internet technologists, new media content experts,
and politics online leaders as well as those contemplating the next White House web site.
The kick-off event is NOT about Internet policy issues from a government, legal, or regulatory perspective. The conference will focus fundamentally on the city and region as an internet user.
====Early stages include a Convention Center hosted conference====
The city's web site can become a model of elected-official sites. After an online conference, we begin to gather in person, under the same roof. Together we'll uncover the next generation of internet services and methods useful in governance. 
It will conclude with participant prioritization of the content, tools, and features the next Administration should explore. A mock site design competition after the conference will provide an opportunity for teams across the Internet to apply ideas from the conference and elsewhere.
Foundation sponsors are proposed.
Co-Sponsors by ... Co-sponsors can organize breakout sessions or provide an in-kind technical service required for the conference.
=====Invitation and Registration=====
These will be open events with RSVPs expected. Anyone may register online to receive an online invitation and further information. The objective is to generate a sense that this is the "place" to be and ensure full contact registration details on those who wish to participate. The
conference content and exchange will be available for public access after the event without password requirements. There will be no cost to participate except an agreement by those participating to allocate time on their calendar for minimum participation.
=====Conference Structure and Technology Outline=====
Using an optimal mix of web, e-mail, chat and select audio streams to produce a meaningful conference experience, the online conference will be "of" the Internet not just "on" it. The technology used will be as simple as possible and favor open source solutions where possible and practical. The use of the technology will be structured and the information flow highly
structured to provide maximum value to all involved.
Plenary Sessions - Moderated E-mail List, Required of All Participants
An opening, three major themes, the closing, and occasional highlights and announcements will be sent via a moderated e-mail list to all participants. Each theme will have 2 or 3 short essay theme presentations by high profile invited guests as well as 2 or 3 of the best accepted essays from any online conference participant. There will be specific word limits on theme presentations which may refer to more extensive materials on the web. The e-mail list "Plenary" will provide the unified experience required to give the event a sense of place in the time scare environment faced by online conferences. Physical conferences have the advantage of disconnecting people from normal distractions and compelling focused attention. The e-mail list core experience is the only way to compel a minimum level of consistent attention.
Breakout Sessions - Web-based Linear Discussion Forums, Optional
Two 48 hour breakout sessions covering up to a dozen different topics will use simple linear web discussion boards. Linear web boards on pre-determined and nominated session topics will place presenter and participant posts one after another based on the time of submission.
The web board need to allow linking and referrals to additional materials across the Internet.
Coffee Talk - Facilitated E-mail List, Optional
An opt-in e-mail discussion list will be designed to encouraged open discussion of the Plenary session contributions and informal social networking so valuable with in-person conferences. The simple e-mail list solution is used by Internet technology groups quite effectively. A web archive will allow the majority of conference participants who will likely will not opt-in to this forum to access the discussion on demand.
Audio - Streaming Audio, Optional - Teleconferencing Connection Likely
The online conference will include two streamed audio events. The first audio event will consist of a one hour kick-off event the second day. The second audio event will be a day long talk radio
style webcast highlighting the three themes and the "best of" the breakout sessions. A partnership with an Internet radio outfit may be appropriate or use of a teleconferencing system that allows one-way live streaming of the audio may be all that is required. Audio files will remain available for post-event listening and provide the public with a value-added way to gain knowledge from the online conference.
Chat Options - Text Chat, Optional
Facilities for java-based chat session for use by participant spontaneous and organized events tied to the Coffee Talk discussion or web Breakout Sessions.
Main Web Site - Database Registration, Web Forums, E-mail Control Center
The main web site will host a conference registration system that includes a mechanism for value-added participant introductions, the conference agenda and resulting
proceedings archive, an e-mail control center for participant e-mail list settings, a submission interface for theme essay and comment submission, a document upload and links library system for participants to place support materials on the site, and the web forum breakout session infrastructure.
White House 2001 Online Conference Program - Draft 1.0
Monday, December 4 - Tuesday, January 2
Conference Registration
Participant Introduction Submissions
Web Breakout Session Nominations
Theme Essay Submissions
Wednesday, January 3
Plenary Session
Introduction and Opening
Theme 1 - Big Visions. Specific Ideas. Net leaders speak up. Summary: Contributions from leading Internet technologists and new media leaders from outside of politics share their visions and ideas.
Thursday, January 3
Plenary Session
Theme 2 - Pittsburgh to the World. World to Pittsburgh.
Summary: Past and current internet strategists share their comments and advice in the morning. Managers of leading world leader web sites describe their offerings and advice in the afternoon. This might include the designers of Prime Minister Tony Blair's web site and perhaps the a leading state governor web site or two.
Audio Event
A special one hour welcoming audio event introducing people to the conference with a few high-level guest to help kick things off right.
Friday, January 5
Breakout Sessions 1 (Open Thursday Evening)
Up to 10 different breakout topics will be accepted for each session.
A process for nominating sessions will be developed to complement a
core set of pre-designed sessions. Each breakout topic requires a
lead facilitator and at least two guest presenters. All sessions
must be vendor-neutral. Break out session facilitators will produce
short 300 word discussion summaries for broad distribution to the
full conference participant list via e-mail.
Potential breakout topics that may be nominated or actively developed
include -
(All session have to do with the White House use of the Internet):
Content Strategies - What do people want?
E-mail Flood - Advanced Filtering and Response Systems
E-Government Leadership
Online Interaction and Consultation
Strategic Organizing for Presidential Priorities
Design, Navigation and Usability
Policy Development Networks
Lessons from World Leaders Online
Webcasting - Audio and Video
Online News, Portals and White House Coverage
White House DTV - Datacasting and Enhanced Television
Security and Cyber Terrorism - Keeping the Site Up
The Cyber "Red Phone" - World Leaders Connect Online
Group Support - Staff Use of Net Tools
Legal Issues - Disclosure, Public Access and Archives
Technology Trends - Open Source, XML, Advanced Searching
My White House - Personalization
Alternative Access - From Disabled Access to Handheld Devices
Syndication Strategies and Collaborative Events
And others ...
Saturday, January 6
Breakout Sessions 1
Conclude their discussions by late afternoon. Summaries due that
evening.
Sunday, January 7
Breakout Sessions 2 - Open Sunday Evening
A second set of up to 10 breakout topics.
Monday, January 8
Breakout Sessions 2 - Continue Main Day, conclude Tuesday Morning
Summaries due Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday, January 9
Plenary Session
Theme 3 - The First 100 Days Online
Summary: Politics online experts share their online actions plans with the new Administration picking and choosing the best ideas from the Breakout sessions to complement their own.
Wednesday, January 10
Audio Day - Live!
Summary: A day of conference highlights, one on one and group interviews, call-in questions, and panelist debates will feature the best content from the online conference. Appearances by high profile guests will be intermixed with stand out ideas and personalities that emerge during the text-oriented part of the online conference. The use of live chat and the Coffee Talk e-mail list during the audio event will encourage two-way interactivity.
Thursday, January 11
Ranking of Priorities
A list of technical, content, policy issues from the conference will be organized for ranking by the conference participants to help give a sense of priority and importance to help guide the design of the next web site and Internet use strategy.
Web Site Design Competition
Launch of the two-week site design and feature competition. Registered conference participants will vote on the mock sites. The top two sites will be given either an expense paid
trip for up to five members to Pittsburgh to present their ideas to the new staff (ONLY if this can be arranged) or $5,000 if the visit cannot be offered. Leading Internet and politics online
experts will be drafted (one or two experts per team depending upon the number of teams) from a volunteer pool by the competition teams to provide behind the scenes advice and support to each team. Additional blooper votes will be allowed on humorous site features.
Friday, January 12
Closing
Conference Thank You's and a review of online conference archive
access.
After January 20 - Presidential Inauguration
Design Competition Voting
Three days of voting on the site Design Competition.
An official vote by registered participants in the online conference
will be complemented by an open poll of interest Internet users.
Sites will be carefully screened to ensure compliance with basic
rules of participation (i.e. no profanity, sexual content, obvious
use of copyrighted material without permission, etc.).
Kick-off Budget Summary - Draft 1.0
November 20 - February 1 ~ 10 weeks
$X - Conference Coordination - Full time conference development and
coordination including overall conference design and Plenary session
$X - Break Out Session and Interactivity Coordination - Work with
event Co-Sponsors to develop web Breakout Sessions and secure
necessary facilitators and presenters. This includes facilitation of
the Coffee Talk discussion and coordination of chat facilities.
$X - Conference Participation Recruitment - Require someone well
connected in Internet technology and new media circles to recruit
participation by leading Internet figures and organizations.
$X - Conference Administration - Facilitate invitation and
registration process. Deal with basic technical customer service
queries from participants.
$X - Audio Event Content Coordination - Develop/Host Audio Events,
Guest Selection
$X - Audio Event Infrastructure - Teleconferencing, Audio Production,
Webcasting
$X - Mock Web Design Competition - $X in award costs
(travel/other) as and $X to fully develop, coordinate, and administer.
$X - Technical Infrastructure - ESTIMATE - Major costs include
development of conference registration system that connects to the e-
mail list infrastructure and web forums. This budget assume cobbling
together existing open source applications on a virtual server. Some
features envisioned above may need to be scaled back based on budget
constraints. The web site design will be very basic with minimum
complexity. This estimate needs to be presented to potential
technology support companies.
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$X
Total Estimate
Note: My initial $X XXXXXXX contribution estimate assumed partial in-
kind coordination, administration, and technical infrastructure
support by the XXXXXXXX. My current guess is that they may fit in
with a Co-Sponsor role along with other organizations with XXXXXXX
now taking the lead role.
==M-Mayor==
Mobile government = m-government. Mobile goverment can help in the delivery of public services.
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Mobile phones are a highly inclusive technology in other parts of the world. Pittsburgh and the nation lags. Pittsburgh could push the envelope with mobile and make widespread use of mobile phones to help with public service. We can better leverage mobile phones and mobile tech tools for better public administration procedures.
* special vehicle history reports
* payment of parking fees
* notification of school results
* notification of processed forms
* application to make use of public premises.
* Allow users to sign via their mobile phones.
* Develop e-payment services accessible via mobile phone.
* Develop two-way interactive m-government services.
* M-Government can be a track within the Youth technology summit.
The development of m-government solutions might pose stronger organisational problems than technological ones, but change is good. In many instances, Pittsburgh's workforce needs to change for the sake of change, and m-government services require the reorganisation of administrative workflows, perhaps including as well those procedures that have been developed for e-government.
===eRulemaking Initiative for both Federal and Local Regulatory Information System===
More than fifty scholars of regulation have joined in submitting recommendations for the design of a new regulatory information system being developed by the Bush Administration. The system, known as the Federal Docket Management System, is to make all information pertaining to government regulation available via the internet. If developed properly, the Initiativeâ€™s new on-line docket management system can also facilitate academic research that in the longer term can also improve the regulatory system. 
Pittsburgh can also seek to implement an eRulemaking Initiative. We can improve the access quality for government's decisions. As mayor, we'd analyze information currently maintained by public agencies and emphasize the importance of ensuring open information with historical documentation as we make the transitions to on-line systems.