Shout.Do

[Raman Kakileti]

Hi Team,

I briefly mentioned about the project I was working to Sanjeev in the early days of CGov. I am now taking another chance to explain more on the progress and update rest of the team with the motivation.

so, here is my story,

As I see it today, aam citizens are connected to central issues that are being reported by the media and are minimally aware of the issues that are actually important in my neighborhood. I realized that I fall into the category of zero local awareness on issues, and further realized that its not just issues that I am not aware of, but its also people and happy things that are happening around that I am not aware of. Based on this motivation, I and couple of my friends started working on a mobile platform (available for Android now) that could enable local conversations. We believed that enabling local conversation will strengthen local communities and will empower them to address issues locally. We call our application "shout.do" (with an aspiration that this application with multiply shouting and doing things and will be a tool to bring the change required for local communities). shout.do is near ready for general use, so we wanted to get some feedback and its usability wrt cgov.in.  As part of shout.do, we have a dedicated channel for "Complaints", with the motivation of collecting local issues, and hotspots for issues. This is in someways similar to Ushahidi, but since this is a tool for general local conversations, we feel that more people will try to participate here.

We also believe in building civic application with the same rigor of building commercial application, so we started a small mobile application company being funded from our day job salaries, we have been adding features to make this application also useful for general public, which will enable us to have greater reach.

If interested more about the motivation, please read:

http://blog.kawanan.com/2012/04/imentor.html

http://blog.kawanan.com/2012/04/more-kawanan-ideas.html

http://blog.kawanan.com/2012/04/lets-shout.html

What we need from you is list of features you would want to see in shout to make it useful with respect to CGov.in aspirations.

--
Thanks, 

Raman

http://blog.kawanan.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ramankk

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Dear Raman

I'm delighted to hear about your project and believe this has many linkages with cgov. The key question I'd have is how this local energy can be channeled into concrete social movements that deliver results.

As you know, we launched Sone Ki Chidiya movement yesterday, which has the goal of demanding both national and local reforms. (http://sonekidhiya.in/)

Btw, I don't know if you have checked out Getup?
(Please see this https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d697ktZArhsb7Yq81lQCIJTQbU_-jjcM59ui3lrxGUc/edit - and also add information there).

We need to find a way by to not only reach out across all local areas (ultimately everything is local) but create movements to deal with common local needs across wider areas (e.g. regions/states/country). Getup does something of this sort. We need to think how we can do something on those lines. Perhaps the khe key is to start small with ONE project and then, if it works, to grow from there.

The key obstacle with CGOV is central resources to set up and manage the flow of data. Although technology can do a lot, we ultimately need some central coordination and "office". Part time work (of super-busy people) is not going to work.

Getup was operated on micro-donations. But Rakesh Pandey had some ideas on how this can become commercially viable. We need to raise funds for this concept. A business case has to be developed and either a company floated (if it is commercially viable) or a not for profit organisation established which can hire, fire people and deliver results.

To progress this further, an idea is to have all interested people meet a 2-3 day workshop to deliberate on options to make this operational. It may be as simple as those in Delhi coming together for a weekend to kick-start the discussion. It is possible that some FTI member/s might want to participate, so I'm cc.ing them. Also Freedom Partners. In particular, I'd like Rakesh Pandey to be present.

Action: Is someone able to spare time to organise this discussion, the sooner the better?

I'm also going to link both cgov and shout.do to the sone-ki-chidiya website as future action platforms for reaching out to the entire country through technological solutions.

Any other ideas, please let's have them asap.

Also, those not yet on the Citizens' Government google group, please consider joining this:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/citizensgovernment

CGOV is a crucial part of the reform movement, for it will connect all citizens together, and through that process allow massive mobilisation of people to occur.

s

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--
sanjeev sabhlok
About me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sabhlok
Blog: http://sabhlokcity.com/

http://facebook.com/sabhlok/

http://freedomteam.in

[Raman Kakileti]

On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 4:10 PM, Sanjeev Sabhlok <sab...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Raman

I'm delighted to hear about your project and believe this has many linkages with cgov. The key question I'd have is how this local energy can be channeled into concrete social movements that deliver results.

As you know, we launched Sone Ki Chidiya movement yesterday, which has the goal of demanding both national and local reforms. (http://sonekidhiya.in/)

Btw, I don't know if you have checked out Getup?
(Please see this https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d697ktZArhsb7Yq81lQCIJTQbU_-jjcM59ui3lrxGUc/edit - and also add information there).

We need to find a way by to not only reach out across all local areas (ultimately everything is local) but create movements to deal with common local needs across wider areas (e.g. regions/states/country). Getup does something of this sort. We need to think how we can do something on those lines. Perhaps the khe key is to start small with ONE project and then, if it works, to grow from there.

 

+1

Thanks Sanjeev, Do you have any smaller scoped projects in mind that we should start looking into ?

Can you also point us to volunteers maintaining ushahidi ? Wanted to understand whats being expected out of that platform and how we could be useful.

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Raman, I don't think we've really scoped anything fully yet. That's the next stage, of those interested physically (or virtually) getting to meet and discuss.

I was hoping that Rakesh Pandey would help out but haven't heard yet. I'm unable to devote time. We need someone to take the lead on this and bring the right people together. There is much to do.

s

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--
sanjeev sabhlok
About me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sabhlok
Blog: http://sabhlokcity.com/

http://facebook.com/sabhlok/

http://freedomteam.in
Skypeid: sanjeevsabhlok

[Lalatendu Dash]

Hi Raman,

Congratulations! Very well done indeed. As Sanjeev mentioned, there are a lot of overlapping between what you have done and what CGOV intends to achieve. What would you like to know about Ushahidi? I have been involved in doing doing the configuration part of this package and, hopefully, would be able to answer your queries.

@Sanjeev

I am happy to liaise with Rakesh on this. Unfortunately, it will not be possible for me to come over to Delhi for an in-person meeting. However I can get in touch with him over phone/email/skype etc., and take it further. Does this sound OK?

Thanks, 

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Lala, let's set up a skype call at a mutually convenient time, first. Are you able to coordinate, please?
s

[Lalatendu Dash]

Sure Sanjeev, I am available anytime tomorrow and day after. Can we make it? 

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Tomorrow should be good. How about 4pm IST?

[Lalatendu Dash]

4PM IST is fine with me. 

Who else are we expecting to join in this call?

On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 11:30 PM, Sanjeev Sabhlok <sab...@gmail.com> wrote:

Tomorrow should be good. How about 4pm IST?

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[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Let's all put our interest here, on this forum.

(If necessary, we can be just two of us, Lala. We have to start the ball rolling.)

My skyepid is sanjeevsabhlok.

s

[Lalatendu Dash]

Sounds good to me. My skype is lalatendu31. 

Thanks,

s

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[Lalatendu Dash]

Am online. Are we having this call now Sanjeev?

Thanks,

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Spoke with Gaurav. Great interaction. He'll be more active from next week as he is traveling abroad tomorrow.

Rakesh, if you are able to see this email, pl. confirm your participation in the skype meeting tomorrow. Also cc.ing your email ID.

Also anyone else? Let's all have a brainstorm for about an hour. 4 pm IST tomorrow, Sunday.

s

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Lala, I had suggested tomorrow (Sunday) since I've got another skype call shortly and just came off the phonecall with Garuav. Trust that suits?
s

[Lalatendu Dash]

Ah! I misunderstood it as today. Yeah, tomorrow 4pm is fine with me.

Thanks,  

On Sat, Feb 2, 2013 at 11:25 AM, Sanjeev Sabhlok <sab...@gmail.com> wrote:

Lala, I had suggested tomorrow (Sunday) since I've got another skype call shortly and just came off the phonecall with Garuav. Trust that suits?

s

--

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Confirming.

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Call in five minutes. Who's available?
s

[Lalatendu Dash]

I am in. 

[Siva Kumar Tangudu]

Is it still ON, thought I could join in too..

Sent from my Windows Phone

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From: Sanjeev Sabhlok
Sent: 03-02-2013 PM 03:56
To: citizensg...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [CGov] Shout.Do

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Quick summary of today's Skype meeting:

1. Siva Kumar Tangudu, Lalatendu Dash and Sanjeev Sabhlok attended.

2. Potential resources available from: Siva's company, Gaurav's company, BST support, and Rakesh Pandey (Anna group).

3. Potential projects include: cgov - ushahidi based/ mobile apps for reporting local matters/ anonymous reporting system for whistleblowers or private citizens on basis of (free) subscription

4. Target - to reach out to all of India in three months so we can (also) mobilise millions of people for a national reform movement.

5. What's in it for citizens? They get a functional system where they can express their level of interest (e.g. as volunteers for certain activities) and help their community/ they can get quicker redress for their grievances and issues/ government can be made accountable on an ongoing basis.

6. How can this be funded for the long term? Some social enterprise/venture funding may be needed, but initially volunteers can be encouraged to fill various roles (including field volunteers, eg from BST). As Rakesh Pandey suggested, some commercial options can also be explored, to make this sustainable.

7. Who can be involved? All Indian IT experts across the world, e.g. Silicon valley, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gurgaon. We should start talking to our friends and get them on board on the project team.

8. Next week it is proposed that Gaurav and Rakesh meet (along with Dipinder, ideally) in Delhi. Then the following weekend (i.e. 14 days from now), we should all catch up on Skype to discuss.

9) Lala has agreed to be project leader to kickstart: and so I'd request him to (a) speak with Gaurav/ Rakesh as time permits next week and (b) organise skype call in 2 weeks time.

10) An immediate deliverable would be (in about 4 weeks from now) a working pilot that can be presented to BST in Haridwar by end-February, and a set of simple instructions provided (if they like the idea) on how they can try this out before (after refinement) expanding it across India. Remember, the reach of BST is enormous and if they like it, then Aastha channel is available to communicate info immediately.

11) We can use a "messenger" concept for each village as discussed with Rakesh Pandey.

Further update from me in 2 weeks. Lala will upload his video in the meanwhile.

Lala, Siva, pl. add if I've missed anything.

s

[Dipinder Sekhon]

Great!
Gaurav - once you set up meeting with Rakesh, let me know. I will try to join. I - along with Sanjeev - could help keep these efforts in sync with the overall SKC movement.

Cheers
Dipinder

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[Gaurav Bhatnagar]

Hi Dipinder

I am back next weekend so lets try to connect in the week after. 

Thanks

Gaurav 

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-Gaurav
http://www.newdelhitimes.org

[Lalatendu Dash]

Hi Gaurav/Rakesh/Siva,

As you probably know, the CGOV portal is now fully functional. We are in the process of tying out few loose ends, after which this portal can be formally launched.

As Sanjeev mentioned below, we now have to come-up with a pilot package that we can share with BST by end of this month. I would like to have a quick chat with you guys about what we think should constitute this pilot package, and what the way forward on this should be. Is it OK if I call you up sometime this week? I am happy to call you up individually, take your inputs, collate them together and share with the team. If you are OK with this, then please can you share you contact numbers, and date and time I can call you up. 

My number is 0044(0)7903843925, and direct email is ldas...@gmail.com.

Thanks,

Lala  

[Sanjeev Sabhlok]

Thanks a lot, Lala. We can also set up an item to update FTI members about this at this weekend conference. If time permits you could brief Dipinder who can then brief members.
s

[Lalatendu Dash]

Sure will do Sanjeev, 

Dipinder, is there a number that I can call you up on please? 

Thanks,

Lala