Rewired State in 2010

[James Darling]

Hey all. We're back. I've blogged it all at http://blog.rewiredstate.org/post/390764318/rewired-state-2010 but here's a copy:

Please reply in different threads if you're talking about a particular event.

---------------------------------------

Hello from Rewired State, it's been a while, but we're back.

 

So much to announce:

 

* 2010: The plan

* National Hack The Government Day 2

* Rewired State: DotGovLabs Hackday

* Rewired State: Justice and Home Affairs Hack Day

* Rewired State: Culture

 

### 2010: The plan

 

2009 was pretty incredible. We started with the public sector still getting their knickers in a twist over Twitter, without a clue about data, and ended it with Tim Berner's Lee being appointed data tzar and launching data.gov.uk.

 

We were very close to putting down our weapons and retiring to a safe distance, but then we remembered just how far we still have to go. There are still problems, such as billions being spent on failing IT projects. There was also a problem which we seem to help create: the undervaluing of developers. Data has helped show the power, but there is more to be done before that power is fully utilized.

 

So we have three main aims:

 

* Get developers in there as part of the system, and paid for the work they do

* Enable developers work with Government in a geek friendly way

* Keep it all fun and positive and fluffy and nice

 

 

This weekend we will finally sort out rewiredstate.org, but we couldn't hold all this back any longer, so here's the lowdown on our upcoming events.

 

### National Hack The Government Day: 20th March 2010 The Guardian Offices, King's Place

 

All of this doesn't mean that we'll be leaving a good old Hack The Government Day behind. We're very excited to announce it's return, and soon!

 

You know what to expect from this, so we won't explain further. As last time, we have a capcaity of 70 developers so usual drill, please send an email to [in...@rewiredstate.org][1] with National Hack in the subject, who you are, whether you have been to a Rewired State event before, and if not - an example of something you have created.

 

### Rewired State - DotGovLabs: 19th and 20th March 2010 The Guardian Offices

 

We need 30 developers for a two day piece of work with dotgovlabs (the innovation arm of the government supersites: businesslink.gov.uk, Directgov and NHS Choices). They have some problems that they'd like us to help solve.

 

We will be paying all developers, as this event is for specific work, and we believe that it is right. Don't worry though, we'll still keep it a fun and creative hack day environment.

 

You may notice that the second day clashes with the National Hack the Government Day,  everyone  will be in the same space, you just get 2 days instead of one

 

Let us know if you're interested in this by emailing [in...@rewiredstate.org][1] with the subject line dotgovlabs

 

### Rewired State - Justice and Home Affairs: 11th March 2010 (Venue TBA but will be London SW1)

 

On the 11th March 2010 we propose to run an event using datasets from the Home Office and Ministry of Justice.

 

Ten developers will work on datasets in the morning and present their results to officials in the afternoon – where there will be an opportunity to discuss and exchange views on the presentations. Again, we will be paying developers.

 

As there is such limited space, this will be invite only. If, however, you are very keen on this, email us at [in...@rewiredstate.org][1] explaining why.

 

### Rewired State: Culture: 27th March 2010 (Venue TBA but will probs be London SW1)

 

Rewired State is working hand in hand with department for Culture, Media and Sport to run a Hack event. Here's the blurb:

 

> Rewired Culture has two strands - the first is a hackday bringing together data owners, data users, developers and people with ideas to see what they can create in a day. This builds on the very successful Rewired State events held in 2009. 

 

> The second strand is a halfday unconference style event starting at midday and running in parallel with the hackday for data owners, entrepreneurs, data users and communites to discuss business models, funding mechanisms and challenges.

 

> We will be encouraging constant communication between the two strands because by the end of the day we want the event to have come up with a number of projects that people want to take forward on technical or business grounds, preferably both!

 

> These chosen projects will then be used as exemplars for the Chief Executives and Chairs of the major national cultural institutions, broadcasters and key figures from the creative economy. They will be used as both an inspiration and a challenge to that community.

 

Look, it's even on a proper .gov.uk and everything: http://www.culture.gov.uk/working_with_us/6644.aspx

 

Sign up at: http://rewiredstate.org/culture

---------------------------------

 

Blimey, that's quite a lot of stuff. We're going to be working our arses off here. Hope you will come and enjoy what we're up to.

--
James Darling

@abscond | 07811407085 | http://abscond.org

Rude? I loosely follow http://five.sentenc.es

[David Durant]

Hi,

Any sign of another Young Rewired State?

Also - is Rewired State affiliated at all with these folks...? : http://wiki.idealgovernment.com/IdealGovernmentITStrategy

David Durant

--
Twitter : @cholten99

[James Darling]

Any sign of another Young Rewired State?

We certainly plan it. But as you can hopefully see, we've been quite occupied.

 

Also - is Rewired State affiliated at all with these folks...? : http://wiki.idealgovernment.com/IdealGovernmentITStrategy

We sit around private member clubs together drinking fine wine and discussing how to take over the world. True fact. (There is lots of unofficial overlap in membership and ideas, but officially there is no connection other than 'friends')

[David Durant]

> We sit around private member clubs together drinking fine wine and discussing how to take
> over the world. True fact. (There is lots of unofficial overlap in membership and ideas, but
> officially there is no connection other than 'friends')

I never get invited to the good parties...

(I almost got in at Hendon) ;-)

--
Twitter : @cholten99

[alex stobart]

James

It is a lot of work, and a lot of achievement. Even more interesting would be how you intend to make this of any use to the citizen.

Having civil servants and technical people will not necessarily solve the Clapham Omnibus issues. I accept though that even to think that this would have happened 24 months ago was inconceivable. So well done...

Would you and the government officials allow " the people " to be a jury and say what they would like to see being worked on ? We know how miserable government makes our lives, principally because it is self-serving rather than citizen serving.

For example Sir David Varney was commissioned to do a report in 2005 - 2006 time on government and customers. He said one simple thing, among many - " Why does a dead person have to tell the state organs 40 times that they are dead ? "

The state organs pontificated, and pontificated, and nothing has changed. If you die today, it's probably 45 with all their new quangos.

Would this not be an e-mail to de...@microsoft.gov.uk or is that too easy ?

So why would you bother to expect any different in 2010 ?

Please tell us it is different down there in the Whitehall smog now.

Alex

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[James Darling]

James

Alex 

It is a lot of work, and a lot of achievement.

Many thanks.

 

Even more interesting would be how you intend to make this of any use to the citizen.

Because we are citizens. The vast majority of people involved in Rewired State do not work with or within the Civil Service.

Having civil servants and technical people will not necessarily solve the Clapham Omnibus issues.

Does the fact I had to google "Clapham Omnibus" include myself in it's ranks?

I accept though that even to think that this would have happened 24 months ago was inconceivable. So well done...

Thanks again.

Would you and the government officials allow " the people " to be a jury and say what they would like to see being worked on?

This is certainly currently not in our plans. We feel our developers (aka "people") are not short of inspiration for problems to solve. When we start running out of ideas, we might start asking people in our local pubs.

 

We know how miserable government makes our lives, principally because it is self-serving rather than citizen serving.

I'm not quite sure I'd go as far as this, I've quite enjoyed a lot of my experiences with government. But then I don't have to work in it all day.

For example Sir David Varney was commissioned to do a report in 2005 - 2006 time on government and customers. He said one simple thing, among many - " Why does a dead person have to tell the state organs 40 times that they are dead ? "
The state organs pontificated, and pontificated, and nothing has changed. If you die today, it's probably 45 with all their new quangos. 
Would this not be an e-mail to de...@microsoft.gov.uk or is that too easy?

Sounds like  an interesting problem. Not one I've heard of before. Maybe someone might be interested in looking into it.

So why would you bother to expect any different in 2010 ?

Because I'm young and optimistic. And I don't work in the Civil Service. 

Please tell us it is different down there in the Whitehall smog now.

I don't know, but up here in the Shoreditch smog it's vibrent with ideas, talented people and stuff happening.

Alex

James 

[Harry Metcalfe]

FYI, on the death notification thing, they are working on that -- "Tell
Us Once" -- though I believe it is a classic tale of
government-project-gone-wrong.

Harry

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[Ian M]

Hey James and all,

Great to see that you are doing another National Hack Day.
I really admire what you are doing.

Whilst TYOC isn't dead ( hey a certain MP even mentioned us a couple
of weeks ago in Parliament, http://mptweets.tyoc.co.uk :) we've found
it harder to find the time this year (so far!). Though a great thing
is we now have 'our' own venue - http://flythe.coop which is in
Manchester's MadLab building. We plan to have 3 or 4 hackdays
throughout the year, though some of these are going to be more
commercial in nature, possibly related to a startup Weekend.org type
event. Others will be more public data orientated and one of us has
setup Manchester's Open Data initiative.

Our other main project seems to be living on in spirit through
OpenlyLocal.com which has developed into a fantastic site.

Another thing, I may have also contributed to in 2009 is undervaluing
developers. Many people would love to have took part, but couldn't
due to commercial needs. I'm really intrigued how we can do something
similar to you and actually pay people for taking part in specific
projects such as those for Manchester's Open Data initiative, and even
general hack days. Would be great to get some advice on how to make
that happen, and whom to approach.

Cheers,

Ian.
http://ianmoss.com/contact
http://twitter.com/oceanician