Government Bits

President Obama speaks to Chinese citizens

2009-11-17T01:23:50Z

Adobe partner, ConnectSolutions, provides a great summary of President Obama's historic Town Hall in Shanghai, China. Read more.

US District Court Judge issues first digitally signed judicial order

2009-09-30T00:10:19Z

For the first time in history, the Honorable John M. Facciola, Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, signed a judicial order, not with paper and pen, but with a digital signature! Press release here.

For more details, check out the posting on Adobe's Security Matters blog.

President Honors Nation's Top Scientists and Innovators

2009-09-17T23:39:44Z

On October 7, 2009, President Obama will be presenting the National Medal of Technology and Innovation to several recipients. Two of the recipients are Adobe's founders Dr. John E. Warnock and Dr. Charles M Geschke "for their pioneering contributions that spurred the desktop publishing revolution and for changing the way people create and engage with information and entertainment across multiple mediums including print, Web and video."

For more information on the awards and other recipients, please read the announcements from the White House and the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Social media for government is here, so what's all the fuss about??

2009-08-07T13:42:43Z

Should government use Twitter? Can you really say ANYTHING in 140 characters? Facebook, how can that be a business tool? It's for college kids to share stories and pictures about their drunken exploits. And blogs? Well, who cares what I have to say?!? (spoken from the perspective of potential government bloggers)

Here's some more FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt for the acronym challenged):

* Social media is insecure!
* What a time waster!
* I know my employees are going to say something they shouldn't!
* Eh, this technology is for kids, mine use it at home every day.
* I can't be bothered to learn yet another technology

Ok, so, I'm sure you get the point. Anytime something new comes along, there will be those who will do all they can to put up road blocks. It is a common response from some people when facing something unfamiliar. However, on the flip side, there are the innovators and early adopters to balance the FUD with hype. It's this community of people who typically believe so deeply in a particular idea that they tend to see it as an answer to all things! Of course, over time, as a new idea becomes more acceptable and adopted for use by a larger population, the fear begins to minimize along with the hype.

]]> To support my points above, let's wind back the clock a bit to the mid 80's. Assuming you were with us and old enough to be working, you most likely remember the first time you had access to email. Wow, what a change, huh? I was working for Wang Laboratories in those days and a big part of my job was to help people learn how to use office email. Thinking back, I used to hear so many reasons why email was going to 'ruin' the way organizations do business, but, I guess at this point, we are pretty safe in saying that email has been successfully adopted by business and, while it certainly did CHANGE the way organizations do business, it did not ruin it as some predicted it would.

Now, I'm sure there are those of you reading this who are thinking that this is not necessarily an apples to apples comparison between social media and email. Email was initially adopted internal to businesses, deployed by IT in a controlled fashion, refined to support business habits and not really available for the general public until the rise of the internet. On the other hand, social media has been created external to business and introduced by employees, whether the business likes it or not!

So, what would be a more accurate analogy? Well, a couple obvious choices come to mind, the internet itself and Instant Messaging (yes, I know, there are people now lumping IM into the social media bucket, but, well, I'm not one of that crowd!)

In the mid 90's, when the internet was just starting to become popular I was working for a small information retrieval company. I recall building some of our first demonstrations, showing how our search engine could be used on the internet to find information. Of course today, we take it for granted that Google and Yahoo are there for us and no one would argue the virtues of having such tools available, but, in those early days, not only did we have to explain the value of being able to search, we had to contend with a whole host of fears regarding giving people access to the internet in the first place! For goodness sake, why would any organization want to allow it's employees to have access to the internet? They will stop working and become unproductive. What value could there possibly be to internet access? It's just a bunch of useless information, right? Well, of course, who could imagine an organization today who does NOT have access to the internet? (Notice how a couple of those rejections sound a bit familiar?)

In 2000, after a 5 year stint as the CTO for an internet-based eLearning company, I moved into a new CTO role with a company seeking to introduce instant messaging into the enterprise. Think back for a moment to that time. Instant messaging was a platform for kids to chat on. The idea that this could be a business tool was really pushing the envelope for many organizations. To many, IM was viewed in almost exactly the same way as social media tools are today, a scarey waste of time, meant for personal use only.

Ok, it's 2009 and, along with a whole host of other initially 'scarey' technologies, email, the internet and instant messaging have all been absorbed, in some fashion, into government organizations. They've been woven into the fabric of how government does business. Did these technologies change things? Well, of course they did. Did they introduce new challenges? Again, yes of course. Did government organizations fail to continue to deliver on their mission because of these changes? Definitely not. Ultimately, did they make things better, has the positive impact outweighed the potential risks? I think it's safe to say that in general they did.

Over the past couple years, I've spent much of my professional (and personal) time discussing the merits and pitfalls of social media technologies and concepts with various organizations and individuals within government. As you might expect, the viewpoints have been widely varied and the discussions have sounded reminiscent of conversations from the past. However, I've noticed more recently that the conversations are taking on a very different tone. The fear is beginning to dissipate and, due in part to the brave innovators within government who have been working diligently to adopt social media technologies in a responsible manner, there are more discussions now about best practices, approaches and lessons learned.

I'm encouraged that social media is on the path to becoming an acceptable part of government, to what extent still remains to be seen as the hype and the fears settle down.

PDF and XML - They compete don't they?

2009-06-16T16:16:25Z

As an employee of Adobe and a LONG time user of the Internet, I am a big fan of PDF. I wanted to make sure I made that point clear right up front. However, as a technologist and a LONG time user of the Internet, I am just as big a fan of XML! And likewise, I wanted to make THAT clear as well.

Before jumping in, I would like to refer you over to a couple, somewhat more historic blog entries from one of my colleagues, Jim King. Jim is a PDF Architect and a Senior Principal Scientist for Adobe and most certainly knows this topic better than most anyone I know. Check these entries out - XML for - XML Documents. I bring these ideas back to the forefront as it seems perhaps the lessons need to be revisited within the context of open and transparent government.

]]> As the US government continues to have an open dialog with the country on the topic of transparency, a number of seemingly age old confusions have surfaced again. In particular to this entry, is the discussion that tends to pit PDF and XML as competitors. I always find this particular discussion interesting because I tend to believe it is unrealistic to suggest that any particular technology is the right answer to all the questions! Why can we not think of these two technologies, both incredibly viable and well adopted open standards, as complimentary, recognizing that they are each useful for different things.

Let's explore for a minute. While doing so, let's not get too wrapped up in what CAN be done, rather let's focus more on what IS being done. There's something to be said for technology adoption. I always like to remember the old adage, "Just because you can, that doesn't mean you should!".

With that lead in, it can successfully be argued that the success of XML can be best attributed to it's usage as a language for describing and sharing data, especially for use between systems and applications. Keep in mind, I am not suggesting this is it's ONLY usage, just that it is it's most prevalent use. Amongst it many useful traits, it allows for an easy means to serialize data and to subsequently parse the data for system use. The ability to be 'file-based' as well as streamed suits today's modern data-sharing architectures, allowing it to be used for a wide variety of solutions and applications.

Likewise, it can be successfully argued that PDF is the preferred, defacto means to publish and share electronic documents today. This is particularly true with regards to 'final format' documents. You would be very hard pressed to find anyone using an Internet-connected computer that has not interacted with a PDF. With well over 93% of the connected computers in the world having the Adobe Reader installed, the infrastructure is already in place and the use experience of working with a reasonable electronic facsimile of a paper-based document is completely intuitive for all users. Add to that a plethora of human centric capabilities, and it is obvious why PDF is so widely deployed.

Given that the government has the requirement to share information that is more traditionally defined as data AND information that is document based, it seems obvious that PDF and XML can and SHOULD co-exist peacefully within the transparency fabric of any open government strategy.

In my next post, I will dig into some of the perspectives that create the sense of competition and offer my thoughts to alternative ways to address the wide and varied requirements of an open and transparent government.

A case for telework

2009-04-30T20:51:51Z

Although I believe the media is creating unnecessary fear among the public over Swine Flu (and apparently I am not alone), the idea of a pandemic presents a good example of why telework should be part of any agency's continuity of operations (COOP) planning. In the case of an emergency that affects public servants' ability to get to the office, or safely work in the office, telework allows government workers to continue to serve the needs of the public from a remote location. But waiting for that emergency to materialize is not the best approach. Cindy Auten of the Telework Exchange says it best - "One of the key strategies in having a business continuity plan and incorporating telework into it, is ensuring that you're testing it often and you build telework as a part of your standard operating procedure -- so it's not a frantic, mad rush to the door to actually start your telework program at the last minute." Does your agency have a telework strategy? If so, is it part of day-to-day operations or is it a just-in-case strategy? We'd like to hear from you.

Open Government in Action

2009-04-21T18:43:53Z

The day after his inauguration, President Obama issued a memo calling for an "unprecedented level of openness in Government." Many agencies are going through the process of identifying what open government and transparency mean to their operations. Others are already in execution mode - including the US Department of State.

]]> In early March, the State Department broadcast Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's address to the European Parliament.

More recently, President Obama's Town Hall meeting in Turkey was available for world citizens to view online - and provide comments and feedback.

Both of these meetings were conducted using Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro. Acrobat Connect Pro allows the State Department, a geographically dispersed organization, to bring together agency staff and the public in live virtual meetings. Attendees can provide immediate feedback and meetings can be recorded for future viewing. By providing the public with access to official events, the State Department is doing its part to make government more open and encourage public participation.

For more information on Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro in action, check out the blog

DoD Certifies Acrobat and Reader 9

2009-04-01T21:45:42Z

The United States Department of Defense Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) has certified both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader version 9.

Many programs supporting the Department of Defense missions require security services, such as authentication, confidentiality, non-repudiation, and access control. The JITC certification demonstrates compliance with DoD policy as well as showing confidence that the applications are properly and securely using Public Key Infrastructure.

Here are the direct links for certification of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader

Certification was also achieved for Acrobat and Reader version 7 and version 8.

Making Telework Work

2009-03-19T23:35:02Z

Many federal agencies see the potential benefits of telework. Saving gas, making federal workers more productive, and providing for continuity of operations in case of emergency or bad weather. But often times, there is a gap between the idea of telework and putting telework into the workplace.

To help bridge that gap, Telework Exchange and Adobe have teamed up to sponsor a series of events aimed at helping federal managers understand how to make teleworking an option in their organizations. Federal News Radio covered the first Telework in a Box event held in Washington, DC on February 29, 2009. Representatives from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Treasury Department discussed how teleworking is in place within their agencies and provided direction on training and infrastructure that make teleworking successful.

Read more about both agencies' experiences or listen to the event coverage via podcast. A second podcast provides insight into how Andrew Krzmarzick from the USDA Graduate School has used technology to make telework...work.

For more details on the Telework in a Box events series, including the next stop in Atlanta, GA in May, visit the Telework Exchange.

NIST FDCC Compliance with Adobe Acrobat and Reader

2009-03-17T18:04:42Z

The Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) is a list of security settings managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for US government computers. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued instructions to agencies to use these settings with a vendor's self-assertion of desktop applications working with FDCC settings.

Adobe Acrobat 9.0 and Adobe Reader 9.0 have been tested and meet the NIST FDCC compliance guidelines according to the testing process provided in OMB memo m08‐22.

For details on compliance testing, check out the posting on the Security Matters blog.

Dumb paper forms to smart electronic forms: Guide now available

2009-02-21T17:24:58Z

One of the key questions I get during and after my presentations on using technology to deliver benefits and services more efficiently is, "How easy is it?"

Aside from the obvious answer of the need to really start with the analysis of your agency's processes so that you have insight into where and when technology makes sense, there is also something that can be done in the short-term.

I have yet to meet a governemnt process involving paper forms and documents which didn't benefit significantly by conversion to smart electronic forms which can still be printed, but which allow for agencies to encourage people to submit electronically in much the same way Amazon and eBay have convinced us to buy online.

This latter, "low-hanging fruit" is not at the demise of a long-term strategy. In fact, I have often seen it be the catalyst for inspiring even greater leaps into improved services and efficiency with IT.

Firstly, look for paper forms that:

Are important and use by a lot of people

Are often submitted with missing, illegible or wrong information

Require a lot of staff time and energy to process in the mail centers and in manual data re-entry into back-end systems

]]> Then grab a cup of coffee or tea and download a free trial of Adobe Designer(if you already have Adobe Acrobat Professional, you have the full version).

Then connect to others on the Adobe Developer Forums and review some of the tutorials.

If you are craving for the heft of a paper book or eBook, the latest publication, "Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer" is sure to satiate your appetite.

A journey of a thousand paper forms and processes begins with converting one to a smart electronic form. How's that for some weekend inspiration?

Enabling Government Transparency and Citizen-centric Services

2009-02-20T19:17:39Z

On Feb 25, 2009, Federal Computer Week and Adobe are hosting an executive event at The Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC. This is an executive-level educational breakfast where top-level government officials and senior industry executives will discuss approaches to improve interaction between the federal government and its citizens.

The keynote speaker will be Teresa Nasif, Director of the Federal Citizen Information Center with the GSA. Teresa will provide best practices on how to use existing technologies to improve the interactive link between the federal government and its citizens. She will also look at how the same tools can help deliver on President Obama’s mission of increased transparency across government.

Learn more or register now.

Only 5 Copies Available...

2009-02-16T13:49:31Z

Over the weekend I listened to commentary on the passage of the President's Stimulus bill and heard Congressman Ron Paul claim that there were only 5 hard copies of the legislative tome available for review to legislators for a material period of time. I also saw reporters page through the bill on TV to illustrate the hand scribbled amendments in the margin of the final version sent to the President.

I was a legislative aid on Capitol Hill from 1993-1999, when collaboration technology was just getting started, as was 24 hour news coverage. Legislation was available online, but never immediately. Back then, when the President's budget was sent to Congress, it was done so in paper, and staff would stay up all night reading through a single version so the Senator could have comments ready for an early morning statement. Rapidly amended legislation always caused tension between Members because there was no way to quickly distribute changes on the fly and make intelligent public comments to feed the increasing 24 hour news demands. So the news coverage for urgent funding packages (usually supplemental's for disaster response) or high profile bills usually devolved into a discussion of process and representative fairness, rather than the substantive merits of the legislation. Much like the public discourse this past weekend.

But this is 2009.

]]> Real time collaborative document review and publishing are matured technologies. The Government Printing Office already distributes the president's budget in a digitally certified PDF as its preferred format (www.gpoaccess.gov/authentication/index.html). When distributed this way, there is no reason to limit the number of copies to five...although the technology exists to limit and authenticate the recipients without any externally required technology besides Adobe Reader (which already resides on 89% of connected computers). Not only does that technology make it capable to distribute and review a document in real time securely, but it also can allow for comment and markup from multiple sources.

Congressman Paul also commented that President Obama had made a campaign pledge to make the stimulus available for public review for 5 days and had failed to do so. The technology for certified public distribution certainly would not have been a limiting factor either, again using PDF and Reader externally...and sites like the one Obama sponsored in the Senate (www.usaspending.gov).

Congressman Paul's comments mostly made me feel guilty; given my background and current role, I'm clearly not doing my part to evangelize in my old stomping ground. But moreover, I think it illustrates the opportunity for technology to change the dynamic in government. Obama will push for connected government and transparency. This shouldn't only include the connection between citizens and their government, but also between the institutions of government. No doubt we all would have benefited from a public discourse on the substantive debate on the stimulus initiatives this past week, rather than the debate on the procedural flaws in its evolution...this an opportunity for technology to lead the way.

The Cloudy Cloud

2009-02-13T19:00:33Z

The Washington DC technology community has been abuzz lately with the idea of cloud computing. This is largely spurred on by a classic tech battle shaping up between Goggle and Microsoft over the delivery model for software applications to federal agencies.

The cloud is a metaphor for the Internet, based on the graphical image depicted in computer network diagrams. The specific technical meaning of cloud computing is dependent on who is talking about it. At the highest level, cloud computing is like having pizza delivered rather than the traditional way of dining in the restaurant. Either method may be more appropriate depending on your circumstance, but it doesn't necessarily mean that one is always better than the other or that the pizza will taste any better. For some government agencies, cloud computing will be as sensible delivery method, for others it will not, or perhaps a hybrid will be best. If you'd like to see beautiful versions of well known on-premise software applications (Acrobat and Connect) hosted in the cloud, go to www.Acrobat.com, you can use them for free.

Unfortunately all the enthusiasm over cloud computing has clouded over the more important opportunity for government software applications - which is that for truly connected democracy, applications have to be ubiquitous. If a user is offline, working across multiple devices or operating on an unsupported platform, cloud applications may fall short. Government agencies shouldn't get locked in to the cloud or not cloud debate, but should consider the true needs of their end users, all relevant infrastructure in the ecosystem that can be leveraged (Yes, this is a veiled plug for Adobe Reader, Flash and AIR) and leverage the appropriate delivery models to optimize the user experience and productivity.

Case Study: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

2009-02-09T17:14:12Z

A new case study has just been published on the use of electronic forms and processes for improving the cancer screening process of Australian citizens.

This case is interesting because the Department of Health and Ageing solution actually uses the shared-services platform provided by the Australian Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (ADIISR) available to all federal agencies and built using Adobe LiveCycle ES. Because of this shared-service infrastructure, the Department of Health and Ageing was able to get their solution rolled out quicker and more cost-efficiently.

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Australian health agency improves cancer screening process, completeness of medical records, and realizes 923% ROI over three years using Adobe LiveCycle ES solutions. You can access the case study here.