"The ability to interact like that is something I'd imagine a lot of companies, especially those involved in fascinating jobs or industries or at companies that garner a lot of respect, would be really interested in learning about. Thinking about high-tech, for example, where it's challenging for companies to get people experienced in big data or mobile-app programming."
I agree completely! We are always happy to share what we have learned. We work for you, our fellow Americans ;-)
"Any concerns about the ease with which online information can be copied and distributed? Copy and paste is so much easier than sneaking around taking photos of classified documents."
We trust our colleagues on the security side to screen improper usage of our internal network and don't believe we should cripple our diplomats ability to get their work done for fear of missuse.
"You said, Richard, that you're not a technologist but you've learned. Who do you rely on for tech advice and insight outside your tech comfort level? For example, in deciding open source as opposed to a vendor's enterprise social media product? And for choosing platforms or products you'll use for 2013 initiatives?"
I have a tremendous team and a great network of tech entrepreneurs and am not affraid to show my ignorance ;-)
"Richard, do you have any of the initiatives we talked about hosted on cloud computing platforms, or are there still too many security concerns about that?"
The Virtual Student Foreign Service microtasking platform is cloud-based. The rest is behind the firewall.
I did wonder, as Kim mentioned at the end, about the whole area of security. Being part of the State Department, obviously security has to be tremendous concern to you -- and you stressed several times that services were behind the firewall! How concerned were you and your team about using open source, vis-a-vis the security aspect? And how did you overcome security concerns overall, when it came to a social network?
Lots of points here. 1) I am no security expert, but OSS is used by some of the most security conscious entities in government. 2) We have a tremendous team in the State Department working to keep our network secure and we worked with them from day one when developing new platforms. 3) If we didn't have these tools behind the firewall, then our employees might be tempted to use much less secure web-based platforms.
The ability to interact like that is something I'd imagine a lot of companies, especially those involved in fascinating jobs or industries or at companies that garner a lot of respect, would be really interested in learning about. Thinking about high-tech, for example, where it's challenging for companies to get people experienced in big data or mobile-app programming.
"Jonathan -- do you keep statistics on contributions to your knowledge base broken down by gender? What about your camps?"
No, but we do seek all kinds of diversity in our external programs. One of the things I love about the Virtual Student Foreign Service is that it allows students whose circumstances don't allow them to do an unpaid internship with the State Department to still engage and learn about diplomacy first hand.
"I wonder, though, whether this is open to State Department partners or suppliers? Sometimes, with enterprises, they open those up to subsets. But Richard said this is behind their firewall, so I don't know if that would be the case then."
We fight silos! So, NONE of Diplopedia, Communities@State, Corridor (our "LinkedIn behind the firewall") or our primary ideation platform have enclaves. All employees can access them all.
Any concerns about the ease with which online information can be copied and distributed? Copy and paste is so much easier than sneaking around taking photos of classified documents.
"And this can only be accessed by Dept of State employess, not say Dept of Defense etc?"
Depends. Diplopedia is mirrored to a site availalble to other US foreign affairs agencies. About 80% of our Communities @ State sites are available to other agencies.
-- "We do a tremendous amount of outreach and information sharing. Since our platforms are on OSS, we also can give code away to our colleagues in other agencies." -- That is a tremendous additional benefit of open source!
You said, Richard, that you're not a technologist but you've learned. Who do you rely on for tech advice and insight outside your tech comfort level? For example, in deciding open source as opposed to a vendor's enterprise social media product? And for choosing platforms or products you'll use for 2013 initiatives?
"I wonder how much the State Department shares its insight with other government departments"
We do a tremendous amount of outreach and information sharing. Since our platforms are on OSS, we also can give code away to our colleagues in other agencies.
Richard, do you have any of the initiatives we talked about hosted on cloud computing platforms, or are there still too many security concerns about that?
"I think I misunderstood the goal of the eDiplomacy office, acording to wikipedia it's more of an effort to properly network and build information awareness within the State Department, and less of this new kind of diplomacy we are seeing on places like Twitter..."
eDiplomacy's focus is internal. We have great colleagues in Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, with whom we collaborate closely, who focus on external communications and social media.
I did wonder, as Kim mentioned at the end, about the whole area of security. Being part of the State Department, obviously security has to be tremendous concern to you -- and you stressed several times that services were behind the firewall! How concerned were you and your team about using open source, vis-a-vis the security aspect? And how did you overcome security concerns overall, when it came to a social network?
Well, I'm not from US and need to agree, the thing many people in my country want to learn more from American enterprenuers is doing business and being more innovative
I'm definitely going to do some additional reading about some of these initiatives. Have bookmarked some sites - but thanks to Kim, I can just come back to the IE Radio show and check back here.
That is interesting: You'd definitely see Richard Boly's team taking a leadership position in terms of election technology, given its expertise in elections around the world.
I wonder, though, whether this is open to State Department partners or suppliers? Sometimes, with enterprises, they open those up to subsets. But Richard said this is behind their firewall, so I don't know if that would be the case then.
I think I misunderstood the goal of the eDiplomacy office, acording to wikipedia it's more of an effort to properly network and build information awareness within the State Department, and less of this new kind of diplomacy we are seeing on places like Twitter...
is eDiplomacy more concerned with influcencing the higher ups of other governments, or with the general reaching of the populous in these places concerned?
Hi there. Save those good questions up for later. I don't know how much latitude our guest will have to address specific diplomatic issues, but I guess we'll find out.
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