Civic Technology on the Front Lines

Christopher Whitaker@CivicWhitaker

Civic Technology on the Front Lines

@CivicWhitakerCivic Technologist

Project Manager Consultant @SmartChicago

Midwest Brigade Coordinator @CodeforAmerica

Former Field Office Supervisor at the Illinois Department of Employment Security

Masters of Public Administration @DePaulU

BA Political Science @SamHoustonState

11B @USArmy

How I got Involved

The “Legacy” System

Runs on DOS Mainframe system – One screen fails, they ALL FAIL

Not run in real timePaper reports From 1975 – Before Apple Computer, The

Space Shuttle, before Saddam took power in Iraq, and before AOL

Put it this way:

Worst recession since the Depression and our system was surprised to learn who Luke’s father was…

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Meanwhile…

You give me a paper…

I stamp it, copy it, give you the copy Scan it into system as TIF file Tell system what it is and whose it is System puts it in file Adjudicator pulls it up Takes questionnaire and enters it into text box You employer’s HR company generates a letter through it’s system, prints

it I get then your employer’s paper via FAX stamp it Scan it into system as TIF file Tell system what it is and whose it is System puts it in file Adjudicator pulls it up Takes questionnaire and enters it into text box Adjudicator decides your unemployment claim System generates letter in PDF, mails it to you and your employer Employer sends their appeal via FAX generated by their computer system. Fax machine breaks due to overuse

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!

But it is true...and it not uncommon

CGI Federal’s epic failure to launch Healthcare.gov

California fired & *sued* SAP after MyCalPays failure

Massachusetts fired & *sued* Deloitte after unemployment system disaster

A system glitch by an Accenture-built platform caused food stamp payment delays for thousands of North Carolina residents

Meanwhile…you have these people…

And these people…

And don’t forget this team…

What’s the difference?

An ECOSYSTEM built for Civic Innovation

City of Chicago seeing DATA AS FUEL An active and ENGAGED civic

technology communityReal SIGNIFICANT investments by

local foundations

A community that fights for the users

The CUTgroup

Collaboration

The Civic Works Project

A Knight Foundation / Chicago Community Trust Grant that will: Build five civic apps focused on non-profit issues Build five civic apps focused on government issues Write 200 Content Pieces Run the Illinois OpenTech Challenge

We’ve just received an extension and will be running this for a second year.

Get involved!

To get involved with Code for America Brigade

Codeforamerica.org/brigade

To get involved with the Code for America Peer Network

Codeforamerica.org/about/peernetwork

To get more information about Smart Chicago

Smartchicagocollaborative.org

@civicwhitaker

christopher@civicwhitaker.com

Questions?