thinking systems: essays about business, technology & philosophy.

  • more than just a subset

    Ensuring that government communication reaches all citizens, rather than just a subset, is a significant challenge in leveraging technology for transparent government services. Here are some considerations and questions related to this challenge:

    Digital Inclusivity: How can governments ensure digital inclusivity to reach citizens who may have limited access to technology, such as those in rural areas or with low-income backgrounds? Are there specific strategies or initiatives that have proven effective in bridging the digital divide?

    Multilingual Communication: In diverse societies, how can governments effectively communicate with citizens who speak different languages or dialects? Are there technologies or approaches that can facilitate multilingual communication and make government services more accessible?

    Accessibility for People with Disabilities: How can governments ensure that their digital communication is accessible to individuals with disabilities, including those with visual, hearing, or motor impairments? What technologies and standards should be considered to meet accessibility requirements?

    Offline Alternatives: What mechanisms should governments have in place to reach citizens who may not have reliable internet access or prefer traditional means of communication, such as print materials, phone lines, or face-to-face interactions?

    User-Centered Design: How can governments employ user-centered design principles to create digital interfaces and content that are intuitive and user-friendly, particularly for citizens who may not be tech-savvy?

    Education and Digital Literacy: What role should governments play in educating citizens about the use of digital tools and promoting digital literacy, especially among older adults or those with limited exposure to technology?

    Feedback Mechanisms: How can governments encourage citizens to provide feedback on their communication efforts and government services? Are there technology-driven feedback mechanisms that can enhance citizen engagement?

    Cultural Sensitivity: In multicultural societies, how can governments ensure that their communication is culturally sensitive and relevant to various demographic groups?

    Privacy and Trust: Building trust is essential for effective government communication. What steps should governments take to ensure data privacy and security when interacting with citizens online?

    Measuring Impact: How can governments measure the impact of their efforts to communicate with all citizens and assess whether they are effectively reaching diverse populations?

  • hello, world?

    In the mid-90s I set out in my career intending to be a biologist. Living systems, organic processes, and the complexity of the natural world fascinate me. I wanted to study and research and spread that fascination with the world.

    Instead, I found myself in jobs where rather than doing research or teaching directly, I was leaning into technology as a means to communicate and educate about science, health, food production, environment, land use, and more.

    All this ultimately landed me in roles that lasted over two decades designing, building, deploying, and managing public technology systems for non-profits, NGOs, small businesses, and governments.

    I’ve been writing about my experiences in these roles in the form of essays and musings, and as I get those pieces ready to publish here (and elsewhere) I thought it would be a good idea to expand on the context around those words on a site of my own.

    The foobarn has been my technology placeholder for a while, a stable full of ideas that I occasionally used as a quiet little techno-warehouse to dabble in code or concepts, but which never really matured to much beyond a shop that needed mucking out now and then. It seemed appropriate that I now give it a fresh coat of paint and use it now as a gallery of some of those ideas.

    Thanks for peeking through the gates. See you soon.