TechMiso

President Barack Obama ran arguably the most technologically advanced political presidential campaign in modern politics during the run up to the primaries in November 2008. Obama assembled an exceptionally savvy campaign team, making use of social networking, YouTube, blogging and other innovative methods of communicating with his [potential] supporters. This same team of clever technologists is apparently finding it quite challenging to adapt those effective techniques to the Federal government.

A recent Washington Post article details many of the woes the current team has faced, with relatively little relief in sight. The quagmire that is our Federal government is not built to capably deal with overnight change, especially on a grand technological scale.

“This is uncharted territory,” said Macon Phillips, White House director of new media, which was a midlevel position in previous administrations but has been boosted by Obama to a “special assistant to the president.”

Phillips, 30, a self-described geek who grew up in Alabama and worked at a D.C.-based online consulting company before joining the campaign, has been trying to manage high expectations that the Obama administration will run the most accessible, transparent, Web-savvy government in history. He feels the weight of carrying out that bold ambition — and hears the criticism.

Indeed, the methods of communication President Obama envision using daily is uncharted territory for sure. Never before has a President had simple tools like social networking, YouTube and/or blogging at their disposal.

Communication between the White House and the people has traditionally been one way – the White House speaking while the people listen. The web has transformed the traditional one-way landscape in a many-to-many medium. But is anyone surprised to see Obama’s team finding it exceedingly difficult to realize the visions the web offers?

These types of barriers are exactly why we require a visionary United States Government CIO. We need leadership who is not afraid of new technology, who comprehends new technology and who is capable of ensuring the implementation of new technology sets the government up for the future.

As every American surely knows, the government functions at a snails pace when it’s not hurriedly handing out 30 billion dollars to companies which report losses of 62+ billion. Adoption rates for new and exciting technologies are excruciatingly slow in the federal government. There are countless reasons why, but they can really be chalked up to the following: A) the myriad of unusual policies governing IT asset use and B) the abundance of old farts in management positions who are not interested in change – even if they did vote for Obama.

If President Obama’s dreams of transparency through the web and straightforward communication with the American people are to be realized then we need to demand these policies be changed. Either that or remove the roadblocks from their jobs – because ultimately these people are not doing their jobs. They are holding progress hostage since they are too scared to change.

American’s need to see Obama’s visions of communication with the American people carried out. These aspirations affect each and every one of our lives for the better.

The kinks need to get worked out as soon as possible so Obama’s rag-tag team of web savvy technologists can ensure the future of communication with our President is realized. Imagine how exciting it will be to finally have a two-way communication street with the President of the United States!

If you work in government, and are one of those monolithic management types who deplores change no matter the benefit, get out of the way of this unstoppable train before you get run over. Better to save yourself now or adapt and survive!