TheThe
StoryStory
Problem:Problem:
Why
?
Millions of government employees
working on similar issues but no safe place
to connect and share best practices.
SolutioSolution:n: Online community.
Hub to connect disparate conversations/events.
New technology leveraged to collaborate.
• ~20 Million Government Employees• 2.1 million federal employees
• 19,429 Municipal Governments• 21,300 Distinct organizations across federal legislative,
executive, and judicial
ARE WE RECREATING THE WHEEL? lS THERE ROOM FOR COLLABORATION
U.S. Statistics
At Work, Where Do People Go to:
Ask a question about their project
Find out about other similar projects in government
Get career advice or mentorship
Get best practices about a specific technology or project
In past, simply asked peers at work or people you already knew
How do you expand the network to solve government problems
What is
MISSION: “Connect Government to Improve Government”
Solve governmen
t problems
Solve governmen
t problems
Connect with peers
Connect with peers
Research the latest trends
Research the latest trends
Find and contribute
best practices
Find and contribute
best practices
Learn about the latest solutions
Learn about the latest solutions
?
• Do-Gooder:Do-Gooder: 3rd Gen Public Servant, DHS Fellow, Multiple Gov Agencies
• Innovator:Innovator: Co-Founder, Young Government Leaders• Award Winner:Award Winner: 2006 Rising Star Award, 2007 Fed 100 Winner• Speaker:Speaker: 25+ Conferences, Brookings, Harvard Kennedy
School
• Author:Author: Wikinomics, Federal Times, Public Manager• Athlete: Athlete: Used to be good at golf – 3rd in State
• Scholar: Scholar: Miami (OH) and UPenn• Gentleman: Gentleman: Likes Cats and Babies
Founder
Evolution
JAN 2009:Community
Leaders
JAN 2009:Community
Leaders
JAN 2008:Idea
Conceived
JAN 2008:Idea
Conceived
JUN 2009:10,000
Members
JUN 2009:10,000
Members
SEP 2009:20,000
Members
SEP 2009:20,000
Members
JUN 2008:GovLoop Launched
JUN 2008:GovLoop Launched
Passionate Federal
Employee
Passionate Federal
EmployeePresident,Build TeamPresident,Build Team
Recognized Need for More
Resources
Recognized Need for More
Resources
Passionate VolunteersPassionate Volunteers
Adding New Features
Adding New Features
Members
Obama Political Appointees
GSA Assistant Commissioner
Canada Deputy CTO
California CTO
40,00040,000 …and growing rapidly…and growing rapidly
40,00040,000 …and growing rapidly…and growing rapidly
30+ Federal CIOs
and CTOs
60+ State/Local
CIOs
125+ City Managers
500+ Contract
Specialists
Support“GovLoop.com is a great
community site for public servants.
It's pretty much their Facebook.”
– Craig NewmarkFounder of Craigslist.com
“GovLoop.com is a great community site for public servants.
It's pretty much their Facebook.”
– Craig NewmarkFounder of Craigslist.com
“New technologies and social networks such as GovLoop are great for cross-
agency collaboration and public-private
partnerships.”
- Beverly Godwin, GSA Director of USA.gov and Former White House Office of New Media
“New technologies and social networks such as GovLoop are great for cross-
agency collaboration and public-private
partnerships.”
- Beverly Godwin, GSA Director of USA.gov and Former White House Office of New Media
Accolades
Finalist: 2009 Intergovernmental
Solutions Award
HonoredHonored
FeaturedFeatured
All Kinds of Groups
All Kinds of Activities
All Kinds of Involvement
Incubation
Incubation
Incubation
Incubation
Public Service is Awesome
International
Growing Official Networks
What I’ve Learned about Community Building
• It’s REALLY REALLY Hard• Most people fail• There’s a talent/skill• Hard to be consistent• There’s a difference between
just doing it and doing it well• Many similar reasons to why conferences or
associations or magazines succeed/fail
New Medium, Same Human Desires
Everyone wants to see the new baby• Visiting in Person• Print photos• VHS videos• Online photos – Snapfish, Picasa• Facebook – Baby photos, videos• Skype Video
How to Engineer an Awesome Online Community
• Find a Great Topic• Stand for something• Treat everyone like a guest• Hustle hard • Remind remind• Make it easy• Monitor closely• Metrics metrics
What Problems are You Trying to Solve?
1.1. Grants CollaborationGrants Collaboration
2.2. Acquisition ResearchAcquisition Research
3.3. Employee Employee
CollaborationCollaboration
4.4. Partner CollaborationPartner Collaboration
5.5. Non-profit to Gov’tNon-profit to Gov’t
6. Decrease Citizen 6. Decrease Citizen
FAQsFAQs
7. Increase Innovation7. Increase Innovation
8. Increase Revenue8. Increase Revenue
9. Replicate Best 9. Replicate Best
PracticesPractices
10. ??? Tell Us?10. ??? Tell Us?
1.1.Join Today and LearnJoin Today and Learn
2.2.Ask for HelpAsk for Help
3.3.Volunteer to Be Community Volunteer to Be Community
LeaderLeader
What You Can Do?
Steve ResslerSteve ResslerPresident and [email protected]@GovLoop202 445 0084
Questions