WRITTEN ON October 18th, 2007 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Ideal Goverment - project, What do we want?

Do we have the vision to fix this Transformational-Direct-Gov old-socialist “Age of Change” IT strategy, with its centralising plans for health, identity management and children? We’ve pushed since the first Ideal Gov presentation the ideas of quick wins, co-creation or co-governance and a foundation of trust. People respond well, especially when it’s presented with levity and inspiring examples, but don’t pay any attention. It’s a long journey, I get frustrated and make criticisms that probably offend people (but some of the things that happen are just beyond the pale).

We have to find a way to assert that our e-enabled human civilisation is not a subset of criminal justice. We will have to reclaim our on-line identities, reputations and biometrics. We need to manage our own health information and resources in a proper professional relationship with our GPs, and to look after our own children with the help of schools, medical and social services if necessary – even law enforcement – and help them grow up to look after their own information, identities and reputation in an e-enabled world.

We have to accept the starting position of this NewLabour/Accenture-controllist statement of what government intends to do to us. Connecting for Health, the ID System and ContactPoint are without doubt well-intentioned; they may or may not be feasible but they are in important respects profoundly undesirable in spirit. The “Ideal Government” response is to practice saying what we want from government for a just and peaceful e-enabled society. This is based on a devolved human vision, respect for people’s dignity, rights and desires, empathy for the needy and the best formal processes of service design.

Meanwhile, this week I found out more about a specific project that could deliver the technical architecture which could make an “Ideal Government” counterculture visible and practical. More anon.