Skip to content

Category: Insight

Communicating change and tech disruption to citizens

A few months ago, I delivered a talk at the 2018 FWD50 Conference on the topic of “Communicating Change and Tech Disruption to Citizens”.  The official description was as follows:

“Your role as communications and policy professionals in the public sector is growing with the need to improve transparency and accessibility, promote new and expanded digital services, safeguard reputation, and maintain public confidence. This session will explore the current state of global trust in technology and provide participants with possible approaches towards better communicating the value and importance of change and technology disruption, especially if it can lead to improved service delivery. Participants will be introduced to a social marketing/ behaviour change framework, which aims to move beyond “awareness building” and into attitude and behaviour change.”

How smart speakers and voice assistants are changing the game

It’s been six months now since I equipped my home with three Google Home Mini devices (one on each floor). As an audiophile, my reason for getting them was definitely not for use as speakers to play music (I have proper speakers for that), but rather as a test to see how far artificial intelligence (AI) driven voice-assistants have progressed. I also wanted to observe how this can affect day-to-day behaviours in a full household of five people (I have three kids under the age of five ).  While I am fully aware of the privacy issues these devices pose, I have already addressed my thoughts on the matter in this related post.

Why the Canadian Digital Service is a major milestone for Canada.

Over the course of the past two decades there have been numerous initiatives / movements relating to the Government of Canada and the digital space. I can see why it’s hard for people to get excited about yet another one. However, having worked as a management consultant (specializing in the digital channel) with nearly every federal department, I’m convinced the Canadian Digital Service (CDS) is a legitimate major milestone.