Politico’s Morning Tech reports that Federal CIO Vivek Kundra launched an updated version of the IT Dashboard today.  The updated site, which enables people to go online to view details and progress of federal information technology investments, will now feature more data feeds, more sophisticated search options and mobile access.

Kundra told Morning Tech the newly launched version allows agency officials to customize their IT investment portfolio in the same way an average consumer would customize a stock portfolio. And OMB can track how those officials perform. “You can slice and dice data by bureau, investment, line items and contracts,” Kundra said. “This helps us find problem areas across the government.”

These updates reflect the latest investments by the U.S. government in embracing technology for improving efficiency and transparency.  However, it is critical for the American public to have broadband to access this information, and a regulatory environment that is conducive for deployment and access is also therefore critical.

Click here for more NextGenWeb coverage of the important ways that government is embracing broadband to engage, innovate and ensure that information is just a click away.

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Two new websites announcements came out today as the federal government continues to take advantage of the benefits of broadband to improve communications both internally and externally.

The first is a social network for federal employees and contractors by the General Services Administration.  Word first got out on the site, dubbed “FedSpace,” earlier this year.  But today Hillicon Valley’s Guatham Nagesh shared updates on the progress of the site, due to go live in the fall, from an interview with GSA’s Associate Administrator David McClure:

McClure said FedSpace will have features from several networking sites, including Facebook-style profiles, blogs and a wiki so employees can share information. Rather than building the system from scratch, GSA is pulling elements from other federal programs so it can speed the launch. The pilot project will be hosted on the cloud, which McClure hopes will help prove that cloud applications are cheaper and easier to deploy.

The other announcement was the launch of Healthcare.gov, which went live today.  The site is managed by the Department of Health & Human Services and aims to help Americans become more informed about health insurance options.  Washington Post’s Ezra Klein applauded the site today:

…HealthCare.gov is live now, and it’s a slick, easy-to-use site, which may be the best thing out there for seeing both the public and private health-coverage options for people in your situation in your area. And the obvious advantage of starting the site this early is that there’s a lot of time for the tech team to play with it, improve it, and get comfortable with it before 2014, when it really needs to be working.

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Code for America (CFA) is turning to the ‘Web 2.0 generation,’ to help transform city governments across the United States.  In hopes of resolving the existing budget crisis facing so many American cities, and an impending retiring workforce, Code for America is connecting developers with city governments through a “Teach for America” like program.  This connection of technology savvy talent with more traditional government bodies, promises to be a big step forward in greater government efficiency, improved communications with constituents, capitalization on existing city data, and truly helping government to realize the benefits of broadband.

CFA recently announced their call for Fellows who have the skills and passion to make cities work better using technology.  NextGenWeb talked with CFA Founder Jennifer Pahlka and Washington, DC, Chief Technology Officer Bryan Sivak following their “Rethinking Cities” panel at Personal Democracy Forum.  Watch the interview below!

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As government agencies implement technologies that allow for increased collaboration and participation, a panel of experts at Personal Democracy Forum discussed how they see citizens acting more and more like customers.  And this means that government reciprocally is starting to act like a business.  But what does that entail?  Government needs to engage, offer customer service, and innovate.  And government can’t do that alone.  Here are some solutions:

Mark Bonchek sees prizes and challenges leading to improved crowdsourcing and collaboration.  He cited the  “Apps for Healthy Kids” contest inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama as one example.  He also noted the Department of Education’s http://Innovation.ed.gov as a collaboration model, as the site not only takes ideas, but also offers a multi-dimensional rating system, marketplace for resources, and currency for participation.

Gwynne Kostin, a thought leader on Gov 2.0 and Co-Director of the new Center for New Media & Citizen Engagement at the U.S. General Services Administration, advocated for the use of a scientific method in selecting government technologies.   This includes researching, hypothesizing, and testing.  However, she warned, “citizens don’t want to talk about open government plans, they want to talk about their issues.”

Norman Jacknis of Cisco’s IBSG Public Sector Group believes strongly in co-production of government services.  Since citizens are often closer to the experience of government programs, being on the receiving end, he believes they can be helpful in offering related information.

Tracy Russo leads new media initiatives for the Department of Justice.  She says that while new media is essential in moving government forward, it is a long-term battle to shift such institutions and the best thing we can start doing is building solid foundations that will grow beyond when she, or others, do in their current positions.

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So what does Gov 2.0 mean anyway, right?  It’s a pretty broad topic, as it refers to the integration of Internet technology and government. Some examples include opening up government data, government using social media, and government embracing cloud computing.

As broadband usage increases, so too does the demand for technology as a part of government.  Just a few of the benefits citizens see with Gov 2.0 technologies are increased efficiency, transparency, and collaboration between the public and government bodies.  The Gov 2.0 Expo, taking place here in Washington, DC, today through Thursday, will take an in depth look at how we might better implement and grow the use of technology to further realize these benefits.  Keynote addresses at the Expo, which include Director of Expert Labs Anil Dash, Founder of GIS leader ESRI Jack Dangermond, and the CTO of Health and Human Services Todd Park, will be available for livestream.  (And note that livestreaming can also be considered a Gov 2.0 technology when provided by government!)

Even if you can’t attend, follow Gov 2.0 thought leaders on Twitter via the conference hashtag #g2e, and you won’t miss a beat.

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“Shoot, when will I have time to swing by the courthouse to pay this parking ticket!”

“My driver’s license needs to be renewed already? I’m traveling for two weeks and can’t have it expire! What to do?”

These are just two examples of how government is utilizing broadband-enabled technologies to streamline processes that were once bureaucratic in nature. In lieu of standing in that dreadful hour-long line (if you’re lucky) at the Department of Motor Vehicles, many can have a renewed driver’s license – complete with a real time print out – mailed to your home through a few simple clicks of the mouse. Who wants to spend their lunch hour driving to the local courthouse to pay a parking ticket? No more. Now by simply entering the ticket number on a designated city website, speedy drivers can pay online – as quick as they drive!

Often referred to as eGov, the FCC is set to hold a hearing today on how these services should be integrated into the national broadband strategy due to President Obama next February. The potential is massive for virtually every aspect of how the government does business.

An FCC-led panel will evaluate how broadband can improve the performance and efficiency of government. Invited speakers will consider various ways all levels of government, as well as governments in other countries, have used broadband to improve performance.

We assume many of you will not be able to attend the hearing in person – fear not! You can register and follow along online by clicking here.

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