Subject 2 - Discussion 1
ITS 832: Information technology in a global economy
Chapter 1 - “Introduction to Policy-Making in the Digital Age”
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Introduction
Policy-making and implementation
Necessary to deal with societal problems
Policy interventions
Costly
Long-term implications
May affect large groups of people
Not easy to undo
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Complexity and uncertainty
Ongoing Process
Recognize issue as problem
Develop alternative course of action
Create or alter policy
Implement policy
Execute policy
Evaluate policy
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Policy cycle and stakeholders
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developments
New technology that affects policy process
Social media
Blogs
Open data
Freedom of information
Wisdom of the crowds
Open collaboration
Transparency in policy simulation
Agent-based simulation and hybrid modeling techniques
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Combining disciplines
New field is known by different names
ePolicy-making
Digital policy science
Computational intelligence
Digital science/Data science
Policy informatics
Multidisciplinary
Requires expertise from wide range of disciplines
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Summary
Policy-making is changing due to technology
Technology can help to develop more effective policy
Integrating technology requires substantial effort
Many types of technology
Requires different levels of expertise
All technology is not helpful for each situation
Emerging need for inter-disciplinary specialists
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ITS 832: Information technology in a global economy
Chapter 2 -Educating Public Managers and Policy Analysts
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Introduction
Educating Policy Managers and Policy Analysts
Two Practitioner Types
Policy informatics-savvy public manager
Policy information analyst
Needs addressed by two graduate programs
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Chapter Focus
Role of policy informatics in preparing practitioners
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Practitioner Orientations to Policy informatics
Two “ideal” types
Policy informatics-savvy public managers
Policy informatics analyst
Manager
Play important roles in implementation
Instrumental in using policy informatics project
Analyst
Execute policy informatics initiatives
Other Common Role Names
Analyst
Researcher
Modeler
Programmer
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Policy informatics-savVy managers
Many not need to
Build models
Analyze Big Data
Must be able to
Lead personnel who build models and manage bug data
Necessary competencies
Systems thinker
Process orientations to public policy
Research methodologies
Performance/financial management
Collaborative/communicative
Social media, IT, and e-Governance awareness
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Policy informatics analyst
Start with basic competencies of managers
System thinkers to place data and their analysis into context
Cognizant of current uses of decisions support systems to enable learning, performance and strategic planning
Posses awareness of e-governance and e-government initiatives
Capacity to understand policy systems
Additional necessary competencies
Advanced research methods of IT applications
Data visualizations and design
Programming skills
Modeling skills
Perhaps one of the most important
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Summary
Two types of practitioners
Managers
Analyst
Managers
Leadership Interacting with actors
Analysts
Technical skills
Responsible for executing requirements
Professional Masters Program
MPA – University of Vermont
MPP
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