The registry will have 2 parts. The public facing site on USA.gov (or gobiernousa.gov for Spanish speakers) will allow you to paste in the URL of a social media account. You’ll then get a quick message letting you know whether the site has been registered or not.  Over on Howto.gov there will be a site for federal agencies to register their official social media outlets which can include accounts from elected officials, heads of agencies and cabinet members. Anyone with a .gov or .mil email address and a valid phone number will be able to update or add a record in the registry.

The registry will provide a resource for teachers, libraries, members of the media and anyone else to be sure what they are sharing with people is an actual credible source. This will also benefit agencies by creating a central place for each to keep track of social media accounts.

For all you techies that are wondering, the site was built using Ruby on Rails and the source code will be available on github. An API is available with documentation to allow developers to create their own lookup tools and widgets.

I was lucky enough to have attended an overview presentation and demo of the registry presented by the project team and hosted by GSA’s DigitalGov University. Here are some screenshots of the test site that was presented.

 

Health Systems Specialist – Dept of Veterans Affairs  (GS-0761-14)
Located in Washington, DC
Note: Only open to VA employees.
Duties:

• Manage multiple intranet and internet web projects and initiate and develop web-based policies.

• Use tools, software, and processes to develop and promote websites and social media sites such as Sharepoint,  Dreamweaver, Facebook, Twitter, and the VA’s Enterprise Content Management System (Teamsite);
• Interpret and apply Federal regulations and implement guidelines for website and social media management.
• Provide support to health care management officials by analyzing, evaluating, advising on, and coordinating the posting of data on VHA websites.
• Prepare responses for the Director’s signature for reports from VA and non-VA sources.

Apply here by 1/17/2012.

IT Specialist (INET) – Smithsonian Institution (IS-2210-11/12)
Located in Washington, DC
Duties:

• Develops innovative and interactive web sites, working with all departments within TSA, Office of the Chief Information Officer staff, and Smithsonian educators to craft a coherent new media vision consistent with TSA’s goals.  
• Collaborates with designers, educators, and other museum and IT professionals to create attractive, engaging, and accessible content (making content accessible via screen readers and other devices used by individuals with disabilities), taking the lead in all informational technology, design, and educational interactive content matters.  
• Oversees and provides recommendations in all technical and design issues related to the specifications of the website design and implementation, including how content is interpreted for Web audiences via the use of multimedia and mobile devices.  
• Ensures that all technical, design, and content aspects of the website function effectively and consistently.  

Apply here by 1/13/2012.

Technical Information Specialist (Social Media) – Food and Drug Administration (GS-1412-14)
Located in Silver Spring, MD
Duties:

• The Social Media Manager will implement the Agency’s New Media Strategy, developing brand awareness, generating inbound traffic and encouraging product adoption. This role coordinates with the internal Marketing and PR teams to support their respective missions, ensuring consistency in voice and cultivating a social media referral network.
• Implement the social media strategy, coordinating with stakeholders across the Agency to ensure its effectiveness and encouraging adoption of relevant social media techniques into the corporate culture and into all of the company’s products and services .
• Work with the Product development team to ensure social media tools (for ex. FB connect, Sharing buttons) are kept up to date
• Manage social media campaigns and day-to-day activities. Duties include online advocacy, writing editorial, community-outreach efforts, promotions, etc.
• Manage presence in social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, and other similar community sites, posting on relevant blogs, and seeding content into social applications as needed.
• Become an advocate of the Company in social media spaces, engaging in dialogues and answering questions where appropriate.
• Manage a Blogger outreach program and build an active brand ambassador network to spread the word about the Company.
• Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize results.
• Regularly feed back insights gained from social media monitoring into the Marketing and Editorial teams, to help them evolve their strategies in a timely fashion.

Apply here by 1/18/2012.

Social Media Manager – Dept. of State (GS-1001-14)
Located in Washington, DC
Duties:

• Serves as the manager of IIP social media efforts in languages such as Arabic, Persian, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, and English for international audiences, with responsibility for overseeing a staff of social media and language experts who use social medial platforms (e.g., blogs, web chats, Twitter feeds, Facebook, etc.) to engage directly with young foreign audiences on key themes that advance U.S. foreign policy objectives; and coordinates the overall direction and quality of web engagement efforts developed by staff and determines appropriate platforms for target audiences.
• Establishes monitors, and analyzes performance measures and reports to Office Director on social media.  Tracks and monitors available statistical data, including site traffic, hash tags, trending topic, etc., to identify networks and discussion points likely to attract the target audience and generate the highest degree of participation; and analyzes social media trends and uses that analysis to improve messaging strategies.  Researches new area of web communication and advises senior staff on social media platforms, trends, tactic and techniques.
• Consults with top management, field posts and Office Directors to analyze their needs and propose ways to use social medial to help them communicate more effectively in these forums; and organizes staff to ensure that target needs are met.
• Plans work to be accomplished and sets priorities for subordinates based upon workload and abilities.

Apply here by 1/19/2012.

Senior Web Editor (Urdu) – Broadcasting Board of Governors (GS-1001-13)
Located in Washington, DC
Duties:

• Participates with management in the development and strategic planning of site content design and multimedia products and social media platforms.
• Oversees the creation and management of the production process of web content on the live site; re-purposing/creating text, digital and audio production and graphics creation/selection. Guides Web Team in finding appropriate photos, illustrations, audio, video and Internet links to add depth of knowledge to individual reports. Exercises sound editorial judgment in producing multimedia reports for a fast-paced, live news website. Maintains and promotes presence on all social media platforms.
• Maintains familiarity with diverse fields related to web development for the complex, database driven website of a broadcast news organization. Commands a comprehensive array of skills, including user-centered design, information presentation and visual design. Keeps abreast of new developments in the Internet/video technology and social media industry.
• Provides the Urdu Service guidance in and is responsible for the production values and aesthetic quality of the production and implements improvements to the website and social media platforms.
• Prepares reports on Urdu Internet programming activities, including language service Internet profiles, annual Program Review notes and website analytic reports.
• Reviews and evaluates news sources and developments to identify items for coverage and necessary updates. Assists the Service Chief in meeting changing circumstances and ensures that specific responsibilities are delegated to those best qualified.
• Suggests and implements innovation to increase the effectiveness of the Urdu Service’s website, multimedia products and social media platforms. Proposes and executes new projects to make the Service’s Internet presence more competitive.

Apply here by 1/24/2012.

 You may have a different name for it (like screen capture, dump, or grab) but in its simplest form a screenshot is just an image taken of what is currently on your computer screen.  Most often, you’ll also want to markup the image and share it with someone else.  There are tons of tools out there that make taking screenshots quick and easy, but most of these require extra software licenses or downloads.  Since it can sometimes be tough for us govies to get approval to buy or install these types of apps I’d like to point out a quick and easy screenshot tool that you may already have on your computer, Microsoft OneNote. 

Microsoft OneNote comes installed with the Office suite of applications so, it may already be on your gov. PC as part of the standard configuration.  OneNote is billed as a note-taking and information management program.  Part of its functionality includes the ability to take partial and full screenshots.  You can then mark them up using drawing tools similar to what is found in other Microsoft applications and easily share the screenshots with your team. 

Taking a screenshot with OneNote is super simple.  First, open OneNote so the icon displays in your task bar.  If you’re not a regular user of OneNote, just close it.  It’ll remain open in the background.  This activates the screen capture shortcut for OneNote.  Pressing the Windows Key + S is the quickest way to take a screenshot.  The screen will turn a translucent white and you can use the mouse to create a box around the area you want to capture. 

 As soon as you release your mouse button, OneNote it will automatically save and file the capture as an Unfiled Note.  Then you can move it to a current Notebook or create a new one.  If you’d simply like to copy the capture to your clipboard, there’s a setting for that.  Just right click on the OneNote icon in your system tray and change the Screen Clipping Default setting.

I love that OneNote automatically saves the URL from the website you captured and displays it under the image.   You can also really quickly add any sort of notes the capture where ever you like.  I added the highlighted information in the capture below.  Hint: Hold down the ALT key if you don’t want to snap your markup to the grid. 

Once you’ve grabbed your screenshot it’s really easy to share.  You can save the notebook to your SharePoint portal, create a LiveSharing session with a team mate on-the-spot, start a new email with your screenshot in the body (CTRL+Shift+E), send it over to use in Word, save it as a .pdf (or other file types) and lots more.  Look under the Share and File menus on OneNote to explore your options.

OneNote has a ton of other great features and lots more you can do with screen captures that I didn’t cover here.  I’d highly recommend checking it out and playing around to see how it can help you simply your work share with your team more easily.

Download this post as a .pdf for quick reference here.

There is currently a wide variety of “apps” available for use which are listed on GSA’s Apps.gov site.  The apps are categorized and include blog, wiki, mapping, and analytics tools.  Looking at the list, some definitely seem more “social” that other but you won’t hear me complaining.

Here’s the quick and dirty on how to get started:

1. Go to Apps.gov to find a free app
2. Click the Enroll button once you find the app you’re interested in
3. Fill out the short request form to include a brief justification on how you intend to use the tool (Note: You’ll need to have a GSA Advantage! Account to do this, which can be easily created on the spot)
4. There, you’re done.  Next you’ll get an email from your agency POC after the request has been evaluated.  Your agency POC can tell you if your agency is already using the product or service; if there’s a signed Terms of Service in place; and how you can coordinate efforts within your agency.  You can find your Agency POC here or just look at the box on the right hand side at the top of the request form and your POC will be listed.

Be sure and also check out the handy-dandy FAQs page GSA put together specifically for TOS questions.  It includes guidance on what to do for state or local agencies and other common questions.

Examples could include: accessing real-time weather data and maps, looking up product recalls with a barcode #, locating a nearby government facility, getting evaluation ratings about a health care professional, etc.  (As one example, see NASA:  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/iphone/spaceimages/).

They are looking for apps that have already developed, as well as those that are under development and may be available in the next several weeks.

GSA has put together a very simple survey (just a few Qs) to make it easier for you to share what you have, and later share it with everyone:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/92DYQWP

At this time, they only need to collect data on FEDERAL apps.  But if you’re a state or local agency and have something great to share, feel free to share it as well.

They do have quick turnaround to collect the data, so please respond no later than COB this Wednesday, March 3.

This is a great opportunity to GSA about new, innovative tools you’ve created that make it easier for people to access key government information and services — no matter where they’re located.

Bill and John worked together with a team of more than 70 graduate students to examine 75 major public initiatives – both great successes and monumental failures.  They looked for patterns and sought to ID universal characteristics of large public undertakings and found that nearly all public sector initiatives follow a predictable path and face a set of common challenges.  From this they were able to ID a series of “traps” that define most failures and point to why some signature government initiatives succeed where others fail. The result is basically a guide to making government work better.

Register for this event:

Getting Big Things Done in Government
Book launch: Wednesday, November 18^th, 2009 from 6p – 8p
Bloggers roundtable 4:30p – 5:30p
Register at http://www.govexec.com/specialevent/

Additional Resources:

Andrew Krzmarzick, over at GovLoop, interviewed Mr. Eggers to gain more insight on the inspiration for the book and target audience.  Here the interview here.

And be sure to RSVP for tomorrow’s event on GovLoop.

More about the book, including press coverage, reviews and a great chapter-by-chapter guide.

Find the book at Harvard Business Publishing.

Hear a podcast interview with Eggers.

OhMyGov recently spoke with Stanley Gray, the USDA’s
director of e-training, about this new idea and how it is coming along.

[Read More on OhMyGov]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently posted a job announcement for a Public Affairs Specialist focusing in Social Media.  The person in this position will serve as the Media Coordinator and will be responsible for creating blogs and other social media content for the CPSC.  The salary starts at $86k with a duty location of Bethesda, MD.  Any US citizen can apply.  The deadline is Oct. 20th.  See the full announcement on USA Jobs for more information.

The CPSC has already gotten its feet wet in the new media arena with presences on Twitter, Flickr, and Youtube.

Last week (Aug. 26-27,2009) the Potomac Forum held a symposium on social networking tools and new media in the government.  Many great Gov 2.0 project were showcased here including many projects on the White House’s Open Government Innovations Gallery.  Highlights include presentations on OMB’s Max Wiki, Diplopedia from the Dept. of State, NASA’s Spacebook, and the TSA Idea Factory.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend.  Luckily, there was some great coverage around the web on this event (including video!).  I’ve pulled together some great resources here for anyone else who was unable to attend or just wants a recap.

• Full agenda
• Video from C-SPAN (Aug. 26)
  • AM Session Part 1
  • AM Session Part 2
  • PM Session Part 1
  • PM Session Part 2
• Liveblogging – Done by Robin Paoli on Govloop
• Tweets – Archive of #pfgov tweets on Twapper Keeper, courtesy of @sjsanford