Online Spatial Roundtable Forum Focuses on the Future of Government Services
Redlands, California-May 12, 2010-In the latest SpatialRoundtable.com discussion, ESRI industry solutions manager Christopher Thomas addresses the emerging trend of governments using Web 2.0 technology to improve service-Gov 2.0. Executives from all levels of government, as well as media and geographic information system (GIS) thought leaders, are engaged in a dynamic online conversation as they respond to Thomas’s question: "Can the GIS community provide a platform for engagement that empowers citizens?"
"Government needs to meet high expectation levels," says Thomas. "Citizens want to interact with their government online, and GIS is playing an important role in delivering these valuable Web services."
In his post, Thomas discusses the two kinds of Gov 2.0 enthusiasts he sees evolving. One group is more engaged in studying emerging technology, including cloud computing and crowd sourcing, while the other primarily sees Gov 2.0 as a movement to improve government. But a separate group-the largest group, he notes-comprises citizens who are generally unaware of Gov 2.0. In this environment, he sees GIS emerging as a key platform for delivering transparency and accountability that will ultimately help instill more trust in government.
Weigh in on the discussion at www.spatialroundtable.com.
About ESRI
Since 1969, ESRI has been giving customers around the world the power to think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS, ESRI software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments, more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities. ESRI applications, running on more than one million desktops and thousands of Web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone for the world’s mapping and spatial analysis. ESRI is the only vendor that provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and Internet platforms. Visit us at www.esri.com/news.