{"id":34050,"date":"2020-06-10T08:00:41","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T15:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ismarketing.wpengine.com\/?p=34050"},"modified":"2023-02-20T11:36:10","modified_gmt":"2023-02-20T11:36:10","slug":"trust-and-transparency-twin-keys-to-engaging-citizens-in-government-innovation-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideascale.com\/blog\/trust-and-transparency-twin-keys-to-engaging-citizens-in-government-innovation-initiatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Trust and Transparency: Twin Keys to Engaging Citizens in Government Innovation Initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Engagement matters, across all constituencies. Governments need the trust of their stakeholders to function. Such trust is built through transparency, in every sense. Both trust and transparency become especially important when pursuing an innovation strategy at the government level.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Transparency\/Trust Loop<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Transparency is fundamental to any government simply because good government represents all citizens. It is funded in various ways by those citizens through taxes, fees, and other costs. Most governments have disclosure rules and publicly accessible databases on the simple principle that if you pay for them. You have a right to it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

However, transparency is more than just making documents or data available. The perception of transparency is also important. If key records citizens want to consult every day are only available on paper in the attic of a government building with no parking, there will be no perception of transparency and rising suspicion of wrongdoing on the part of the government or someone employed by the government. Ease of access and simple procedures build both trust and transparency and work in a loop. The more citizens can see for themselves the honesty of their elected government, the more trust they have in it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Being Clear<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Innovation presents a new challenge, namely, using information that governments collect. As records are digitized and more accessible, constituents may wonder who’s looking at the data, and why. Especially in situations where some constituencies may be concerned about the impact of a certain innovation. This can come to the fore and detract from the trust.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Data handling is a good example. Some forms of data can be collected with little objection, such as a car counter placed at an intersection. As more potentially sensitive data becomes involved. However, trust may become an issue.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Good citizenship starts with trust.<\/em><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The best method to address this is to ensure that everyone knows that they’re being heard. Both government and their fellow citizens can easily find, understand, and incorporate what they have to say in their questions and concerns. Consider the following to build trust and transparency at the government level:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Building trust and transparency at the government level:<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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