The Society of Public Information Networks

@img@PROMOTING ELECTRONIC PUBLIC INFORMATION

At the core of the government's drive towards e-government by 2005 is the intention to improve the delivery of public services and, thereby, the quality of life of its citizens, to empower them and to deliver best value in the process.

Information is the key to all transactions; information that has integrity and is well managed will improve the efficiency and value of such transactions, be they internal or involving citizens. The right of the individual to access information that will help him or her make decisions and access services is acknowledged. It is also recognised that a large part of that information is held within government, at national or local level. It is crucial that this information is made easily available to the citizen in the most appropriate format for his or her needs - verbally, as hardcopy (book, leaflet, etc) or in a digital format.

The Society of Public Information Networks (SPIN) is dedicated to the effective development and use of Electronic Public Information (EPI) across multiple delivery channels. Our key aims are, by working with other national organisations, to represent and promote the joint interests of electronic public information providers in the UK, act as a forum for ideas and advice for those who use, or intend to use, EPI technologies and to encourage their advancement.

Membership
SPIN has over 300 members across the UK including local authorities, devolved administrations, health agencies, libraries, museums, central government departments, voluntary organisations and private-sector companies. All are involved in disseminating or exchanging information with the public, as well as with staff in their own organisations.

SPIN members, whether as users or suppliers, embrace all types of EPI technologies - Internet, intranet, extranet, multimedia, kiosks, CD-ROM, cable TV, digital interactive TV, smartcards, e-commerce, WAP, G3 and more. As important as the technologies are the human and cultural issues and the interaction between the users and online services. SPIN is focused on making the user the centre of the e-government agenda and in helping its membership deliver services that put the user first.

Our members come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of experience, ideas and innovation into the e-government agenda. They work with new and emerging technologies, and increasingly work out the policies and strategies that will make the delivery of the technologies more effective. SPIN is an organisation of doers - people who are developing, applying and implementing the e-government at ground level. Members are aware of the many complex issues involved with the technologies, the need to join up and work together, and the importance of managing cultural change.

Information management - policies, strategies, standards, guidelines
The SPIN membership has extensive experience of developing the policies, strategies and plans that are so important if technologies are to be used in the most effective and user-centred way. Information policies, information strategies, content plans, content strategies, knowledge frameworks and communities of practice are all key elements of a comprehensive information-management policy and strategy. Quality of information, content and knowledge is key to our members' work and there is an absolute commitment to ensuring that information should be current, relevant and accurate.

Our members have also been involved in the development of standards and guidelines and have been widely involved in the national discussion and debate on the development of e-government through a variety of forums.

Community of practice
SPIN members themselves constitute a powerful community of practice, and the organisation acts as a people network through which questions, queries, issues, ideas and answers flow. Our activities are the result of joined-up working and thinking by a diverse group of people located in a range of organisations throughout the UK. This practical application of joined-up work proves its worth to the members and helps them to deliver joined-up and partnership working in their own organisations.

SPIN works through mailing lists, e-bulletins, EPI magazine, the Internet, workshops and conferences. The formal network using electronic communication and the informal network that brings people together provides a mixed forum, which is helping to both implement and shape the e-government agenda.

As an organisation we are able to respond effectively to national consultation exercises by building on our strong links with both national decision-makers and the practitioners on the ground.

Engaging the end-user
Over and above the implementation of appropriate technologies and the delivery of EPI is the challenge of actually engaging the end-user. While great inroads have been made in certain sectors, and while access to the Internet and the take-up of broadband increases, it is becoming increasingly evident that there is resistance to, or an inability to use, EPI on the part of many of our citizens. The factors behind this are as multifarious as the needs and problems that our citizens face, and it is becoming more and more important not just to make EPI available, but to tackle these underlying factors, which among others include education, environment, health and social care, and financial difficulties.

Organisations such as SPIN are well positioned, as an interface between government and the citizen, to understand the challenges faced both by citizens and the organisations they individually represent. They also have frontline 'hands-on' expertise in engaging citizens and using innovative and effective means of delivery. The contribution of organisations such as ours in the development and delivery of the government's policies is a vital one. Our members have first-hand experience of the challenges, successes and rewards of delivering EPI, and an understanding of the long- or short-term impact that decisions can have on the lives of its citizens.

Into the future
Since its establishment 16 years ago SPIN has continued to grow and develop, and its membership has collectively moved from an era of videotext and paper-based communications to an age of electronic information, the Internet, satellite communications and mobile phones with video messaging. The speed of scientific change continues to accelerate and new demands are made on both the technologies and the people.

A key part of our mission is to help members keep pace with change, learn and share the experiences and lessons from the past and create systems and services today that will help build the future. And an important element in this will be to ensure that the focus is clearly on the user and that the users receive the electronic information and services that they want, when they want them and in a format they want.

SPIN looks forward to working with its partners, through its members, and with all the people and organisations that are working to implement electronic service delivery. The common thread through all our past and future activity is quite simply to unleash technology in order to empower people.

For further information, write to info@spin.org.uk

Supplied by courtesy of Danny Budzak, Chair, The Society of Public Information Networks (SPIN)