Interactions - September/October 2009

tives, upload visualizations of the findings, and include links to the algorithm and data set used. Because the scientist controls his or her content on the site, they are more likely to contribute new information as their research grows. Surveys indicate that users find the site useful for staying up-to-date on their colleagues’ research. Users also report that they use the member-to-member messaging service to establish connections with potential collaborators. Like most websites, DASHlink continually evolves in response to its actual use.

Grassroots Change

The takeaways from our experience fit into three main ideas: agencies should foster grassroots efforts and not wait for broad policy change from above; working through individual projects is a productive way to shape new policy; and grassroots efforts are most effective if projects begin with a clear goal.

It is neither feasible nor advisable for government to hold off on embracing these technologies. As new generations join the ranks of civil servants and contractors, these tools will be brought in whether policy makers are ready or not. By starting as soon as possible, government will have time to adapt and create a more suitable and mutually beneficial work environment. Following on this idea, agency officials should view small, grassroots projects as opportunities to begin thinking about legal and security policy changes. With these real projects in mind, they may avoid making broad policy declarations that could hamper future develop-

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Ashok Srivastava (NASA), Bryan Matthews (Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies), and Dawn McIntosh (NASA) for their thoughtful reviews. We are grateful to Rob Padilla (NASA) and Matthew Linton (NASA) for sharing their experience and wisdom. Chris Fattarsi (ASANI Inc), David Kluck (Mission Critical Technologies), and Eric Titolo (Mission Critical Technologies) taught us a lot about the development process. This project was funded in part by the IVHM Project of NASA’s Aviation Safety Program.

ment of useful Web 2.0 systems and also understand the impact and benefit new technologies can have on workforce and operations.

The grassroots projects themselves should articulate definitive goals. In the world of Web 2.0 startups, it seems common to develop new technologies without a clear idea of their usefulness. This may work in Silicon Valley, but could be disastrous for government. Decision makers rightly feel a responsibility to shield taxpayer money from “schemes” and protect government resources from ill-considered risks. On the other hand, the government can minimize these risks. Government doesn’t need to invent new Web 2.0 tools or be the next Google— it just needs to use already proven tools.

Though Web 2.0 proponents in government should not wait for policy change from above, they should accommodate policy and legal considerations. At first the system of laws, government traditions, and public expectations may inhibit new technology adoption, but all of these are malleable. A willingness to work with policy makers and include them in the design process early on is more likely to yield meaningful policy changes than ignoring or resisting legal issues altogether. By nurturing a shared understanding of how new technologies can be used to achieve definitive goals, Web 2.0 leaders and policy makers can manage risks and develop creative technical and policy solutions together. Inevitably, these are risks that must be faced, benefiting everyone in the long run.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Francesca Barrientos is an
independent consultant in
design research and user-
centered design. Her
approach to user-centered
design is informed by her deep technical
background in several engineering disci-
plines. Barrientos is also a design methods
researcher and studied the work practice of
mission design engineering teams while
she was a research scientist at NASA Ames
Research Center. Prior to becoming a
researcher, she held several positions as a
software developer; she was also a
mechanical engineer. She holds a Ph.D. in
computer science and a B.S. in mechanical
engineering.

Elizabeth Foughty is a con-
tractor (MCT Inc.) at NASA
Ames Research Center.
Her background includes
Web design, project coor-
dination, and public affairs
work in politics and government. Foughty’s
social media expertise is of the first-hand
variety—as a Gen Y user who grew up
using these tools and as a designer and
implementer of Web 2.0 tools at NASA and
DARPA. She currently spends her days
putting her youthful idealism and tech
savvy to good use by working to create a
more open and tech friendly government.
She has co-authored papers and presenta-
tions for CHI 2009, Gilbane Boston, and the
NASA Program Management Challenge.
She holds a B.A. from Boston University.