COLLABORATION SOLUTIONS TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT

AGENCIES FIND A LOT TO LIKE IN COLLABORATION TOOLS

COLLABORATION: A BROADENING OF HORIZONS

BUDGET CUTS DRIVE SURGE IN WEBCASTS

SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIONS REQUIRE MORE THAN GOOD TOOLS

AGENCIES INVEST IN FUTURE OF COLLABORATION

P2 P5 P8 P10 P12

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RESEARCH REPORT

COLLABORATION SOLUTIONS TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT

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Skepticism about the benefits of collab-oration software is giving way to enthusi-asm, as agencies discover opportunities to save money and to improve the flow of information across their organizations and with outside stakeholders.

There was a time when many government managers, like their private sector counterparts, were skeptical about the value of collaboration tools.

In theory, one could see the potential benefits of enabling employees to interact online in new ways, rather than relying on e-mail, phone calls and face-to-face meetings. Some technologies have always been seen as promising, such as video-conferencing, because it enables people to meet “face-to-face” without the need for travel, and web conferencing, which allows people to make presentations, share and collaborate on documents and interact securely.

But what about social media, wikis, forums and other tools? In the past, many managers questioned whether collaboration tools would really improve productivity or simply distract workers from the work at hand.

That perception clearly is changing. A recent survey conducted by the 1105 Government Information Group found that federal, state and local government officials have a clear sense of why collaboration tools are a good investment.

Asked to rate the importance of potential benefits to their agencies, more than half of respondents rated eight different benefits as “very important.” Leading the way is the ease with which people can share information across an organization (rated “very important” by 73 percent of respondents), followed closely by “quicker dissemination of information” (68 percent).

The survey results also show that collaboration is not just convenient but in some cases also actionable. Fifty-nine percent of respondents highlighted the value of using collaboration tools for real-time communications, whether during emergencies or in other situations when

AGENCIES FIND A LOT TO LIKE IN COLLABORATION TOOLS

Enterprise-wide info sharing 73%

Quicker info dissemination 68%

Interagency info sharing 60%

Interactive info sharing 59%

Real-time communications 59%

Improve team decision-making 57%

Reduce operating/capital expenditures 54%

Reach broader audience 51%

Improve internal processes 45%

Agencies ready to put collaboration to work% of respondents indicating a given potential benefit is “very important” to their agency

Source: 1105 Government Information Group Research Study


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time is of essence. And 57 percent also appreciate how such tools can help a team reach decisions or complete their work in a timely fashion (see sidebar).

Even social networking tools, which once were seen primarily as marketing tools, are being recognized as legitimate business applications, experts say.

“In these few short years, social technology has evolved from simply another ‘new media’ platform to an increasingly important business tool, with wide-ranging capabilities,” according to analysts with the McKinsey Global Institute, writing in a recent report titled “The Social Economy: Unlocking Value and Productivity.”

Much of the value of those technologies comes from improving communications and collaborations “within and across enterprises,” they write. “By adopting these organizational technologies, we estimate that companies could raise the productivity of knowledge workers by 20 to 25 percent.”

Asked to identify the relative importance of different objectives, respondents gave the edge to “Ability to cut down on in-person meetings,” followed by “Enabling e-learning and remote training opportunities” (see graph). But the impetus for buying collaboration tools varies somewhat among federal, state and local agencies.

For example, state and local agencies are most interested in supporting online learning, while many federal civilian agencies are looking to support interaction with teleworkers. For defense agencies, two objectives are especially important: Cutting down on in-person meetings and the ability to support cooperation with other organizations.

Agencies increasingly are learning how to align their use of collaboration tools with the particular nature of their work. The Department of Veterans Affairs is a case in point.

The department has two major challenges: Supporting employees who work in facilities scattered across the country and exchanging information with the public, specifically service-members and veterans and their families. Web-based collaboration and social media tools address both challenges, according to a June 2011 directive, which established policy on the use of these tools.

The directive identified six primary benefits for the VA:• Quick dissemination of information.• Broad reach to vast networks and super-networks of

users.• Targeted reach to veterans/service-members,

employees, volunteers, etc. • Better collaboration between the VA and the public.• Better dialogue between VA and IT developers.• Expansion of real-time communications, particularly

during a crisis.To an extent such uses of collaboration tools are likely

to reduce e-mail traffic, as communications is shifted to more effective media, be it instant messaging, web conferencing or online forums. But don’t expect a big decrease.

The new generation of tools is more likely to “augment traditional collaboration,” rather than supplant it, said Vanessa Thompson, an analyst focused on enterprise

Cut down on in-person meetings 21%

Support online learning 19%

Cooperate with other organizations 18%

Improve work with teleworkers 17%

Lower cost of cross-organization collaboration 16%

Streamline decision-making processes 9%

Online collaboration tools objectivesMean scores of how respondents allocated 100 points across each of the following possible objectives for use of collaboration tools



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social networks and collaborative technology at IDC Government.

Many organizations are especially interested in tools that provide real-time collaboration, such as web conferencing, said Philipp Karcher, an analyst with Forrester Research. “People recognize its value for quick exchanges, as opposed to e-mail,” he said.

In many cases, agencies that start experimenting with collaboration tools will discover even more uses than they originally envision.

At this point, there is probably an online tool for nearly every type of collaboration that goes on within organizations. But most tools in use at agencies generally fall in these categories.

• Micro-blogs• Online brainstorming• Photo-sharing• Video-sharing• Third-party social networking• Wikis• Agency-specific social networking• Webinars• Communities/forums

Popular types of collaboration tools


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Agencies apparently are encouraged with the results they have seen of their early collaboration initiatives. A survey shows that during the next two years, those initiatives are likely to be expand-ed to reach more users and to address a broader range of tasks.

While many government agencies are still in the early phase of adopting online collaboration tools, they are beginning to appreciate the new possibilities that these tools provide, according to a recent survey of IT professionals at federal, state and local agencies.

The survey, conducted earlier this year by the 1105 Government Information Group, found that many collaboration initiatives are expected to expand during the next two years, both in terms of the number of users involved and the range of tasks supported. Clearly, agencies that have had an opportunity to work with these tools have liked what they have seen and are looking to capitalize on what they have learned.

In terms of raw numbers of users, the survey found that, on average, that collaboration tools are being used by 56 percent of an agency’s employees, up from 36 percent two years ago. Two years from now, that number is expected to reach 71 percent (see chart).

Agencies also are becoming more sophisticated in their use of these tools. Typically, organizations make their first foray into online collaboration by setting up online forums or communities of interest, before trying more advanced applications, such as wikis, social networking and video sharing.

But only 30 percent of respondents said their agencies were still in the first phase of collaboration, which suggests that the vast majority of agencies have seen

enough to know there is much more that can be done (see sidebar, page 6).

The increased interest is not just a matter of agencies coming around to see the value of collaboration tools. It’s also a function of IT professionals having an opportunity to sharpen their social business skills, according to a recent report from IDC Government Insights.

“As social business skills are becoming well honed, the value of this collaborative technology is maturing, especially when used as an enabler of open transparent government and to facilitate the government mission of service delivery,” the report states.

A collaboration strategy might be depicted as a series of concentric circles. Most organizations begin at the inner-most circle, facilitating collaboration among employees working in a particular office or division. The next steps, moving outward, are to enable employees to work with their counterparts in other divisions, in other agencies,

COLLABORATION: A BROADENING OF HORIZONS

Five years ago 20%

Two years ago 36%

Currently 56%

Two years from now 71%

Collaboration on the riseAverage % percentage of agency employees regularly using online collaboration tools



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and then with stakeholders outside government, such as contractors, communities of interest and finally the general public.

Many agencies are looking to take some big steps outward from the center, the survey found. For example, 80 percent of respondents said that within two years their agencies likely would be using online collaboration tools to enable interagency work, compared to just 60 percent now. Likewise, 76 percent said that tools would be used to collaborate without contractors or consultants, compared to 64 percent now (see chart).

However, the more that collaboration initiatives expand, the more challenging they become to manage. Survey results indicate that some agencies might need to revisit their management strategies before tackling bigger projects.

For example, only 33 percent of respondents said that their agencies are able to track progress toward short- and long-term goals on their collaboration initiatives. Another 41 percent said this was somewhat true, while 26 percent it was not the case at all.

Likewise, only 32 percent said that the leadership roles and

responsibilities had been clearly defined for their collaboration teams, while nearly the same percent said it was not true at all (see chart).

If agencies are struggling somewhat, it is certainly

Co-workers in same divisionCurrently ....... 85%In two years .. 89%

Co-workers in other divisionsCurrently ....... 77%In two years .. 85%

Employees in other agenciesCurrently ....... 60%In two years .. 80%

Outside consultants/contractorsCurrently ...... 64%In two years .. 76%

Communities of interestCurrently ....... 42%In two years .. 62%

The general publicCurrently ....... 18%In two years .. 35%

Agencies extend their reach% of respondents whose agencies use or plan tools to collaborate with the following groups


Officials at the National Archives and Records Administration don’t need to be sold on the value of collaboration.

In January 2012, they launched a social media-based Internal Collaboration Network designed to serve agency staff working at more than 40 facilities nationwide. The initial feedback was positive, and NARA officials have high hopes about the future of the project.

“Over the next two years, we will continue to explore ways to facilitate greater collaboration and knowledge sharing through the ICN,” officials wrote in the June 2012 Open Government Plan. “By training staff and building their skill sets with online communication and collaboration tools, we will strengthen employee engagement and empower our employees to transform NARA’s culture.”

Here is just a sampling of the capabilities that NARA officials would like to provide employees:

• Contacts: For identifying other users as “friends,” to track their activity on selected areas, and communicate easily back and forth.

• Personal blogs: For broadcasting information such as writing about job functions, tasks, projects, etc.

• Status updates: For sharing information with everyone on the network or just with designated groups.

• Social bookmarking: For sharing items of interest both on the network and outside of it.

• Rating: For assigning value to information on the network.

• Polling: For asking co-workers to vote and/or provide text-based feedback on preferred options.

Source: NARA

NARA thinks big


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understandable. Given the rapid evolution of collaboration technology, any large organization is bound to find itself behind the curve, at least for a while.

“The social web is changing user expectations,” according to the IDC Government Insights report, “and this, coupled with the highly connected and rapidly changing global business environment, is forcing agencies to be more innovative in order to meet these changing demands.”

Collaboration: Leadership needed% of respondents who say the following statements describe their agencies’ collaboration initiatives

Progress toward goals can be tracked

Describes completely ..... 33%

Describes somewhat....... 41%

Not at all ............................ 26%

Leadership roles clearly identified



Not at all ............................ 31%

Roles of participants clearly identified



Not at all ............................ 29%

Short- and long-term goals clearly defined



Not at all ............................ 31%

Agreement on collaboration process put in writing



Not at all ............................ 33%



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In recent years, an increasing number of government agencies have turned to webcasts as a cost-effective way to reach a broader audience than typically attends in-person events. With the latest round of budget cuts, the potential sav-ings that come with webcasts are more important than ever.

Sometimes collaboration is a matter of invention, but at other times a matter of necessity.

A recent survey of IT professionals in federal, state and local government shows reveals high interest in a wide range of collaboration applications. In fact, more than 40 percent of respondents identified eight different collaboration tools as “very valuable” to their agency (see chart).

It should come as no surprise that webinars topped the list. In recent years, with all the uncertainty surrounding the budget, numerous agencies have been experimenting with webinars as either an extension of or alternative to in-person events.

Webinars do not provide the same networking opportunities as traditional events, but they do offer a much more cost-effective way to provide government officials with a forum to make presentations and interact with the audience through voice, messaging or chat functions. Now with sequestration, such economies have become more important than ever.

For example, when the Department of Navy decided to cancel the DON IT Conference originally scheduled to be held in Virginia Beach, DON CIO Terry Halvorsen said that his office would host several of the conference sessions through Defense Connect Online (DCO), a secure virtual meeting tool accessible, via a Common Access

Card, to DOD service-members, employees and partners.In fact, in February the Defense Information Systems

Agency, which manages DCO, announced it would double the capacity of the service.

“DCO has recently experienced unprecedented growth and now boasts more than 800,000 registers users,” according to the DISA statement. “This growth was accelerated by the DOD-wide effort to cut travel and conference expenses, and now more DOD users are using DCO to conduct online meetings and training.”

Webinars have become especially popular as a way for agencies to share information with industry about upcoming procurements. The online format makes it

BUDGET CUTS DRIVE SURGE IN WEBCASTS

Webinars 69%

Video sharing 64%

Forums 52%

Brainstorming 47%

Photo sharing 45%

Microblogs 44%

What agencies value% of respondents whose agencies rate the following collaboration tools as “very valuable”



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possible to engage with a much larger audience than might attend a live “industry day” event.

Typically, agencies have added a webcast component to expand the reach of a live event, rather than replacing the live event altogether. That’s the approach the Customs and Border Protection is taking with a series of industry day events this year.

According to a December 2012 request for information on webcast services, CBP anticipates having between 200 and 500 registered users view the live webcast, with an archived version available to approved registrants for seven days after the event.

But now that uncertainty about the budget has been replaced with the spending constraints of sequestration, perhaps more agencies will choose to go the online-only route, as NASA did with its 2012 Executive Summit.

The “event” featured a series of live sessions, held via Adobe Connect, as well as virtual community discussions, messaging, and pre-recorded videos that participants could view and comment on. According to an article published in NASA’s IT Talk newsletter, agency officials estimate that they saved approximately $750,000 in travel expenses. The summit also provided an opportunity to expose NASA officials to new technologies.

“One of the goals of the Virtual Summit was to take advantage of the technology that allowed for distance learning, messaging and virtual interaction without it actually being the focus,” according to the newsletter.


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Collaboration does not happen in a vacuum. Agencies that provide their em-ployees with collaboration tools without addressing larger organizational issues are setting themselves up for failure. Our survey suggests some agencies might learn that lesson the hard way.

Without a doubt, it is essential to select the right technology for a collaboration initiative –essential but not sufficient.

Instead, organizations need to approach collaboration holistically, thinking not just about the tools but also related policies, processes and funding strategies. Otherwise, the best technology on the market can only do so much.

Unfortunately, a recent survey of IT professionals in federal, state and local government suggests that many agencies have yet to learn this difficult lesson.

As might be expected, funding and staffing are prominent concerns. Only 33 percent of respondents said that collaboration work at their agency has been adequately funded and staffed. Another 37 percent said this was somewhat true, while 30 percent said it was not true at all.

The results were similar when asked as a more nuanced question: Do those initiatives include relevant participants who were able to commit resources from their organization? Thirty-three percent said that describes the situation completely, while 40 percent said it somewhat describes it somewhat and 27 percent said it doesn’t describe it at all (see chart).

In short, it’s a question of buy-in. Is the organization committed to supporting collaboration? Is it providing the right tools to the right people for the right job?

Philipp Karcher, an analyst with Forrester Research, said it often comes down to getting buy-in from managers – getting them to use the tools, understand their value and

SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATIONS REQUIRE MORE THAN GOOD TOOLS

The culture question% of respondents who say the following statements describe collaboration initiatives at their agencies

Collaboration tools provided

Describes completely: ......54%

Describes somewhat: .......26%

Not at all: ............................20%

Agency culture supports collaboration

Describes completely: .....38%Describes somewhat: .......38%Not at all: ............................24%

Initiatives adequately funded, staffed

Describes completely: .....33%


Not at all: ............................30%

Relevant participants/resources included

Describes completely: .....33%


Not at all: ............................27%



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convince others to use them as well.“It’s about finding champions in the organization

to push adoption, and making sure there is the right training,” Karcher said.

An organization’s culture also factors into this, said Vanessa Thompson, an analyst with IDC Government Insights who specializes in enterprise social networks and collaborative technology. People who work in organizations with a traditional hierarchical culture might find it takes a while to become comfortable with a more collaborative work process.

Analysts at the McKinsey Global Institute reached the same conclusion. In their report, “The Social Economy: Unlocking Value and Productivity through Social Technologies,” they emphasize the importance of networking in terms of both technology and behavior.

In theory, collaboration technology could improve the productivity of knowledge workers by as much as 20 to 25 percent, they write. “However, realizing such gains will require significant transformation in management practices and organizational behavior.”

The survey results indicate that some agencies have a lot of work to do. Asked if their agency’s culture supported collaboration, 38 percent of respondents said that definitely was the case, while another 38 percent said that was somewhat the case and 24 percent said not at all.


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Many government agencies that are investing money in collaboration tools also realize the importance of extending those tools to the mobile user, according to a recent survey of federal, state and local IT professionals.

As a whole, 40 percent of respondents said their agencies were considering the purchase of mobile collaboration tools or already had such tools and were looking to buy newer technology, according to the survey, which was conducted by the 1105 Government Information Group.

However, among those respondents whose agencies were increasing their budgets for collaboration tools, 59 percent said their agencies were considering the purchase of new or replacement mobile tools.

Sooner or later, most organizations investing in collaboration tools will need to start thinking along the same lines, experts say.

“The number of users on mobile devices, and who are getting work done on mobile, is growing,” said Vanessa Thompson, an analyst with IDC Government Insights who specializes in enterprise social networks and collaborative technology. Collaboration initiatives “need to be extensible to mobile.”

That said, organizations also need to be cognizant of possible bandwidth or performance constraints that come with some mobile devices. Just because a particular collaboration solution is available for mobile does not mean its performance will match user expectations.

During the last year, there has been a surge of interest in web conferencing, said Philipp Karcher, an analyst with Forrester Research.

In part, that is because web conferencing, which allows people to make presentations, share and collaborate on documents and interact securely, requires less bandwidth than traditional video conferencing. However, performance of mobile video conferencing solutions is

AGENCIES INVEST IN FUTURE OF COLLABORATION

Collaboration hot spots% of respondents who say their agencies might buy or update the following technologies

Mobile collaboration toolsConsidering ...................... 21%

Looking to replace .......... 19%

Increased network bandwidth

Considering ...................... 11%


Unified communications

Considering ...................... 11%


Web-conferencing tools

Considering ...................... 10%


Social networking platforms

Considering ...................... 12%

Looking to replace 1 ...........5%

Cloud-based collaboration tools

Considering ...................... 17%




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improving and so interest is rising, Karcher said.But whatever the constraints, it is still important for

organizations to support their mobile users, he said. “If collaboration is about enabling people to work with people from anywhere, you need to support that on mobile devices.”

The survey found that bandwidth is priority within the traditional enterprise as well. Overall, 11 percent of respondents said their agencies were considering the purchase of additional network bandwidth to enable more widespread use of collaboration tools, with another 18 percent saying their agencies were looking to upgrade.

But among those respondents whose agencies were budgeting more for collaboration tools, 55 percent said their agencies were in the market for more bandwidth.

Finally, it also appears that many government agencies have decided that it is better to buy commercial collaboration tools, rather than build their own. Only 10 percent of respondents said their agencies were considering custom-made software, with another 10 percent saying their agencies already had such a tool and were looking to replace it with new custom-made software. •

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COLLABORATION SOLUTIONS TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT

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