You know how it is when you’re starting a new job. Forgetting everyone’s name. What tie should I wear? Where should I put my coffee mug? Is day three too early to reveal my unrivalled collection of Simpsons quotes? No matter what you’re doing, it’s a time of uncertainty.
Now add a million people on Twitter and blogs telling you what you should be doing.
Into this virtual bear pit steps one Andrew Stott, announced by the Cabinet Office this afternoon as the UK Government’s new Director of Digital Engagement.
He’s an internal appointment, which is something of a surprise as the advert for the post seemed to point at someone with top-level private sector experience. He also comes from a technical rather than a web 2.0 background, which may mean he’s free of dogma or preconception on how things should be done.
I hope that Mr Stott will be able to focus on engagement of users in services, better consultation methods, improving the usability of Government information by others, and promoting transparency.
I would be more cautious if he saw his role as promoting political activity online (which may or may not be part of the ‘digital engagement’ agenda). I tend to think that the civil service is poorly placed to promote political participation or active citizenship.
They have the big advantages of scale and cash, but the big disadvantage of being part of the Executive. Being “The Government” means they are a honey pot for the green-ink brigade, spoilers, obsessives and campaign groups, so real debate and focus are very hard to maintain. They are also, as Government staff, vulnerable to general political cynicism and accusations of pro-Government bias.
Time will tell where Mr Stott wants to take his role. As Nick Booth rightly says, all well-meaning online folks should try and help him as much as we can – even if we can’t tell him where his coffee mug goes.