About the Redesigning Open Governance project

The City established the Open Government Operating Board (OGOB) in 2011 to adopt and implement Open Government practices that will promote transparency, citizen participation, and collaboration to improve how government works, provide more effective government services to customers, and establish a more robust democracy. The charter for the OGOB is available here.

In light of the changing landscape of technology, City departments are faced with an ever-increasing number of opportunities, initiatives, and projects involving “smart cities”, the internet of things, open government, civic tech, and other emerging technologies. As we experienced in applying to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart Cities Challenge last year, inter-departmental collaboration enables the City to take a proactive posture in how we design, evaluate, and adopt emerging technology.

Closer coordination will enable the City to be ready to take on these initiatives in keeping with the open government principles of technology innovation, transparency, accountability, and civic participation--as well as build more effective and sustainable external partnerships with industry, community groups, nonprofits, and government entities.

More recently, City Council passed a resolution calling for a Smart Cities Strategic Roadmap that would, among other things, create an inventory of emerging technology initiatives and that will help tackle local challenges and improve City services to further these efforts. Our work has culminated in Austin’s selection to join the OGP Pioneer pilot program, where our past initiatives will intertwine with new commitments to create a greater outcome for our city and the public we serve.

Through a new approach, the OGOB seeks to:

• Help open government/smart cities projects and initiatives succeed through increased collaboration, coordination, and knowledge sharing
• Cultivate expertise, human capital, and cross-departmental relationships inside and outside the City (e.g., with industry partners, community organizations, civic tech groups)
• Enhance the City’s readiness for evaluating and adopting emerging technology initiatives and collaborating with external partners