The Widget Factory
Submitted by: Simon Berry
Website: http://simonberry.ruralnet.org.uk/2008/07/21/show-us-a-better-way-the-widget-factory/
Describe your idea. How does it work and who does it help?
Widgets are small areas on a website or blog which deliver information or services provided by a trusted third party. A good example is the JustGiving Fundraising Widget. This widget is tailored for the particular fundraiser and can be placed on his/her own website. The widget shows a progress bar (amount raised vs target), the comments made by the last 3 donors, information about the charity and a button to donate. See http://ruralnet.typepad.com/pride2007/ for an example.
The Widget factory would demonstrate this approach for two or three Government Services with the objective of getting this idea 'mainstreamed' so that all future online Government services had a 'make your own widget' facility that could be used on a 'self-serve' basis by bloggers or those who maintain websites for communities of location or practice.
We would 'go with the stones that rolled' and work with the Government Departments that were willing to collaborate but ideally would like to produce two widgets:
1 - 'Tell Us Once' about the birth of you child. This widget would be designed to be placed on any website where parents already gather: eg NetMums; Nursery and Schools websites etc
2 - The crime stats widget. We are always told that the fear of crime is higher than is warranted by the statistics. This widget would filter national statistics for a particular geographic area or interest group (eg older people) and display them next to the national average figures. This widget could be used on websites serving a particular geographic community or a particular target group (eg older people).
What information or services do you need?
Cooperation with the DWP 'Tell Us Once' project team; Crime Statistics; other Governments Departments keen to collaborate on this idea.
Posted by Simon Berry on 06 August 2008 at 12:51 PM
In forums like this which are about ICT and innovation the work of mysociety is always mentioned and rightly so. But even their amazing innovations can be improved upon!
Take FixMyStreet for example. This is a brilliant example of innovation which has sent ripples through Local Authorities and enabled them to see how they might engage better with citizens.
But, FixMyStreet (FMS), would benefit from being pushed through the Widget Factory. You can already take a feed from FMS and filter it so that you can display the issues in your geographic area. Harringey Online already do this. BUT wouldn't it be much better if Harringey residents could access the full FMS service from within their own website?
Posted by Simon on 21 July 2008 at 12:33 PM
There is quite a lot of discussion of this idea going on over here: http://is.gd/YIM