The WeGov Consortium launched the Phase 2 Evaluation of the WeGov toolbox in March 2012. The evaluation on the current version of the WeGov toolbox (prototype 2.5) via the WeGov field trials with policy-makers of the German Parliament and the Federal Parliament of Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany (GESIS field trial) and the European Parliament (Gov2u field trial) evolves well.

Phase 2 evaluation of the WeGov has reached its cruise speed. Currently numerous events and individual feedback collecting interviews are taking place till early May 2012, involving members from the European Parliament, the German Bundestag and the State Parliament of Nordrhein-Westfalen, in Germany.

Policy-makers at European, federal, regional and local level are actively involved and initial feedback is positive. Meanwhile, the WeGov technical partners are in the process of defining the requirements for the architecture and user interface of the future version of the WeGov toolbox (prototype 2.6), due by June 2012.

The GESIS field trial continues with meetings with members of the State Parliament Nordrhein-Westfalen after the elections on 13th of May 2012. GESIS originally would meet with policy-makers on the occasion of the “Science meets Parliament” event hosted by the State Parliament Nordrhein-Westfalen, in Germany on the 25th of April 2012. Due to the fact that the elections were in short notice, the event has been cancelled. However, meetings with the members of the State Parliament Nordrhein-Westfalen will take place after the forthcoming elections, when GESIS will get the opportunity to meet with policy-makers. The meeting will address Parliamentarians to suggest using solutions, methods and tools development by different Leibniz organizations. GESIS will introduce the WeGov Toolbox via a presentation with the title “Using Facebook, Twitter and Co. for the decision-making process - Enriching the dialogue with citizens by monitoring opinions and identifying local topics", gathering participants’ feedback. GESIS is in contact to the MPs that have shown their interest and is planning to meet interested MPs after the elections.

Gov2u is also preparing for the Phase 2 Evaluation. The Gov2u field trials are focused on engaging with members of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament as well as other European Parliament members. The purpose of the trials is to present the current version of the WeGov toolbox (prototype 2.5) to the members of the European Parliament and to gather their evaluation feedback. The field trials with members from the European Parliament are scheduled for May 2012.

WeGov Consortium partner Hansard Society, also involved with WeGov field trials (user-engagement), organizes an event to be held in the Westminster Parliament, in September 2012, to highlight the WeGov project to new stakeholders within the UK, and to explore the issues and opportunities relating to politicians and policy-makers use of social media for policy-making and citizen engagement.

Phase 2 Evaluation of the second version of the WeGov toolbox started on the 16th of March 2012 with a presentation at the German Bundestag. The WeGov software solution was presented to 12 policy-makers from the German Bundestag. The presentation was complemented with an interactive session where the policy-makers’ group explored the WeGov software altogether. Overall the group's feedback was positive concerning the concept of the WeGov toolbox. The Phase 2 Evaluation with the Bundestag indicated that further improvement is required on the current WeGov toolbox version to support their everyday work.

Meanwhile by and large the user engagement activities have been extended to assess the added value of the WeGov tools to and collect new perspectives from other types of users like local authorities and political parties. The outcome of these user trials will be consolidated and communicated soon.

The overall results of the Phase 2 Evaluation of the WeGov field trials will be consolidated and communicated in due time on the project’s website.

The WeGov approach concerning the WeGov software solution (WeGov toolbox), consists in developing a site, which includes tools that support decision-makers in the analysis of social networks. In terms of methodology, WeGov relies on the participation of potential users (e.g. policy makers, communities, NGOs, etc.) in the development process of the software (WeGov field trials). WeGov has developed three alternative analytical approaches that are currently tested and improved, as a basis for a later integration in the policy maker’s daily workflow.

Topic Analysis tool: The topic analysis functionality reorganizes comments according to concept groups. The idea here is to identify areas of discussion that arise within a discussion.

Discussion Activity Analysis: This analysis component aims to predict which posts and users will generate more attention. 

User Behaviour Analysis: This analysis component classifies users according to their behaviour and interactions within the SNS.

View the “What is WeGov” - User Guide for the Phase 2 Evaluation

WeGov General Assembly, in April 2012

The latest WeGov General Assembly (GA) meeting took place in April 2012, in Stockholm, Sweden. The three-day meeting on the 3rd and 5th of April 2012, took place in the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, DSV of Stockholm University. The venue was situated at Forum 100, SE-164 40 Kista, Sweden.

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WeGov publication in International Journal of Electronic Government Research (IJEGR)

WeGov partner GESIS has successfully submitted an article, in the International Journal of Electronic Government Research (IJEGR). The publication will be published within the special issue 3, Vol. 8 of IJEGR. More information about this WeGov publication will be announced shortly on the project website.

WeGov joined the Digital Futures workshop, in March 2012

WeGov Consortium partner Hansard Society, joined the Digital Futures workshop, on 29th – 30th of March 2012, in Brussels, Belgium. Digital Futures convened three workshops in Brussels to develop the first draft release of its visions and policy options.

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WeGov joined SMWF Europe, in March 2012

WeGov Consortium partner Hansard Society, joined the Social Media Forum (SMWF Europe) on the 27th & 28th March 2012, in London, UK. Top-level strategic advice and insight around how to engage with interested parties, manage brand perceptions, empower employees and open new un-tapped audiences through diverse social media channels.

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WeGov General Assembly in December 2011

The WeGov Consortium met for another action-packed three-day General Assembly (GA), in Southampton, UK. IT Innovation Center of the University of Southampton, WeGov Consortium partner, hosted this important WeGov event at its premises. The GA meeting was held between the 6th and the 8th of December 2011.
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WeGov Future Events

WeGov will participate in CeDEM12, in May 2012

WeGov will be presented by Consortium partners GESIS and ITInn in the Conference of E-Democracy and Open Government – CeDEM12, between the 03rd and 4th of May, 2012 in Krems, Austria.

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WeGov will participate in an ETH International Workshop, in July 2012

WeGov Consortium partners, GESIS, Gov2u and Hansard Society, will jointly participate in the International Workshop on Agent-Based Models and Complex Techno-Social Systems at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, on 2nd-4th of July, 2012.

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WeGov participating in IFIP EGOV 2012, in September 2012

WeGov will participate in the 11th Conference on Electronic Government (EGOV 2012) on 3rd-6th May, 2012, that will be held in Kristiansand, Norway. This conference brings together the top of the scientific research community in e-government and e-governance from all over the world. The conference provides a highly interactive and professional forum for exchanging research concepts, progress and results.

Collaboration with other FP7 projects

WeGov announces its participation in tGov workshop, in May 2012

WeGov Consortium partner GESIS will participate in tGovernment Workshop 2012 (tGov2012), on May 8th - 9th, 2012, in London, United Kingdom. 

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WeGov – FUPOL meeting, in May 2012

WeGov Consortium partners ITInn and GESIS have scheduled a meeting with FUPOL project. In this meeting a discussion on how and our projects might be able to collaborate, and on further exploitation opportunities will take place. The meeting will be held in Southampton, ITInn premises on the 10th of May 2012. More information about the meeting will be announced shortly.

WeGov announces its participation in Samos Summit 2012, in July

WeGov will participate in the Samos Summit 2012, on Open Data for Governance, Industry and Society, between the 2nd and 4th of July, 2012. +Spaces project and WeGov have a dedicated joint legal workshop as part of the Samos 2012 Summit. Other EU/ FP7 projects such as NOMAD, PADGETS, ENGAGE and ENSEMBLE will also be joining the event, opening new horizons for collaboration

May 2nd-4th 2012, 4th ICTs and Society-Conference 2012, in Uppsala, Sweden

A unique event for networking, presentation of critical ideas, critical engagement, and featuring leading critical scholars in the area of Critical Internet Studies and Critical Studies of Media & Society.
Find more about the event

May 14th 2012, PEP-NET Summit 2012, in Hamburg, Germany

With an audience of European eParticipation enthusiasts, local engaged citizens, and representatives of the City of Hamburg, the PEP-NET Summit will again be a bustling marketplace of ideas and an opportunity for participants to catch up with each other and meet new people.
Find more about PEP-NET Summit 2012

May 24th-25th 2012, EIPA seminar, in Maastricht, the Netherlands

This event is European Institute of Public Administration – EIPA seminar titled “Embracing the Future of Communication: Putting Social Media to use in Public Administration”. The seminar is intended for public officials and others who wish to increase their practical understanding of and skills in the use of social media for internal and external communication.
Find more about the EIPA seminar

June 14th – 16th 2012, ECEG 2012, in Barcelona, Spain

The 12th European Conference on eGovernment - ECEG 2012, will be hosted at the Institute of Public Governance and Management of ESADE.
Find more about ECEG 2012

July 3rd – 5th 2012, MeTTeG 2012, in Belgrade, Serbia

The 6th International Conference on Methodologies, Technologies and Tools enabling eGovernment, provides a forum for participants from different perspectives and disciplines to present innovative methodologies, technologies and tools, share experiences and lessons learned from case studies and discuss challenges.
Find more about the MeTTeG 2012

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under the SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME THEME ICT 2009.7.3 ICT for Governance and Policy Modelling.

WeGov newsletter is published by Gov2u. The views expressed are purely those of the authors and may not in any circumstance be regarded as stating an official position of the whole consortium or European Commission. Neither Gov2u nor any person acting on its behalf is responsible for the use that may be made of the information in this publication.

© Gov2u, 2012
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