Internet Access for All? Planning Sustainable Infrastructures for

the Information Society

INTERNET FOR ALLINTERNET FOR ALL

Equal Opportunities on the Net Equal Opportunities on the Net

International ConferenceInternational Conference

20-21 September 200120-21 September 2001

Saundra L. ShirleySaundra L. Shirley

(sshirley@hotmail.com)(sshirley@hotmail.com)

Public Policy and Planning Consultant

Why Infrastructures?

Equal Opportunity “On” the Net

Requires

Equal Opportunity “To” the Net

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

WHAT ARE INFRASTRUCTURES?

Definition

“The substructures or underlyingfoundations, especially the installations and

facilities, on which the continuance andgrowth of a community, state, etc. depend…”

(Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English, 3rd Edition: NY, Simon Schuster, 1988)

Key Values Concerning Infrastructures

• Sustainable Flexible

Accessible

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Core Infrastructures* +

Education* Health*

Transportation* Public Safety*

Economic Development* Water/Sewage/Waste*

Judicial Other Utilities*

Labor* Housing*

Recreation/Entertainment* Culture

Social Services Political

Communications/Telecommunications*

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

DefinitionInformation Infrastructure

Organizations, institutions and people that support thecreation, development, maintenance, distribution, storage,retrieval, preservation, or access to data and information regardless of format (electronic, digital, print, etc.) or media.*

*international, federal, state, and localSaundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Information Infrastructure

Libraries NonprofitsMuseums/Archives Businesses/CorporationsExecutive Bodies Colleges and UniversitiesLegislative Bodies SchoolsJudicial Bodies ISPs, Publishers, & Others

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

DefinitionInformation Technology

Infrastructure

The technologies employed by organizations,institutions, and people including lines (wire, wireless, satellite, or cable), platforms/architectures, and applications that support computing, various networks, Intranets, and the Internet; and will support high speed/high capacityInternet access and advanced applications.

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

IT Infrastructure

Hardware/Software Emergency and Public Defense/Intelligence Nets Safety Networks Government Networks Business/Corporate NetworksEducational Networks Health/Medical NetworksTransportation Networks Criminal Justice/Court NetworksPublic Utility Networks Banking & Financial NetworksSocial Service Networks Library Networks & OthersCommunications & Telecommunications Infrastructures

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS?

I&IT Investments

• Network, system, and infrastructure upgrades to broadband

• IT departments and managers, and executive level CIOs in most, if not all states; and in some local governments.

• Computerization of routine management and operation functions

• Creation of electronic, online, and digital resources

• Development of websitesSaundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Lack of Coordination & Communication Between Sectors

• Unnecessary duplication and redundancies within and outside of sectors

• Excessive or inadequate build-out of infrastructures

• Failure to recognize interdependence within and outside of sectors

IT Infrastructure

Government

Nonprofits

Business Education

Economic Development

Libraries

Health

Information Infrastructure

Stage I: Current Planning Framework

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

I & IT Infrastructure

Planning & Deployment

Government

Nonprofits Business

Education

Economic Development

Libraries

Health

Stage II: Current Planning Framework

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Key Challenges

Access Legal/Policy Framework

Privacy Tax Revenues

Infrastructure Deployment Security

Interoperability/Ubiquity Public Domain

Workforce Development Staff Training & Support

Education User Fees

Funding Culture/Change

Privatization of Public Assets And More...

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Local/Community Change• Increasing Interdependence • Increasing need for ubiquity, interconnection,

interoperability, and openness in networks, systems, platforms, and in other IT-related areas

• Increasing need for communication and relationship building: – within and between sectors/areas– throughout communities, and with others– within and outside of community

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Local/Community Imperatives

• Engaging (soliciting input, feedback, involvement) citizens, businesses, private and nonprofit sector, and other stakeholders

• Collaboration (cooperation, partnerships, alliances, etc.) between and with stakeholders

• Integration of I&IT planning and implementation with other sector planning and implementation

• Integration and elimination of duplicate/redundant services and resources

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Government

NonprofitsBusiness

Education

Economic Development

LibrariesHealth

I&IT

I&IT

I&IT

I&IT

InformationSociety

Global Economy

E-CommerceE-GovernmentE-Democracy

Stage III: Ideal Planning Framework

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

What Are Others Doing?

U.S. Cities

• San Diego, California

• Austin, Texas

• Phoenix, Arizona

• Indianapolis, Indiana

• Hennepin, Minnesota

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

City of Grande Prairie(www.city.grande-prairie.ab.ca)

• Sought to use IT and telecom to enable exploitation of the global economy• Envisioned a planning process involving the whole community • Stressed the importance of collaboration and integration• Developed plan consistent with state, federal, and even international plans,

goals, strategies, action lines, and benchmarks• Policy change and development follow plan• Regularly updates plan

• (www.city.grande-prairie.ab.ca)

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

E-Europe Action Lines and Benchmarks

• Basic planning foundation and benchmarks key resources for local planning

• Provides good (and consistent) starting point for assessment and planning

• Numerous resources; regular/consistent updates• Continual collection and publication of

benchmarking data

(www.europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/index_en.htm)

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Strategic Planning/Community Visioning Framework (Revised)

L oca l In ven to ry(In te rn a l & E xte rn a l)

In fras tru c tu res ,R esou rces , S ervices

V a lu es Id . an d P rio rit ies

B en ch m ark D eve lop m en t(E va lu a tion /M etrics )

G oa ls S e tt in gG oa ls R an k in g s

B u y-In /A d op tion /A c tion P lan s(D eve lop in g A llian ces , C o llab ora tion s ,

P artn ersh ip s , C oop era tives , e tc . toIm p lem en t V is ion /P lan )

L oca l A ssessm en t(In te rn a l)

In fras tru c tu res ,R esou rces , S ervices

C o llab ora tive P rocess(C om m u n ity-w id e)

B u s in ess , N on p ro fits , C it izen sG overn m en t

C om m u n ity N eed s A ssessm en t(E xte rn a l)

In fras tru c tu resR esou rces , S ervices

Core Areas Include: Economic Development, Education, Health, Transportation,Recreation/Entertainment& Culture, Labor, Utilities (Water, Electricity, etc.), Housing, Social Services, Public Safety, Information Technology, and Information Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Community Visioning Framework (Revised)

• Uses Collaborative & Integrated Planning

• Adds Information & IT Inventory (Infrastructures, Resources, Services, etc.)

• Adds Information & IT Needs Assessment

• Aggregates Resource/Service Info. & Data

• Integrates Planning Models

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Features of Framework

• Extensive and Ongoing Collaboration & Cooperation Between the Public, Private and Nonprofit Sectors, and Government

• Integration & Expansion of Existing Models (management/operations, service, decision-making, law/policy development, etc.)

• Increased Efficiencies & Reduced Duplication/Redundancies

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

What’s Next

• Convene forums to discuss the planning framework as a viable means for discussing, planning and implementing a shared vision (community, local, and state) for the Information Society

• Implement a pilot project – Use Community Visioning Framework in a

selected community

Saundra L. Shirley Sept. 2001

Internet Access for All? Planning Sustainable Infrastructures for

the Information Society

INTERNET FOR ALLINTERNET FOR ALL

Equal Opportunities on the Net Equal Opportunities on the Net

International ConferenceInternational Conference

20-21 September 200120-21 September 2001

Saundra L. ShirleySaundra L. Shirley

(sshirley@hotmail.com)(sshirley@hotmail.com)

Public Policy and Planning Consultant