How do you see the future of digital for Balbriggan & Fingal, whats in your strategy?
Fingal Digital Strategy Consultation deadline has been extended to 19th July 2019.
We can flick a keyboard or swipe a touchscreen to connect with products, people, and information from anywhere in the world, are we in danger of disconnecting from our own communities? With the world at our fingertips, are we losing sight of the places outside of our windows?
Fingal County Council is preparing a Digital Strategy to encourage and support communities and businesses to reap the full rewards of a digitally enabled society.
Visit here to make a submission:
https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/fingal-digital-strategy
Unfortunately it's not that easy to use, but its worth putting in some kind of response.
You can read my submission here:
Intro
We can flick a keyboard or swipe a touchscreen to connect with products, people, and information from anywhere in the world, are we in danger of disconnecting from our own communities? With the world at our fingertips, are we losing sight of the places outside of our windows?
It is our role to take communities online and engage people where they are, and that is online.
I am Niall Keady and my business is
, I help my clients develop online communities and engage with the customers online. I am passionate about technology, all things digital and how we can use social media for good.
For many non-profits, charities and causes I am involved with I help them leverage sponsorship that covers their online strategy. One area I am very focused on is developing public private partnerships with local business and clubs and organisations. A club, NFP organisation or charity can cover the complete cost of developing and hosting a websites and social media channels by linking up with a local business sponsor. The same as having a banner on a sports ground. An annual payment will get the club a website and the sponsor access to the clubs fan base and supporters with website banner advertising. There are options for non profits to leverage from companies like Google free access to apps and services that are charges for in the business space. Our clubs and organisation just need to be directed to these services.
Welcoming Digital consultation
Delighted to see this Digital consultation. However, would have liked to have seen the process highlighted better. With some key influencers and stake holder individuals invited to partake.
The interface to make this submission is itself awful and completely unengaging.
When posting on social media some level of targeting and monetary funding needs to be in place same as you would spend to promote in press/media. This is necessary for all FCC communications.
From this consultation process I would like to see a news Digital Strategy Committee established with key stake holders and influencers involved. Fingal has led the way in many areas and could be posed to deploy major initiatives and investment into the Digital world and attract hi value digital projects, start ups and FDI to the region. A dedicated percentage investment from rates generated revenue.
We need to be actively visiting hi tech digital areas international learning and promoting Fingal as a desirable Digital Zone. Demonstrating our knowledge and willingness to embrace new technology’s.
We should be sending representatives on IDA missions to sell the digital capabilities of Fingal
Currently the strategy is good in places, but can be quite fragmented and distorted with 3rd party services not seamless and being seen to be just add ons. Eg Fix my street is not well run and makes FCC seem amature.
There needs to be an overarching approach with an internal structure that oversees everything digital.
Fingal Online should be the number one portal for every single piece of information in Fingal communities should engage every day. Notes and meeting should be published and easily accessible for all community groups and local body’s.
To attract hi tech FDI and tech entrepreneurs to Fingal Digital Hubs, promote serviced land as Digital Ready Zones. Showcase the performance of quality Broadband.
Invest in tech incubator facilities. Hot desks for tech start ups. Have a culture of embracing tech start ups. Be seen to adopt new technology and embrace and leverage from existing technologies.
Promoting Fingal Digitalland, online.
Be everywhere online, utilising all social media. Creating 100’s pf pieces of content every day. Reaching out to all communities with video, podcasts, Instagram, snapchat. Building the FCC brand and Fingal County as an place immersed in tech, A digital docklands, Silicone Valley, We need our own brand. “Fingal Digitalland” We have key areas to promote Fingal to hi tech companies and enraptures. An example is to be super hi tech at Dublin Airport target hi tech influencers and companies landing here at every opportunity. Show off our innovation and digital skills
Content is king. Everyone across FCC needs to create regular content, videos, messages, social posts. This needs to be FCC owned and not outsourced. We need to get creative, not just publishing what FCC do but take uses on board and have everyone involved and following the journey.
Within the strategy we need key pillars Digital for the people, Digital For Business, Digital for Tourism, Digital for Education, Digital For Services
Quality Fibre Broadband. To help market and promote we need to demonstrate the availability of superior high quality broadband. Not just as a bullet point but as a unique selling point, we need to showcase and illustrate the capabilities of our broadband infrastructure.
Nurture Digital Future entrepreneurs
Our mission needs to be to accelerate the development of Fingal’s Digital Entrepreneurs by providing a valuable community from where they can grow, share and network with similar individuals and business.
Digital Grants. The current LEO Digital voucher scheme is very difficult and unfeasible for most start ups or business looking to get online. This needs to be addressed.
We need to nurture the digital culture in our youth to ensure our future work force and future entrepreneurs have the skill required for the Digital Age. Not just as consumers of content but creators. We need to encourage youth to build and learn to create and work with technology. We need to invest in programmes such as CoderDojo, every town and village should have a regular CoderDojo or similar initiatives encouraging kids to learn tech and build programmes and apps.
Find out more about
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Tourisim
Visit Fingal and sites promoting tourism need huge overhauling implementation of social media channels and integration of several tools that the tourist already uses.
Digital information about tourist location and events should be easily accessible online. Audio tours accessible when onsite at tourist locations. Daily excursion plans, with google maps, into. An online Fingal concierge
Silver Surfers
We need to engage and continue to offer the elder generation the opportunity to get online and use digital to empower them. More publicly accessible training for elders.
Video
More engagement through video, people are consuming more video everyday and is the preferred method to consume information. visually or just listen to as podcasts. Fingal needs to be making 100’s of pieces of video content Daily
The online council meeting needs improved editing and presented better. Currently its very cumbersome and difficult to navigate. It should be made much more accessible and edited into small chunks that would allow councillors and departments easily share their own contributions.
Interfacing
Fingal need to adopt an improved interface and invest in improved touchpoints for accessing information online through multiple devices.
Currently using FCC website on a mobile is difficult.
The next wave is coming will be voice and people should be able to ask their device or home speakers for information from Fingal. Get ahead be doing this and being voice ready.
Community Groups, Committee meeting, Community Councils AGMS etc should be online and links to their various channels embedded.
Community meeting should be videoed either live streamed or recorded. In the past people were able to attend community meeting in halls etc. All groups particularly AGMS should be streamed online. No cost to this as a Facebook stream would suffice.
Public WiFi Hubs
FCC have been innovative in rolling our branded digital hubs.
More public Wi-Fi and charging points. A smart initiative. Create areas in parks and public spaces that will confine people to sections of open areas. Passively monitored or even securely monitored will reduce anti-social behaviour.
Eg near playground install indestructible wifi hubs with a range within a parameter that doesn’t overlap the playground. Creating social spaces for teens and encouraging them not to infringe on younger kids social space.