Ask What You Can Do: Why local government needs more technologists and how you too can serve

When was the last time that you had an interaction with your state or local government that truly delighted you? As a resident, have you ever wondered why your local government doesn't do some things more efficiently? As a technologist, have you ever wondered why your local government seems to be lagging behind when it comes to using online services or apps? Have you ever wondered what it would take to fix some of those issues?

In "Ask What You Can Do", you have an inside account of what it is like to move from the tech sector to the public sector. The book also explains why state and local government are so important, the kinds of challenges and opportunities within local government that require more technologists to address, how to go about making the leap into local government, and how to have impact while you're there. Building on the inspirational words of President John F Kennedy, this book challenges readers to think about what they can do to help build the next generation of local government.

For technologists who are currently thinking about how to increase the social impact of their skills and talents, Ask What You Can Do provides a useful framework for exploring whether moving into a new domain and entering the public sector could be the next move in your career.

For civic technologists already volunteering their time and skills to help improve their local government, this book may provide the inspiration to take that extra step and attempt to drive changes in local government from the inside.

This book is also valuable for non-technologists whose skills and experiences are vital in helping shape the next generation of local government, and provides insights into how those skills and ideas may be utilized.

Most of all, this book is a call to action to everyone who has thought about serving in government. Ask what you can do.