Step outside the normal – explore “the digital nation” with DW24
Our world seems to be changing. Digitally, socially, physically, economically; if you spend any time online (which I assume we all do), you’ll no doubt see a story at least once a day that makes it feel as though we’re hurtling towards either a science fiction future or a dystopian one – or both.
And yet, day-to-day life seems to just about tick along. For those working with digital workplaces, we continue to manage content, seek to connect people, govern the professional digital worlds of our colleagues, rage and fear about our projects, get excited by our successes. It can take an effort to step out of those bubbles and peek into the wider world for inspiration and validation. Which is why DWG is running our online, global 24-hour festival of digital workplaces, called Digital Workplace 24 (DW24), over 26–27 February. It’s something we’re very excited to be hosting for the sixth time, bringing together our wonderful community in real-time in a way that only technology can allow.
But for anyone browsing through our studio guests, a few anomalies may jump out. The usual suspects are all there, showcasing the latest and greatest in our field. But so also is Lucas Mburu, Head of Nairobi Technology Hub for Save the Children International. And Samia Melhem, Transport and Digital Development Global Lead for World Bank. Or Andrew Yang, US Presidential Candidate for 2020.
This isn’t an accident – because, while DWG is focused on digital workplaces, we also run Digital Nations Group (DNG). This allows us all to step out of the day-to-day and to think big about our wider world, exploring concepts and trends of the “digital nation” as well as stories of the technology being used for social impact. It’s what helps us to envision the Digital Workplace 2030, to consider how Knowledge Management could save the world and to talk about smart cities.
After all, the world of work and the digital workplace don’t operate in a vacuum; all we do internally is impacted by the outside world, and vice versa – the work of digital workplace practitioners enables their colleagues to go out into the world and do what they do. For, as our public sphere becomes ever more digitally integrated – through smart cities, AI, digital citizenship, new economies, and more – the opportunities for the digital workplace just expand and grow.
And so, we are excited to bring to you the Digital Nations Group track of DW24 – for anyone and everyone, whether you work in the corporate sector, public sector, third sector, or are just interested in thinking about where we’re heading in the future. These are the hours of DW24 that showcase the great work taking place outside of the corporate sector and talk to the academics and thought leaders who are working with the big challenges that face us all. Join us for these hours as we become our own temporary “digital nation” globally, and think big about our future.
| Hour | Studio Guests | Topics |
| 6 | University of Leicester and Lauren Vargas | The “digital campus”, as well as the cultural impact of digital on areas such as museums. |
| 7 | Andrew Yang, US Presidential Candidate | Democrat Presidential candidate for 2020, speaking about ideas such as universal income and the impact of automation on labour. |
| 8 | Josh Simons, Harvard University | The fundamental impact of machine learning on a variety of areas such as business strategy and political competition. |
| 9 | Oxfam | How Oxfam strives to connect its workers globally to help them share their knowledge, as they work with vulnerable populations. |
| 10 | Samia Melhem, World Bank;Gordon Feller, Meeting of the Minds; and Christine Kohlert, Drees & Sommer | Harnessing digital to solve some of society’s “wicked” problems (World Bank), and also exploring the world of smart cities (Gordon Feller) and the relationship between physical spaces and the humans that occupy them (Christine Kohlert). |
| 13 | Kevin Werbach, Wharton University and Brian Solis | Business and policy implications of developments such as broadband, big data, gamification and blockchain. |
| 15 | University Technology Sydney and David Brin | How Office 365 has been deployed across the university’s staff (UTS), and exploring David’s ideas as a futurist, scientist, and science fiction writer. |
| 18 | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa | The journey to becoming one of the best indigenous tertiary institutions in the world, showcasing what Māori can achieve on a world stage. |
| 21 | Save the Children International and UNHCR | How technology can be harnessed to support those working on the frontlines through ICT for Development. |
| 23 | Scottish Government | Behavioural change to transform the government internally, as the nation itself seeks to become “Digital Scotland”. |
Free access for DWG members
Don’t forget! Digital Workplace Group members have free access to DW24 as part of their membership of DWG – just book via the DWG extranet.
Categorised in: DWG24
