# Draft Ideas for “#PublicInnovation Academy” Courses

> Here’s a initial “off-the-top of my head” breakdown of potential courses/topics — in no particular order.

URL: https://abhinemani.com/blog/2020/08/08/Draft-Ideas/
Published: 2020-08-08
Author: Abhi Nemani
Tags: Academy Ideas, Innovation, Reflections

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In theory each sub-bullet would a class with 5–6, hour-long lectures/modules with quizzes attached to each module. This should lead to about 30+ courses students can mix and match, with faculty approval, for their certification in a bespoke \*program\* — eg data architect, digital services designer, etc — or they can just individual courses credits and are welcome to pick and choose.

**Sign up for the latest updates and to be part of the discussion moving forward here:** [**publicinnovation.academy**](https://publicinnovation.academy)

Also there _is_ a hope to partner with institutions with content in these areas already to leverage their expertise and work in building a more comprehensive curriculum. If you represent an organization that would like to discuss partnerships, please let me know: abhi.nemani@gmail.com

Again all very early thinking but I to **build in the open**. **And I am very open to candid feedback.**

**_Sample Course Topics_**

#### Data

* Visualizations
* Charting
* Mapping
* Standards
* Databases
* Publishing Open Data
* Community building
* Data science
* Performance management

#### Build with, not for users

* Lean/Agile
* Human Centered Design & Research
* Accessibility
* Content strategy / good writing
* Partnerships with community groups

#### The Ecosystem

* Existing stack
* Field review

#### Recruiting & Teamwork

* Recruitment strategies
* Cross-functional teams — creating and managing
* Remote work
* Collaboration tools: GDocs etc

#### Social Media / Marketing

* Social media mastery
* Listening/sentiment analysis
* How to be a PIO (PR, push notifications)
* Boosting app/program engagement
* Design tools: 99 Designs, stock photos etc

#### Challenges

* Procurement
* Budget
* “Building a tribe” — finding likeminded allies
* Ethics of open data, privacy, AI
* Inclusivity and anti-racism (unintended or intentional discrimination)

#### Digital services

* General overview: why, which, and how
* Best practices & multi-agency collaboration: interoperability, upsells, engaging form design, and follow ups / surveys
* Moving up in a digital services team

#### Hardware

* Fiber/connectivity
* Cloud v on-premise
* IoT / Sensors

#### App Primers

* Excel / Google Sheets
* Slack
* Esri / CartoDB / Mapbox
* PowerPoint
* Tableau, SAP, and other reporting tools
* Various online tools (IFTTT, AirTable)

#### Communications

* Negotiation strategies
* Translating tech
* Perfecting the pitch

#### Policy

* Technology Roadmaps
* Open Data Policy
* Economic development for tech
* Gig economy partnerships (eg car sharing, micro-mobility)

#### Other activities

* **Mentorship**: pairing new folks with experienced civic tech leaders for career planning, networking, and on-the-ground insight into how civic Tech works.
* **Cohorts/classes**: Individuals from different government but working on the same team (eg digital services) could be paired up to complete joint assignment, effectively setting mew standards by jurisdiction’s collaborating.
* **In-person deep dive**: For governments wanting to engage a broader swath of participation, the academy could arrange on-site training, working hands on with front-line operators.
* **Speakers Series**: Monthly host a “fireside chat” with a civic tech leader as an open event, which will serve as a feeder for new students in the academy and enable the students to grow their own networks.
* **From grade book to front page**: Establish a respected, thought leadership blog. Student will be able to publish their coursework essays, visualizations etc, giving them stage to connect with a nation audience.