The Mobile Diplomat

1
The Mobile Diplomat

• Joe Nugent, Head of ICT, DFA
• 04 March 2004

2
Meet Eamonn ÓMurchú

• Career Diplomat
• Currently based in Iveagh House
• Political Division Human Rights
• Previously posted in Berne
• Interests Current Affairs, Riding Horses

3
Eamonns World

• Department of Foreign Affairs
• 1500 staff in 60 Offices worldwide
• HQ Divisions Anglo-Irish, BERD, Corp. Services,
  DCD, EU, Inspection Unit, Legal, Passport
  Consular, Political Protocol

4
Eamonns Day

• On the Road Home Brussels - Hotel
• Many meetings, many notes, many subjects
• Disorganised, scraps of paper, inserts to
  notebook, handwritten notes, notes on the fly

5
Eamonns Night

• He doesnt have one
• Typing Typing Summarising
• Remember whats important
• Relate his work to previous effort
• What did I mean by that?

6
Eamonns Problem

• Too little time
• Duplication of effort
• He can never find what he wants
• No shorthand, basic IT skills
• Main ICT systems are miles away

7
Eamonns Salvation?

• DFA currently looking for a solution
• Simple, Mobile, Flexible
• Trial
• Tablets, Mobile Connect-Card
• MS OneNote 2003

8
MS OneNote 2003

• Simple organised note taking application
• Type wherever you want on the screen
• Type or write
• Collect your notes
• Search across notes
• Flag your notes for follow up
• Multi-media references
• Website copy references

9
Meet Caitlín OHara

• Counsellor in DFA HQ
• Presidency Planning
• Small no. staff in Dublin with team worldwide
• Press officer in the PRB
• First Secretary in the PMUN New York
• Third Secretary in the PMUN Geneva

10
Caitlíns Problem

• Needs to talk with all staff periodically
• Meetings may be called at short notice
• Talk through presentation/document
• Cant be in 4 places at the one time
• Doesnt have deep pockets

11
Caitlíns Salvation?

• DFA currently looking for a solution
• More than tele-conferencing
• More flexible than video-conferencing
• Trial
• MS Live Meeting

12
MS Live Meeting 2003

• Web conferencing system
• PC internet connection required
• Collaboration whiteboarding possible

13
MS Live Meeting 2003

• Potential Benefits
• Simple
• Time Savings
• Meetings at very short notice
• Cost Savings
• Trip to Riyadh 3000
• Flight costs to Kampala Dar-es-Salaam 3500
• 4 hour round trip to Armagh for 45 min meeting

14
DFA Next Steps

• Trialling
• Little done A lot more to do
• Seem to be opportunities for more effective use
  of time and potential cost savings
• Well have a better idea later in the year
• There is a better way, we have to find it!

15
The Mobile Diplomat

• Joe Nugent, Head of ICT, DFA
• 04 December 2003