Vanessa is placed with the Information Services Division! The goal of Information Services’ is to provide access to forward facing as well as internal information that meet the evolving needs of Parliament. Specifically, Information Services manage, organize and deliver the Assembly’s information. As well, they help tell the Assembly’s story by improving how individuals discover, capture, organize and present information to the public and among one another. The team provides guidance and assistance in making Assembly services accessible to people of all abilities.
Moreover, Information Services aims to continue the transition to modern technologies, standardize the software used across the Assembly and continually reviews their services to ensure that they continue to reflect modern bureaucratic methods and practices. Interestingly, Information Services works closely with Communications and Public Relations. In this lens, Information Services helps discover, strengthen and manage a consistent brand for the Legislative Assembly through improving public awareness about the Legislature and embracing the principles of an “open parliament”.
Currently, Information Services is working to make relevant and consumer interested data, information and publications openly available in useful formats. The goal is to make relevant information for the consumer easier to find and publically available. I have been fortunate to be spending this past month learning about how the Ontario Legislative Assembly, as a public and educational space, can best be balanced and represented with its duties as a work office for members and staff. I have had the opportunity to attend collaborative Information Services and Information Technology branch meetings where I became familiarized with the various digital work being done to improve how individuals engage with the Legislature. This placement offers valuable insight into the multifaceted role of Legislature and the historical as well as civic importance of a place like this! I extend a warm thank you to the whole Information Services division and I look forward to continuing to learn about the relationship between open data and the Legislature.