7 ideas to get more open government ideas
Someone secure the ideas.gov domain before a squatter does, because Uncle Sam is open for suggestions. While there are great ideas and engagement, there no doubt could be more activity. Whether it’s the White House or a major media firm wanting to do good, a solid PR effort would go a long way in getting more citizen interaction.
Here’s some ideas to get more open government ideas:
Create a campaign
Build a campaign around it. Make it a national effort. ‘America: Open for Ideas.’ Something. Bring it to the citizens.
Build a Web page
Create ideas.gov, make it a very simple page and link directly to all agency idea platforms. Not to the agency open pages. Not to the White House Open site. Just link directly to the online suggestion boxes.
Get a spokesman
It doesn’t need to be a celebrity or swimsuit model, but someone different than the U.S. CTO or CIO. Maybe it’s average citizens.
Make a video
Video is powerful. Produce a 1-minute video clip that promotes the Open Government Initiative and how citizens can share their ideas.
Put it on the home page
Home pages are the most visited page for any Web site. Every department or agency should link to their suggestion box directly from their home pages.
Reconsider the idea tool
I’m not convinced IdeaScale is the best tools for suggestions. I personally have user interface and design issues with it. It could be more intuitive and simpler to use.
Send the best ideas to White House
Championship sports teams get to meet the President, so should the All-Star Idea Team. Send citizens with the best idea for each agency to the White House with a Rose Garden photo shoot.
Some very good ideas here, Luke. I was just mulling over where would be an appropriate central point to gather info. You don’t think that White House should be the central website? How about better integration in agency sites?
In the meantime, no fear about securing the ideas.gov. It’s not available on the open market! :)
Gwynne,
I think a central site should be simple, like ideas.gov. Something citizens can get their heads around without feeling like they’re wandering into an online bureaucracy. Simple. Accessible. Fun.
Luke
Yes!
I’ll do what I can to further promote that.
Craig
Look out February 17, 2010-for our streaming video live 2:00pm-4:30pm (est.) of the Open Government Directive Workshop. Open Government TV seeks to engage large businesses, educate small businesses, and empower public and private sector on how to be successful under an Open Government American Recovery Reinvestment Society.
Please spread the word to your networks all over the globe to watch the OGD Workshop gather ideas and share relevant stakeholder information.
Thank you, Keith.
I’d like to see your network create a 1-minute video promoting /open. I’m talking about an awareness video that lets citizens know they can share ideas (not a promo for what you do, although you’ll inevitably cash in on the social capital gains).
What do you think?
Luke
Instead of taking ideas to the White House, here’s an idea: how about replacing the White House with the ideas of everyone?
That is the eventual goal of the projects of the Metagovernment. See http://www.metagovernment.org/wiki/Main_Page
One of them is even called just that. See http://www.whitehouse2.org/
[...] Gov 2.0: 7 ideas to get more open government ideas Luke Fretwell: "While there are great ideas and engagement, there no doubt could be more activity. Whether it’s the White House or a major media firm wanting to do good, a solid PR effort would go a long way in getting more citizen interaction. [...]
[...] As government searches for ways to better engage citizens, it will be interesting to watch whether an incentive-based approach works. The genius and resourcefulness of this is that GSA can turn a $2500 investment into a powerful marketing tool and create awareness about the site during the process (see also 7 ideas to get more government ideas). [...]
Our problem is even with a “good idea” we can not implement it unless “congress acts ????”
We must have Initiative and Binding Referendum. Of course there must be principles and law to follow, need to develop that as we build.
http://vote.org/
[...] the process conforms to suggestions from experts on how to solicit ideas and engage the public, more transparency is needed on how [...]
[...] the process conforms to suggestions from experts on how to solicit ideas and engage the public, more transparency is needed on how [...]
[...] I mentioned in an earlier post, the problem isn’t necessarily the process, it’s the challenge of communicating [...]
Hey Luke. As we approach the implementation of OGD Plans from the Agencies, I would like to engage in a discussion with you by phone around the PR Campaign. As one who has all the film on the development of this stakeholder input process there are some really resonating opportunities that needed to become a part of a Brand for government to make this successful in an unprecedented way. You can reach me at 202-449-7705. Look forward to the chat. http://www.govtv.com
I also take to heart Bruce Eggumb’s comment on impacting law for OGD.