Public Welfare & Open Innovation

What does it take to build a bus stop? Whilst many would have qualms of thought hovering around the constructional details, the truth is all that matters is ‘the very thought’. An idea! That’s what the University of Utah/Utah Transit Authority; the United States did with its open innovation contest named Next Stop Design. The objective was to work with neighborhood residents and design an improved and better functioning bus stop. The purpose was also to evaluate the feasibility of an OI approach for transit concerns and to understand how the people would contribute in urban planning and government decision making. The visitors and online browsers of Next Stop Design website were encouraged to submit their ideas keeping in mind aspects such as weather protection, accessibility and access to transit information. There were more than 260 ideas that were submitted and approximately 11,000 votes helped in choosing the winner.

This is or can be the future of idea management when managed and executed systematically. It is necessary that companies understand that each single person has something to contribute today. Individuals and consumers today are much more conscious and aware of what is happening around them, about their needs and the preferred way to arrive at them. Progressive companies and smart entrepreneurs capitalize on this aspect by resorting to mass idea capture management idea techniques. This has helped them in new product development and even introducing better social welfare programs.

However, when it comes to laws and regulation, everyone wishes there was a leeway to put in their views. Everyone has a say on a criminal code that seems irksome or a taxation policy that might appear extremely rigid. The question is in this new age of innovation and high-end innovation products, can one use open innovation to make new laws.

Thinking on similar lines United States California State Assembly member Jared Huffman,  declared an open innovation contest, providing the public with a chance to come up with new laws. The contest encouraged local residents to create new laws pertaining to existing situations or probable ones and submit them explaining its feasibility, objectives, benefits and implications. According to Jared Hufffman “This contest is a way for me as a legislator to tap into that incredible resource of knowledge and creativity. It’s one of several ways I try to maintain a constant dialogue with my constituents about public policy.”

This kind of open innovation and crowdsourcing innovation provides a new form of citizen engagement and an unprecedented scope for individuals to get involved with every level of the government. This further helps to impact public thinking, guide policy decisions and attain enhanced access to data and better services.

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