AmericaSpeaks 21st Century Town Hall Meeting Particpation Technology

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The nonprofit AmericaSpeaks has pioneered a model that allows thousands of people to give thoughtful input on an important issue or decision, and to summarize and prioritize this input quickly and effectively. In a nutshell, diverse partcipants are educated about an issue and take part in facilitated small group dialogues. Following some discussion, groups of about 10 people brainstorm lists of ideas that are entered via laptop computers at each round table, compiled into concise lists by a "theme team", and then quickly presented to participants who can vote on and prioritize from these lists using handheld wireless keypad devices that look like a small TV remote control.

This process works very effectively; people get excited about participating in a high-technology and fast paced democratic process like this. Perhaps more federal and state agencies could benefit from using this technology and model.

Why Is This Idea Important?

This is the most tested model of large scale public engagement that I am aware of, and in my experience it can be very effective when carefully planned and executed. (Greg Keidan, Public Engagement Consultant)

Idea # 83New Tools and Technologies, americaspeaks, keypad, deliberative, keidan

Comments

Edward 10 months ago

Check out my idea at:

http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2487-4049

It is pretty much this idea minus AmericaSpeaks nonprofit but I think that this is a good idea. After looking at AmericaSpeaks website I see that this idea is already being used by many different groups such as this one.

I think that the President should set the example and hold several of these sessions.

david.is.farrar 10 months ago

I like the "ignore" button. Any large forum should have an "Ignore" button that will allow the read to ignore posts from posters THEY consider trolls or undesirable.

I don't know if it that can actually be done on a very large forum. But I would also suggest that if a poster receives a certain amount of "Ignore" hits, the forum managers issue a warning, a second warning, and then banned. With a notice being posted that so-and-so has been banned, so participants can erase their user-name from their "Ignore" list.
ex animo
davidfarrar

klingspoon.troy 9 months ago

I would hope that through transparent review of the possibilities and further public awareness that Government support to all humanity for access to affordable wireless communications and associated imbedded applications becomes accelerated into an immediate reality. Ideas of energy conservation and modernizing how we communicate information on a global scale become apparent with a brief analysis of current abilities using satellites and wireless communications devices. We should be extraordinarily supporting the transition to this communication style as it is the most cost effective way to upgrade humanity into the 21st century.

klingspoon.troy 9 months ago

The complexities of business and invention need not be compromised in supporting standard portal connections. The ability to connect to the rest of the world and access the strength of community the web has to offer is vital for all humanity to compete in future learning environments. The fundamental secure portal that this writing refers to is a high level secure portal connection, the device offers the user the immediate ability to connect and transmit or receive data on the move. It unifies what is technically possible and marketable into a single device. Vital statistics would be monitored and available to the user for analysis. Applications that enhance the user in interactions with the community at large offer advantages that right now while available, are weakened in usefulness by fragmented and independent design. The trends in communications design and embedded applications have made rapid acceptance in society. The convergence with green power generation from the user coupled with embedded applications that provide enhancements for connectivity would also assist in societies efforts to reign in cybercrime. A standard portal device will offer encryption levels that are hack proof and will be designed to ensure user privacy. A citizen standard connection portal, in the spirit of transparency the strength in the adoption lies in the societal acceptance. When all citizens have the power of connectivity to participate in the strength of community, opportunity for enhanced learning becomes more powerful as well.
The costs of governance have the potential for drastic reduction. By merely giving every person in America immediate connectivity no matter where they are in the world reduces the infrastructure costs of providing the services of government and society as a whole. By giving this level of possibility to all Americans the strength of what it means to participate in building success will become immediately apparent. The design of this device through peer review across the population’s diverse spectrum of scientists’, business leaders, social network professionals and government agencies, along with the public at large will give 21st century clout to the protection offered within the constitution.
Cyber security will be made highly affordable to implement as the standard would have the largest audience not only in its creation but as well in its deployment. Once deployed the increased connectivity to efficiently deliver the services primarily of government but of all aspects of societal interactions, will be the 21st century platform for all cumulative societal efforts engaged in national and global prosperity.
Wireless connectivity offers the most efficient transition to full participatory access for all Americans.

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