In 1988 I wrote to the then Minister for Science, Barry Jones and advocated the concept of a centralised ideas database. I envisaged a system where members of the public could submit ideas for inventions, models for governance, infrastructure improvements, etc. via phone, fax, mail or even the newfangled "email".
My envisaged model was a system administered by universities who were probably the only bodies at that time with enough computing power to handle the influx of data. Since then, of course, there have been massive advances in internet technologies making such a system not only feasible but, I believe, imperative. It is sad to contemplate that there have doubtless been many creative ideas formulated by ordinary people which have withered and died for want of an avenue for expression.
We need to achieve a three-way connection between:
1. Those willing to voice raw untested ideas (not constrained by those with "training" who would seek to squash such ideas with tags of "impossible", "implausible" or "impractical")
2. People with the imagination, capacity, expertise and willingness to bring ideas to fruition and
3. Entrepreneurs or backers who can support and promote an idea until it becomes a reality.
A permanent system sponsored by the government for the primary benefit of Australia with clearly advertised and available links would be a step towards the above goal. Unfortunately, even the official 2020 Summit site ( http://www.australia2020.gov.au/ ) which supposedly invites ongoing input from the public, does not provide an easily accessible portal to achieve this.
Perhaps this forum could take up the challenge and push the government to bring about a system which finally can utilise the most undervalued resource of a community - its ideas.
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Continuing & Permanent Ideas Database
Hi Robert, The Australian Innovation Community wiki is the database you have described; we have specifically created an open and continuing space for ideas to be posted, discussed and evolved into stimuli for implementation or useful background for other ideas. We have started with the Review of the National Innovation System as a catalyst but need people like you to be continuing to document your ideas!
Regards,
Robert Spencer
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http://AussieInnovation.com
The problem is not coming up with ideas -- it's acting on them!
I'm not sure how this could work in practice. But in any event, I don't the problem in Australia is actually idea generation; rather it is the next step: getting ideas up for implementation. We seem unable to make decisions, unable to act on good ideas.
Regarding the database: a major effort is needed to filter ideas coming in from the public. Just look at the sort of nonsense that was posted to e.g. the Get Up 2020 portal (or even our own Open Forum site). A full time panel of experts will be needed to sit in judgement between the public database and the government.
And then the big issue is: Will government listen to said experts? Would these experts be any more credible than the experts that are already advising government? Come to think of it, wouldn't they be the very same experts?!
In my view, events like the 2020 Summit provide a tremendous but episodic benefit, in regards to symbolism, community engagement, politics, transparency etc. But the chance of real innovation coming from left field is very slight.
Why can't we make decisions in this country? Why do so many projects languish, neither championed nor canned, projects like national electronic health records, e-health in general, innovative alternative energy, smartcards, shared identity management infrastructure and so on? When it comes to modern complex issues, I'm sure one aspect of the problem is the need for a stronger intellectual culture. I don't think we suffer analysis paralysis, so much as a chronic difficulty telling good analysis from bad.
I see parallels in the overall decline of our 'clever country'. For decades we've been throttling CSIRO and other basic research institutions, driving academics offshore for better pay and conditions, cutting university funding and exporting tertiary education, making higher education a harder option for young people, even discouraging independent research (if you believe the thesis of Hamilton & Maddison in "Silencing Dissent").
The other major contributer to national indecision is fear. In business too there has long been a view that we're more risk averse here than they are overseas. I recall Bob Ansett commenting years ago to the effect that if an American businessperson didn't go bankrupt once or twice in their career, then they weren't trying hard enough. In Australia we prefer to sit on the fence. So the cliche goes, a start up company cannot borrow money here until they're big enough that they don't need the loan anymore.
So let's start making decisions with less fear of being wrong from time to time. And let's start listening more intently to what experts in all fields already have to say.
Stephen Wilson
Lockstep
-------------------
Lockstep Consulting provides independent specialist advice and analysis
on identity management, PKI and smartcards. Lockstep Technologies
develops unique new smartcard technologies to address transaction
privacy and web fraud.
A Continuing and Permanent Communication Hub(s)
Wow! Every thread is a gem. Thanks Guys.
Can we get past the idea of just "a database" though. The idea of a wiki for Innovations Australia is nice. So while that's getting together, could you start a stub for your global peers; something like this one for the NRENs= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Research_and_Education_Network
There is movement in the telco space now as people try and align their Web info with their IP comms networks. http://www.circleid.com/posts/82141_call_for_telecom_industry_ecomm/
We'll get around to having some platforms for collaboration before too much longer so long as we understand we're just moving from a few National broadcasting stations to lots of global interactive mutlimedia domains. http://www.pfc.org.au/bin/view/Main
Even advisors in the office of Ministers seem to at the point where they're saying when? and how?, not if.
http://me.edu.au/p/Simonfj