I think the concept of "Ideas and Innovation" is something that needs expanding (significantly) within Governement circles.
I have tried to get an "Innovation" discussion going at the local government level but I am "pushing it up-hill"!
I think generally the concept is understood but there are very few practitioners in the public service (at any level).
There is a sad lack of understanding of the underlying principles of Innovation and it is hard to find anyone who appreciates the power of properly applying innovation.
Innovation is about generating new ideas, critically analysing all ideas and finally implementing the "best" ideas available.
Toyota started it years ago and now it is a way of life. Toyota have benefitted from the successful implementation of Innovation, but it has not been generally rolled into public sector activities.
Surely with our current need to get closer to our communities (our customers) and decide what they need and what they want, ideas and Innovation would provide a "means" to this end. Innovation is not rocket science, but it does require processes and procedures as well as discipline, dedication and commitment to nuture it and allow it to provide its significant benefits.
I am happy to be involved in any initiative in the area of Innovation.

Thanks, Darron. We do see a use case for 'innovation' that sits outside of what we might think of classically as online engagement for the purposes of policy consultation. At the moment I'm framing that under a broad use case for identifying problems, opportunities and future issues through online engagement that might involve more specific use cases such as future scanning and scenario planning, pilots and research, beta testing new services, idea generation and innovation and crowd sourcing. Is this what you mean?

James,

I was thinking of you when reading about this.
http://www.aaf.edu.au/index.php/mini-grants/application-process/

It comes out of this week's e-research conference newsletter. I thought is may be of interest in perhas running a series of publicsphere (distributed) conferences, but this time using some of the tools hosted by arcs, like the accessgrid & evo, recording and streaming (perhaps to 'connected classrooms' & the a-pac broadcast station) , and getting feedback, via all the web2 ways.

From my perspective we appear to need to use a combination of media to include more people in the new ways of digital engagment. If we are successful in 'beta testing new combinations of services', then I think others will copy.