Everybody has heard of crowdsourcing, the practice of engaging a ‘crowd’ or group for a common goal – often innovation, problem solving, or efficiency. Thanks to the modern web and its growing connectivity, it’s now easier than ever for individuals to collectively contribute. The Internet and social media have brought organizations closer to their stakeholders, laying the groundwork for new ways of collaborating and creating value together like never before – of which citizensourcing is the best example.
Citizensourcing is the crowdsourcing practice applied by governments with the goal of tapping into the collective intelligence of the citizens. Through citizensourcing, governments can collect ideas, suggestions and opinions from their citizens — thereby creating a permanent feedback loop of communication.