# 11 Ideas Bank

What is it?
An Idea Banks is a space – either physical or virtual – where people can put forward ideas which are then advanced by decision makers.

How could I use it?
1.    Idea Banks
This can be established either within an organisation, such as a local authority, or publicly as an open space online platform where people can propose ideas. This is an excellent way for local authorities to harness innovation both internally and externally. Idea Banks also challenge the assumption that innovation is hierarchical or top-down.

2.    Ideas festivals
Ideas festivals run along similar lines to trade fairs. They bridge the gap between the local authority, social innovators, third sector providers, public bodies and local residents by physically bringing them together to tackle key issues within their community.

3.    Innovation Bazaars
Innovation bazaars match social innovators with specialists to explore and develop new ideas. This has been used successfully bringing social innovators and web developers to give shape to their ideas. Bazaars work by bringing innovators and developers together over a couple of days to build websites quickly to test if the idea would work. Bazaars often operate with small teams competing against each other, with a reward for the team that produces the best result. Innovation bazaars speed up the innovation design process and help social innovators without web expertise or support see their idea come to fruition. It is an excellent way for local authorities to support innovative ideas that can connect people together through the web.

Where has it been used?
Ideas Bank
•    The Global Ideas Bank is a website where users can submit ideas. Other users can then vote on the feasibility, originality and humour of the ideas. The site has attracted more than 4,000 ideas and attracts more than a quarter of a million unique visitors annually. The team behind the site also offers social innovation workshops for young people that get them to grapple with real world problems.

•    Seoul City Imagination Bank is an online forum supported by the regional government. In 2006 the ‘Imagination Bank’ was launched, where ideas concerning the city government could be submitted online by citizens. Policy leaders then held a ‘Realisation Conference’ where the ideas were transformed into policy. In its first two years of operation citizens posted more ideas on more than 16,095 topics. Ideas that emerged from the site include a multilingual magazine about Korea for new residents and lower hanging hand grips on the bus for vertically challenged passengers.

Ideas Festivals
•    The Innovation Exchange holds a festival of ideas that brings together innovators from the third sector, public services and social investors to discuss opportunities for innovation. Findings from the festivals are then posted online where attendees can keep in touch after the event. The Innovation Exchange recently held two festivals: Independent Living and Excluded Young People.

Innovation Bazaars
•    Social Innovation Camp brings together ideas and people to create web-based social start-ups. In the lead up to the Camp there is an open call for ideas: anyone can submit an idea or a problem that a web-based tool might be able to help solve. Six finalists are then selected to come to a two and a half day event and work with web developers on their idea. At the end of the Camp support is given to the projects that show the most potential.
•    BarCamps, based in the USA, are self-organising ‘unconferences’ that discuss everything from healthcare to political organisation. Participants supply the content and shape the programme. Originally focusing on technical web-based meetings the forum has grown and is hosted at physical venues sourced by the participants.