The Wisdom of the Crowd in New York City

Right now, New York City government is rolling out many "crowdsourcing" tools that rest on the proposition that an informed (and sometimes even enraged) public can indeed provide wise counsel. With budget shortfalls looming, tough decisions lie ahead. In an ongoing commitment to transparency, the city is aggressively pursuing both in-person and online opportunities for the full and frank exchange of views.

Interactive community discussions — whether online or in person — can produce insights that one-way communication does not. Citizens and public officials educate each other during these exchanges. Actively engaging the sometimes rowdy crowd can actually enhance government’s problem-solving ability and is an enriching aspect of democracy.

Stephen Goldsmith is deputy mayor of operations for the City of New York.

Full Story: http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/wisdom-crowd-new-york-city.html