These are astute comments. I’ve been wondering how a huge volume of public input will be handled. Semantic analysis by sophisticated software already used for secure intelligence analysis? Highly paid professionals reading stuff over weekends? Eventual transition to structured multiple choice polls?

Whatever the approach, increasing public involvement and the use of social and collaborative technologies has interesting cost and staffing implications, not unlike the questions that face a company that wants to add social media to its customer communication mix on top of what it already does using traditional communication methods such as call centers. In these tough economic times, does the company cut back on its call center staff in order to add “community managers” to its staff? Or, does it spread responsibility for interacting with the public throughout the organization by making more staff members have “public communication” responsibilities?

What happens when the Government’s efforts to secure citizen input are questioned by vocal members of the public who demand immediate response, not the old fashioned bureaucratic run-around?

Dennis McDonald
Alexandria, Virginia
http://www.ddmcd.com