IdeenWerkstatt (Workshop of Ideas) 2008

Germanys Biggest Experient to Leverage Collective Intelligence

More than 2700 participants generated over 7800 ideas at the interface of technology, education and politics / Leading politicians attended

The ThyssenKrupp IdeenPark (Park of Ideas) 2008

May 17th to 25fh, 2008, the technology enterprise, ThyssenKrupp, organized the third “IdeenPark” (Park of Ideas). After Gelsenkirchen in 2004 and Hannover in 2006, this year’s location was Stuttgart. Being a part of the long-range initiative “Discover Future Technology”, the goal of this comprehensive world of experience was to generate excitement among adolescents about science and technology. Already in 2006, nextpractice was a partner of the IdeenPark, contributing in several ways. We conducted the qualitative study, “Technology 2006”, beforehand and provided an interactive stock-exchange of ideas, the “IdeenWerkstatt” (Ideas Workshop) during the event. Based on a nextmoderator-network, the visitors developed suggestions on important issues for the future. In 2006, the IdeenWerkstatt turned out Germany’s biggest workshop on the future. In 2008, the IdeenWerkstatt again offered pupils, young adults and families the possibility to brainstorm at the interface of technology, education and politica. Again, nextpractice also conducted a qualitative survey, this time on „Youth and Participation“.

THE CHALLENGE 

For years already, Germany is suffering from a shortage of engineers, technicians and IT-professionals. Not enough adolescents are interested in technology and science. In the face of intensified global competition in the knowledge society, the demographic change is likely to even worsen the situation. Hence, the IdeenPark mainly aims to create excitement about technology through a dynamic learning- and experience-environment with many experiments. Also, adolescents shall be involved proactively in the shaping of their future through cutting-edge technologies.

In this context, there is a striking paradoxon: voter turnout is declining particularly among young citizens while innovative forms of participation such as the IdeenWerkstatt enjoy a very high acceptance. Hence, the survey “Youth and Participation” aims to provide insights into why many youths stand off established forms of politics.

THE SOLUTIONS

To measure the attitudes and personal preferences adolescents and young adults have towards politics and participation , nextpractice interviewed over 120 persons in 4 cities, including Stuttgart, with the nextexpertizer-tool. At the IdeenPark, nextpractice installed the IdeenWerkstatt lasting 9 days. On 30 interconnected laptops, over 100 participants simultaneously generated and evaluated ideas for technology, education and politics in sessions lasting 60 to 90 minutes. In the first brainstorm, they suggested the changes in business, science and technology they deemed necessary to maintain Germany’s innovativeness. In the second brainstorm they made suggestions on how to improve the education system. The third brainstorm attended to the question in what kind of society the participants want to live and which challenges politics should tackle.

THE RESULTS

The study „Technology 2006“ had delivered valuable insights. nextpractice demonstrated that engineering is facing an image crisis. The profession is considered practical and effective, but barely associated with social or ecologic aspects. The current survey “Youth and Participation” is still being analysed. 

The IdeenWerkstatt prove to be a great success. In 2006, already 2000 participants had generated more than 6000 ideas on the future of Germany in 23 workshops. In Stuttgart, this record was beaten. After 9 days, over 2700 people took part in the 29 workshops, forming a collective intelligence. Together, they created over 7800 ideas. Their contributions are being summarised and analysed in relation to the results of 2006.

Secretary of State for Education and Vice Chancellor attended:

On the 2008 IdeenPark, the IdeenWerkstatt took place in hall 3 which was thematised education and participation. There, it turned out to be a great attraction and the “social brain“ of the IdeenPark. Not only did the public pay considerable attention, also politicians kept an eye on the workshops and their results. Secretary of State for Education, Dr. Annette Schavan, and Vice Chancellor, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, both visited the IdeenWerkstatt to get an update on the process. They were accompanied by the host of the event, Prof. Ekkehard Schulz, Chairman of the Board of ThyssenKrupp. The IdeenWerkstatt was well-prepared for both visits: participants had developed questions the politicians and Prof. Schulz discussed with the adolescents during the subsequent panel.

Political Impact, Sophisticated Analysis and Perspectives for Participation:

6000 ideas in Hannover, 7800 in Stuttgart – the IdeenWerkstatt is Germany’s biggest experiment to leverage collective intelligence. In Stuttgart, the IdeenWerkstatt demonstrated its ability to impact the political debate. Before analysis even started, it was clear for ThyssenKrupp: “No single person would have been able to perform an equally sophisticated analysis of the technology-, education- and political sector as the participants did with the sum of their ideas, at the same time defining directions for solution-finding.” The brochure, “Develop Future Technology“ further reads: “The message – independent even of content – is that participation of many, be it citizens of a state, employees of a corporation, pupils or consumers, is the key to solving the tasks ahead of us. We have to combine the intelligence of many.“ 

The analysis of the study, „Youth and Participation“, and of the results from the brainstorms, will be completed end of summer 2008.