Crowdsourcing is the practice of getting ideas and content by reaching out to a large group of people outside of your organization. With the rise of social media this practice has become easier to carry out. From individuals looking for recommendations of doctors or contractors to the government looking for new ways to carry out their missions, everyone is using crowdsourcing.
The government application of crowdsourcing is particularly interesting. In a democratic society it makes sense that "the people" have a say in how the government runs, but traditionally the business of government has been a very insular environment. From local governments looking to fill potholes, to GSA looking to create a better tracking tool for government travel, to NASA looking for the next innovation in space exploration, groups across government are embracing the power of the people.
