More than 6,000 people and an influential group of VIPs gathered online last week to discuss issues and opportunities in global development during Global Pulse 2010. DAI was a featured partner for the initiative.

The unprecedented collaboration attracted participants from 155 countries who contributed, reacted, and lent perspective on issues crucial to development success. Their more than 9,000 posts are being analyzed and prepared by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and IBM for dissemination to the global development community and decision makers, including USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah.

“This content will provide valuable input as we shape and assess the strategic direction of our foreign affairs agencies, their programs, and future engagement with stakeholders,” Shah said. “Global Pulse 2010 has built a strong foundation for future global engagement activities.”

The March 29-31 digital event was hosted on IBM’s Jam Technology, enabling numerous, simultaneous online brainstorming sessions with discussants checking in and out of sessions at will. While many idea threads emerged, 10 key issues were identified to start the talks:

• Empowering women and girls;


• Enabling essential education;


• Building stronger partnerships;


• Exercising political and civil rights;


• Inspiring a new generation;


• Promoting global health;


• Advancing entrepreneurship, trade and economic opportunity;


• Fostering science, technology and innovation;


• Supporting a sustainable planet; and


• Pursuing grand challenges.

Participants were diverse—60 percent from outside the United States, 51 percent women, and 50 percent under 35 years old. Their postings can be viewed upon registering at the Global Pulse 2010 platform. More than 2,400 participants and others have continued their collaborations on the Global Pulse 2010 Facebook page.

Sonal Shah, director of the White House’s Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, and Ambassador Melanne Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, led the VIP participation. Other notables included African musician and activist Yossou N’Dour, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, and USAID Mission Directors Jay Knott and Jeffery D. Bell, all of whom facilitated talks by requesting ideas and responding to comments. Leaders from universities, media, business, and development-minded institutions also participated.

USAID sponsored Global Pulse 2010 in partnership with the Departments of State, Education, Commerce, and Health and Human Services, and leading development organizations and academic institutions.

Through DAI’s Global Development Alliance Strategic Support Program, DAI’s Global Development Commons team built the IBM relationship for Global Pulse 2010, supported the design of the concept, devised the communications strategy, and managed the project startup. In the days before the event, DAI built quick-impact media partnerships and advised USAID on follow-up activities and investments.

DAI continues to be a leader in “open innovation” consulting for the government sector. Open innovation is a paradigm that calls for organizations to share information with—and leverage ideas and input from—the greater community to find better solutions, including solutions to development challenges.