New data tools for Open Source Economic Development
Open Source Economic Development and Strategic Doing underscore a different approach to strategy for communities and regions. In traditional approaches to strategy, deliberations take place in a discreet period of time (while we are doing our plan) and then end. With our strategic plan in place, our attention is supposed to shift to execution.
This traditional approach does not work very well. Instead, we need to shift to continuous strategic conversations -- continuous thinking and doing -- in order to test new ideas, figure out what works and adjust our strategy. This approach leverages new data tools that are available on the web. In the past, data for regional economic development was difficult to access and compile. No longer. Earlier this week, I was at the University Economic Development Association annual meeting, where I made a presentation on some new data tools that we have been developing with our colleagues that Indiana University and EMSI. We developed these tools under a contract with the Economic Development Administration. You can see my presentation here. (download)
These tools will be available as soon as EDA releases the report. You can look on this site:
http://www.statsamerica.org/innovation/ (Or, keep your eyes on these pages. I'll let you know when they give the green light.)
