Open, direct conversations between the public and their leaders and representatives

A set of tools for the public

A set of tools for leaders and organisations to engage

A set of tools for digital inclusion

Questions also gathered via print and mobile phone

A very innovative methodology: questions from the people, put by the people Watch a video of how it works. [Starts automatically when you click through to next page. Click twice more to skip it and move on to the next slide]....

Who has used Yoosk? 12 Ministers and scores of MPs and Councillors Council Chief Execs, Authors, Academics, Experts 10 sites and projects so far 1000 plus answers across all sites Partnerships with C4, BBC, Netmums, ARRSE, and hyper-local’s like Lichfield Blog

What our clients say: Ministry of Justice “Yoosk is a brilliant example of the innovative ways people can now engage with local and central decision making online.” Michael Wills, Minister for Democratic Engagement UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office “great...another demonstration that Yoosk can deliver on big cross government campaigns” Stephen Hale, Head of Engagement, Digital Diplomacy Team.

Benefits of using Yoosk: more precise targeting of audiences Yoosk’s widgets are placed on third party websites gather questions .   

Benefits: improved user experience through advanced participative media functionality Yoosk Features can be easily integrated into a client’s corporate site and embedded into media partner sites to gather questions, display answers and collect feedback.

Benefits: reputation for openness is enhanced by inviting feedback on answers. “Yoosk...tests us in public as to the quality of our answers - and I believe it is important (particularly in these times when we politicians are somewhat unloved) to be out there to show everyone that we do care and care passionately.” Lynne Featherstone MP speaking about the Yoosk League Table [pictured right]

Benefits: Better management of content: public ask questions which are ranked and voted on by users Leaders’ answers are tagged to each individual question and then evaluated by users

Benefits: grass roots appeal and a more empowered audience "Asking this question means that we are on Siôn's [Sion Simon, the Minister for Creative Industries] radar and he has been in touch to meet with us. This will enable us to influence, campaign, demand and highlight the digital injustice and discrimination we face.“ Alison Smith, Campaigner for Pesky People [right: a Jordanian blogger puts users’ questions, which were posted on Yoosk in Arabic, to Foreign Minister David Miliband]

Benefits: wider engagement- a panel of leaders can engage with multiple audiences Yoosk Features can be set up by our team, a client’s staff or a partner’s journalists

Tried and tested -Over 60 Ministers and MPs and scores of other leaders have given over 500 answers to users’ questions.

Organisations Yoosk has worked with: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministry of Justice Parliament Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills Department for International Development Birmingham City Council British Embassy Vietnam National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

A growing and diverse list of partners Yoosk is proud to have partnered with or have links with: -The Student Room -City University London -University of Warwick Digital Laboratory -The Army Rumour Service -Netmums -Talk about Local (the hyper local blog network) -The Independent -BBC Democracy Live -Channel 4 -365 media (ethnic media new agency) -Trinity Mirror -Johnston Press

Lessons and challenges from using Yoosk 1 Lessons and challenges from using Yoosk 1. Human processes- public figures who don’t want to be personal [Reassurance and parameters] 2. Human processes- audience’s who can’t think of questions [Immediacy and relevance] 3. Competition and collaboration issues [give ownership to the people who bring you audiences] 4. Digital inclusion See case studies of Yoosk engagement projects

Yoosk has been supported by two stages of funding from 4IP and Screen West Midlands. Yoosk has also won the Building Democracy Innovation Award