Last week I spent a day walking around Washington.  The weather was glorious and it was bustling.  In the Newseum, an older woman examined photos with her friend from Scotland.  At the White House, a family from Idaho asked me to take their picture.   Near the water, the tables at Sequoia’s were full of international tourists.  On the Mall, packs of school kids tried to buy lemon ice before they hit the lines at the National Air and Space Museum.

As I carefully navigated the crowded steps of the Lincoln Memorial, I started thinking.  The District of Columbia provides a beautifully rendered narrative of our nation’s history.

But, for all those gathered here, what story does it tell of our future?

Reimagine Washington DC as not only the country’s family album, but also the nation’s innovation center.  Why not?  Corporate America is focused on innovation - according to McKinsey, 65% of global C-suite leaders see it as a top 3 priority.  Innovation centers promote R&D and transmit vision to customers and employees – why not also to citizens and foreign visitors?

Imagine a portion of DC dedicated to rendering policy tangible and exploring and testing vision, together.  Wind turbines or solar panels encircling and powering the Washington Memorial.  The latest breakthroughs in smart prosthetics and tissue regrowth showcased at the Department of Veterans Affairs.  Recycling bins at every food vendor along the Mall.  Electric cars and other alternative technology employed for cabs.  Free wi-fi and kiosks at select corners to collect crowdsourced thoughts about the critical issues of the day.  Experimental technology displays at the base of the monuments.  Innovation sessions at the Newseum and the Smithsonian with invited leaders from industry, promoted and open to the public.

Imagine post cards featuring not just monuments, but a vision of our common future.

Our monuments celebrate some of the biggest thinkers of their day.  What if a vital part of DC functioned not only as a tribute, but also as a bridge, linking our past to our future? What if it took what was being discussed in the Capitol and in myriad policy speeches to the street, opening up the conversation?

The Obama administration has been very good at employing digital techniques to rally supporters, collect feedback and provide information.

But digital initiatives supported by physical manifestations are extraordinarily powerful.  When it comes to effectively spreading ideas, we need both the virtual world and the real world.

It’s possible to take a cue from Wrigleys, Adidas, or any one of a number of universities like Washington neighbor James Madison – and bring an innovation mentality to the masses using our public space.

World Fairs used to serve as a collective exploration of the future but no longer command the spotlight as they used to. Today’s popular global events like the Olympics tend to celebrate good will, community and achievement, but not necessarily future vision beyond product sampling.

America needs an innovation lab.  Something that showcases strategy and R&D and lays out our innovation agenda directed against the many problems we face in the 21st Century.  Dedicated physical space with dedicated management for a dedicated throng of visitors.

Obama has created an innovation team (and most recently named a woman in charge of social innovation). But we live in a world of images and usability, not policy pronouncements.  If you want to make something real – like your idea of the future – show me, don’t tell me.  Seeing promotes understanding.  It gives us something to talk about.  Every tourist armed with a video camera is a media outlet – ready, willing and able to disseminate that vision digitally on YouTube, Twitter, Flickr or a blog.

This is not to suggest that DC is not a city in its own right with its own sovereign governance issues.  But using some stimulus money to express, test and showcase shouldn’t impinge unduly on its day-to-day operation.

Towards the end of the day I stopped in at the Swedish embassy where they were hosting forward-facing exhibits on alternative energies and water footprints.

And I thought, why isn’t this in the street where the people are?

Patrick Davis Partners specializes in the creation and management of brand capital. They serve clients worldwide, helping them to identify, allocate and deploy brand capital for maximum value and return on investment.  See their on-line publication Unbound Edition.

Other Guest Columns:

Op-ed: The Good Business of Good Citizenship
by Patrick Davis

Revitalizing Public Service: Primed for Change, Fueled by Passion
by Ruby DeMesme

Where does government fit into Obama’s call to service?
by Chris Asch

Raising the visibility of public service
by Chris Asch

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