Although the private sector has been increasingly adopting online research (currently about 20% of global research by value is online), Governments in most countries have been slower to adopt online techniques. They express concerns about the lack of representivity, often ignoring the problems with conventional research, ignoring the potential costs savings, and the chance to reach new people.
However, it seems the Canadian Federal Government is ahead of most. The Canadian Public Works and Government Services website has a great article about how the Canadian Government is using online as a medium for consultation and surveys.
The article talks about using online surveys, online chat (one with a Government minister and bilingual rural youngsters), tracking studies, and even a project that used something which they called a workbook, but which many of us we probably think of as a wiki.
Oh, and to be politically correct I also ought to point out that the Public Works and Government Services Canada is also (bilingually) Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada.
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