Beginning in 2007, IBM opened up its jam services to outside organizations similarly interested in fueling innovation through online collaboration. Since then, jams have been used by governments, academic institutions, businesses and other organizations—sometimes with IBM’s sponsorship—to tackle initiatives ranging from boosting employee engagement, to revitalizing cities, to bettering the world through volunteering and other public service.
Jamming beyond IBM
CovJam: Citizens in the driving seat
In 2010, Coventry, England, became the first city in the world to sponsor a citywide jam with its CovJam. Using IBM’s jam framework and technologies, Coventry City Council invited residents to help map out a 20-year plan to transform Coventry into a leading European city.
Security Jam
Security Jam brought together more than 4000 global security experts—including military officials, business and government leaders, and security analysts from around the world—for five days in February 2010. A collaboration between IBM and the Security and Defense Agenda, a Brussels-based security think tank, Security Jam resulted in thousands of ideas—many of which were presented to the European Union and NATO. Pictured here is Larry Hirst, former chairman of IBM Europe, Middle East and Africa, making the report presentation to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in June 2010.
Service Jam
Six hundred non-profits, corporations, academic institutions, government agencies and other organizations from across the globe joined IBMers for 72 hours in October 2010 for the IBM-sponsored Service Jam. Jammers came up with strategies and practices to deepen the impact of volunteering, public service, social entrepreneurship and other forms of service. Pictured here is the wordle capturing themes of their discussion.