Some believe that all human beings are inherently creative. Despite this, these qualities of 'creativity' have until now been more obviously recognised in a class of creative elite; artists, writers, musicians, sculptors, actors and dramatists - and as Ken Robinson would willingly point out, in all young children under a certain age.

With this alleged disproportionate spread of creativity, there has developed an 'us and them' mentality where people either classify themselves as creative, or not at all - in much the same way one would identify with a sporting talent or academic gift. But the internet, and especially the ongoing development of Web 2.0 technologies, has the power to change the way we all engage with creativity and innovation as mass collaboration comes to the fore. Long established as the territory of creative agencies and similar organisations, collaboration and group innovation is now within reach of anyone with access to the internet. This is a phenomenon which Charles Leadbeater highlights in his book We-Think, describing how this mass creativity and innovation has unfathomable potential to revolutionise our society.

The ultimate power of this new way of thinking and participating is that it creates a space for ideas to be developed by a wide net of collaborators, establishing an alternative pathway for solutions that are traditionally developed through top-down governmental or corporate processes. Scepticism still surrounds the ultimate efficiency and ongoing potential of initiatives introduced through models of mass collaboration, but the merit of these experiments is undeniable. Taking Wikipedia as an example, while people may still debate the accuracy of its content or the supposed 'dumbing-down' of those who routinely consult the online peer-edited encyclopaedia, at its heart it is an overwhelming case in point for the power of collaboration and the commitment of people in the community to maintain its incredible collection of sources for the greater good of all - the ultimate utilitarian position.

Driving the success of Wikipedia is a principle that Leadbeater describes in his book - that the value of people in this new environment of mass collaboration is measured on how much you share. Generosity of knowledge, skill and experience is certainly evident in collaborative online communities that self-organise around themes that their members have in common. Creativity in these circumstances is an automatic by-product, fuelled by a passion and commitment to the issues at hand as well as the complementary or supplementary skills collaborating individuals bring to the table. Social innovation has perhaps the most to leverage from this phenomenon, as people are brought together by a desire to make things better, and the belief that they have unprecedented power through the web to make the difference.

We-Think documents many exciting and inspiring examples of collaborative creativity and mass innovation worldwide, which put power that has previously only been the privilege of large corporations and government bodies, into the hands of citizens. Key to the success of the movement is the empowering of individuals in geographically, economically and socially diverse groups to join creative forces and drive the design of their own desired future.

Charles Leadbeater will be in Sydney in May to lead a conversation for ASIX on the changing landscape of social innovation as communities demand opportunities for participation and engagement. For more information and to register for the event, visit Collaboration by Design.