Public, unaffiliated "big ideas" events generally start with a question. Someone who has some relevant expertise gives a very brief, informal talk. After that a discussion develops in a free and unstructured manner.
The Global Ideas Bank aims to promote and disseminate creative ideas to improve society, by encouraging the public to generate these ideas and then participate in the problem-solving process.
Does the popularity of "big idea" books suggest that we have lost and are seeking a coherent base from which to assess the world? And are abstract ideas even helpful in policy-making?