Architect for democracy
Andy Williamson is a Scottish-based architect for democracy and passionate advocate for participation and stronger governance.
Described as a global leader in democratic innovation and civic participation, his reputation lies in the intersection of digital, parliaments and citizens.
Working at the highest level, with government ministers, parliamentarians, civil servants and citizens, Andy supports organisations to transform both culture and process to become more creative, open, transparent and effective.
Through his writing, research and consultancy, Andy has been instrumental in the modernisation of democratic processes around the world.
"Andy is well informed, well connected and extremely enthusiastic, which he has a talent for conveying to his audience. I come away from any conversation or talk completely fired up and ready for action."
What I do
Consultancy & research
I bring extensive experience in participatory research, political campaigning, digital communication, and social and tech innovation.
I've worked with large corporates (such as Volvo and numerous banks), governments and parliaments around the world. Globally, my work includes the United Nations, Inter-parliamentary Union and the Council of Europe.
Speaking
A skilled facilitator, I have been hailed as an engaging public speaker and and commentator for a wide range of media, including the Guardian, BBC, Al Jazeera and TedX.
Writing
I’m the author of a number of books and reports on democracy, technology and innovation, as well as a writer of poetry and fiction.
Sample publications
World e-Parliament Report
The leading research-based publication on the strategic use of digital tools within parliaments, I’ve authored this report since 2016 (5 editions).
Guidelines for AI in parliaments
The IPU Guidelines for AI in parliaments are a comprehensive framework for parliaments to understand and implement AI responsibly and effectively. They underscore the importance of using AI to augment and enhance human capability rather than replace it, especially in democratic deliberation and decision-making.
Building active democracies
It’s time to take democracy on a journey towards a new world of intimacy and co-creation. We need to create networked, active democracies and this book is about how we make that happen.
Mapping deliberative democracy
A review of deliberative democracy in Council of Europe member states also develops guidelines for good practice and recommendations for policy makers and practitioners.
"Andy’s work is at the cutting edge of modernising parliaments."
Sample projects
Our values at play
How does a global business build confidence and decision making skills in its workforce? We worked with Volvo to develop ‘Our values at play’, a roll-playing game that teaches people how to work together to solve problems together and to understand the different roles within the organisation. This meanas that confident, accurate decisions can be taken locally and only need to be escalated when appropriate, saving both time and money for the company.
Civil participation academies
The Academy of Public Participation encourages openness, transparency and engagement through digital technologies, supporting better connections between civil society and public bodies in Ukraine.
Building parliamentary openness
I helped a Serbian-based parliamentary monitoring organisation develop their strategic thinking and to understand the potential for social media intergration at the organisational and campaign level, supporting their work on parliamentary openness and transparency.
Digital transformation
Developing a strategy to support digital transformation and modernisation in the National Assembly of Armenia.
"Andy spryly hurdles the boundaries of academia and policy. He brings subjects to life by ensuring their relevance is understood by those in business and government. Andy's intellectual curisosity leads him to achive genuine and lasting impact."
If you’d like to know more about what I do, ask me to speak or write for you, or would like to discuss a project, please get in touch.
Dr Andy Williamson FRSA