Just to add complication, each will have a different electoral system: council elections in May will be by the traditional first-past-the-post method, European elections in June by a proportional system.

ECONOMIST: Devolution

MPs are currently debating legislation required to pave the way for a referendum on the way they are elected and whether to change the current first-past-the-post system in favour of an Alternative Vote method.

BBC: Ministers under fire over consultation on AV referendum

The public will be asked whether they want to replace the existing first-past-the-post system for electing MPs to Westminster with a method known as the alternative vote (AV).

BBC: Q&A: Alternative vote referendum

It has proposed sensible reforms to America's private-pension insurance system, including tying premiums to risk and a more accurate method of measuring pension assets and liabilities.

ECONOMIST: America's pension insurer sinks deeper into deficit

Google has struck back with claims that BT has infringed a method to allow PCs to use an internet-based telephone system based on a patent originally filed by Fujitsu.

BBC: BT Tower

The Kumon method, which is used by three million pupils world-wide, uses an individualised system of learning.

BBC: Maths classes 'overcrowded'

Diversa has attracted notice because of its unique method of producing human antibodies, which are disease-fighting proteins produced by the immune system.

FORBES: Taking Aim At Anthrax

This is a business method that may change (T-Mobile USA are looking to switch to a more European system during 2012) but for the moment the mechanics of the monthly plan put more power in the hands of the networks than they do in the hands of the consumer.

FORBES: Should Windows Phone Drop Its US Focus To Thrive ?

BitTorrent's content delivery system, originally developed as an open-source product, uses a "peer-to-peer" downloading method that can piece together a file from several servers at once, as well as from the hard drive of every user who has previously downloaded the file, taking the bandwidth burden off any single source.

FORBES: Brightcove Unleashes A BitTorrent Stream