Benefits of ICT
In the near future, the internet will begin to converge with mobile devices and digital TV. Presently, however, the most viable platforms for technology-enabled consultation are those hosted online.
The benefits of using online ICT to consult with the public are many. They include:
1. Asynchronicity
Participants and administrators need not be in the same place at the same time to interact. This is as useful for localised consultation as it is in an international context, particularly in instances where resources such as staff or time are limited;
2. Cost
The web is often associated with high costs for factors such as design, hosting or security, but this is not predetermined and is often the result of poor planning or lack of detail in specification documents. There are benefits to having a healthy budget of course, but with the maturity of contemporary open-source software there are alternatives to costly proprietary systems.
Additionally, with significant rises in uptake and use of the web amongst the general population, online activity now competes with conventional channels in terms of penetration and can thus return on investment;
3. Accessibility
The web can help to accommodate those on the margins of politics – for example, people with disabilities or those whose first language is not English.
Significant efforts have been taken to develop web accessibility to make it both suitable for the end-user’s requirements and manageable for site administrators. Accessibility requirements are now protected in law, and to help institutions adapt there is extensive support available online (see the Cabinet Office website);
4. Design
Attention to design is a very important factor in creating effective engagement. A comfortable and appealing environment can make the difference in the success of a consultation exercise – particularly online.
Consultation is often regarded by the public as clinical or dry, deterring participants and contributing to the austere and unwelcoming image of government. The nature of the online medium discourages the verbose, rewards directness, and benefits from the use of colour and graphics (often in place of text). The web also offers greater scope than print for customisation to suit a particular demographic;
5. Scalability
The flexibility of web applications and hosting provision means that the scale of consultations and their resource allocation can be constantly reviewed and adapted depending on demand and shifting requirements over the short or long term;
6. Durability
As a result of their asynchronicity, it is possible to sustain online activity for far longer than, for example, a traditional media campaign that is at the mercy of editors, the rolling news cycle and competing demands of advertisers;
7. Maintenance
Online applications have developed in such a way that they are now easier to manage and update even by the non-expert through content management systems and remote devices such as mobiles. This can be particularly useful in ensuring that consultations remain responsive, topical and engaging;
8. Tracking
With statistical software built in at a server and site level, it is easier and quicker to collate information on audience and participant demographics, to monitor the traffic around a site, to observe ways in which people are finding out about it and reacting to it. The advantage of this real-time information is the ability to adapt consultations through scaling-up resources to respond to demand;
9. Data
At the close of a consultation, the qualitative and quantitative data gathered can be mesmerising in its volume. The interfaces of web-based platforms can help in this regard, allowing easy search and analysis of data – either at the end or over the duration;
10. Multichannel
Given all the factors stated above, the web has proven that it can lock together campaign and consultation activity by acting as a central reference or participation point, bringing together a stakeholder base rather than disaggregating it. It has also generated new participant bases that may not have previously engaged with government (see the case studies in this report).
