Using Technology to Promote Engagement

Posted by Barry Griffiths on January 25th 2007

There are many different forms of participative transaction that can be entered into by government and citizens – from the one-directional provision of information, to the empowering devolution of many-to-many decision-making. Falling somewhere between these two extremes, is consultation – the conventional method of public participation.

Consultation is undertaken to:

  • Communicate and inform;
  • Obtain feedback on analysis, decisions, policies;
  • Identify alternatives.

Consultation is most often undertaken at the beginning of the policy cycle. Yet consultation need not be restricted to taking place at the development stages of policy, it is also valuable and viable during delivery and evaluation points around the policy cycle.

Conventional methods of engagement based around consultation can include:

  • Media campaigns;
  • Stakeholder meetings;
  • Market research;
  • Distributing literature;
  • Written dialogue;
  • Exhibitions;
  • Interviews;
  • Focus groups.

Each has its benefits, but they also have their limitations in terms of cost, longevity, penetration and tracking. Taken alone each method is of limited value, but in combination, they can ensure high visibility for consultations and healthy response rates.

Consultation and other forms of engagement can now take place via another route – information and communication technology. ICT offers up new consultation spaces and can increase the breadth and depth of participation. It will not replace the conventional methods but can act as a complement that can overcome their shortcomings for tapping into new methods of communicating and interacting within communities.

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