DfES e-Consultation/Online Survey Site
Title/URL
Screenshot
Department
Department for Education and Skills (DfES)
Policy Overview
Various.
The department runs a number of consultations each year around developing policies; most have an online response option. A limited number of the department’s consultations address selected stakeholders and do not have an online response option.
Each consultation has a named policy contact.
Objective/Context
Various.
The DfES states it aims to open up decision making to as wide an audience as possible.
Application
Online surveys.
Surveys are completed by responding to a series of closed questions. A ‘comments’ field accompanies most questions allowing respondents to expand on answers selected from the set scales.
The surveys can be completed without registration and submitted anonymously.
By registering with the site participants can receive notifications and updates about consultations. Registration also allows participants to store surveys (for up to 12 months after the close of a consultation) and to return to partially completed surveys.
Moderation
N/A
The DfES has created a dedicated consultation unit responsible for managing surveys and processing responses.
Catchment
Policy impacts on England and Wales. However, access and participation was not restricted to England and Wales.
Duration
The evaluation of the site was conducted between 20 February – 10 March 2006.
In general, a number of surveys may run concurrently.
The majority of online consultations on the site run for a minimum of 12 weeks in line with the Code of Practice on Consultation (see www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/regulation/consultation). In exceptional circumstances a consultation may run for less than this period (with an explanation provided).
The department’s aim is to publish the results of a consultation within three months of its closing date. However, this is dependent on legislation and ministerial approval, and is not always possible. Results are viewed in the archive section of the consultation website.
Participation type
Consultation – to obtain feedback on policy analysis and decisions.
Other consultation methods used
Stakeholder meetings; submission by email, post or telephone.
Surveys issued on the online consultation site are also available for download and completion offline.
Participant profiles
Data unavailable.
Registrants are a mixture of private individuals and organisations (Source: DfES).
Publicity
The department sends out emails and letters to parties who have expressed interest in receiving consultation updates.
Consultations are often issued to organisations the department identifies as having an interest in the content. Schools are often deliberately selected as part of a sample to ensure that the same schools are not targeted each time.
Participation rate
Thirty-two consultations with an online response route (conducted in 2005) were analysed. The average number of overall consultation responses (per survey) was 843; the average number of respondents who submitted online was 39%.
Distinct features
Strengths
- Regularity of consultation;
- Breadth of consultation subjects;
- Creation of dedicated online consultation unit;
- Structured responses;
- Inclusion of open field to allow elaboration by respondents;
- Respondents can participate anonymously or register an account;
- Respondents can choose how they wish to be kept up to date on consultation.
Potential for improvement
- Respondents participate in isolation making it difficult to gauge impact of participation;
- No deliberative mechanism;
- Reliance on respondents finding consultation;
- Consultations are text-led and can involve detailed, technical terminology.
The DfES consultation site is a useful case study. Consultations are regular, diverse and the creation of a dedicated consultation unit means that those undertaking a consultation exercise online are well-supported.
For participants the experience of participating in these consultations should be fairly positive. Participation is quick and straightforward. It is possible to interact with DfES policy via this route in a low-intensity way. Those who wish to regularly participate can create an account, which ensures that they are kept up-to-date with new additions and the progress of an exercise once it has closed. An average participation rate of 39% would suggest a healthy interest amongst the department’s stakeholders in this route for participation.
However, the ‘lite’ format of the consultation – based on surveys – may also leave those participating in the consultations, and those owners of the consultations, unfulfilled. The surveys have pre-determined questions, do not allow deliberation and the process of analysis after submission lacks a transparency that we have seen in other case studies, which can raise suspicion and put people off.
The DfES’ ‘e-consultation’ site represents one of the longest serving online consultation exercises at a central government level. Using this established site and its participant base, the DfES is presented with a valuable opportunity to branch out and experiment with other online consultation techniques and tools. It will be interesting to see whether this opportunity is pursued or whether the department decides that its current method and procedures are sufficient for its purposes.
Participant feedback
Data unavailable.
Departmental feedback
In its interview, the department said that it was pleased with the performance of the online survey site, which it had run since 2001. It was happy with response quality and rates, and with the processes it had developed for analysing data received online.
However, it also said that it was regularly assessing the way it conducted online consultation and was open to exploring new routes and structuring. It also wanted to refine the site’s content and interface to ensure it was accessible and appealing to as wide a group of stakeholders as possible.
Outcomes
N/A
The department is continually assessing its online consultation options. In addition to its main online survey site, the department also runs occasional webchats with ministers or government experts. It has also explored deliberative online forums as an alternative method of consultation.
