Successful transport decision-making - Osmose

Vol 2 - Table of Contents
How do you use the internet to
engage?
Feedback Interactive engagement
Information websites could
contain some of the following
popular techniques to
encourage feedback on the
information provided:
Some decision-making
authorities have started to
use innovative internet
technologies as part of their
regular communication with
their citizens. These new
technologies include:
Questionnaire to be
downloaded, printed out,
Online feedback or
comment forms;
then (e)mailed to the project
team;
Real-time forums or chat
rooms;
Email address for general, Public message boards;
non-structured submissions; Web-casting of council
Postal address for general, meetings; and
non-structured submissions; Html questionnaire.
Contact telephone number
for member of project team
staff; and
Announcement of
forthcoming engagements
events.
A quick website checklist
Decide on the aims of the internet website and the scope
and issues to be considered.
Establish a clear timetable for the development of the
website, starting with the 'go-live' date and including key
milestones for information provision.
Ensure that the information provided is accurate and is
kept up-to-date.
Ensure that the website includes everything that
stakeholders would need to know to make an informed
input into the project decision-making process.
All websites need to be maintained regularly. Decide from
the outset who will undertake this role.
Next Internet in practice
The project web-site has played a key role in the development
of the Urban Transport Plan for Ile de France. It is the main
channel of communication. Committee members and the
general public can exchange views, follow project progress and
put forward suggestions or questions in an online forum.
From this homepage, users can login to get access to their
private space. Depending on their status, they gain access to
more or less detailed information regarding the implementation
of the plan and the state of affair of various committees.
All users can access pages like those below, which lists all the
different committees involved in the process and gives
information on the number of meetings and details of any
available documents.
The above page allows
committee members to access
information on their committee,
including detailed information
on the purpose and role of the
committee and arrangements
for forthcoming meetings.
Practical information
Who participates and how?
Computer-oriented people are most likely to participate, and
elderly people and those without computer access are much
less likely to do so. However, as computer use continues to
increase, and on-line services become more common in
public libraries and through various organisations, these
limitations will become less pronounced.
How much does it cost?
The initial outlay can be substantial for the design and
construction of a new website. Once a website has been set
up, however, the main ongoing costs associated with
information provision and engagement activities are
technical and facilitation support, and would be common to
most engagement techniques. Offsetting some of these
costs are savings in printing and postage.
What skills are required?
Persistent technical problems can undermine internet
engagement activities. E-consultation requires expert
technical staff to be on hand at all times, and may also
require the skills of facilitation for moderated chat sessions
or discussion boards. However, the latest software enables
electronic documents to loaded onto the internet with
minimal expertise.
How is it used with other techniques?
Internet technology does not replace traditional direct
contact techniques. Rather, it needs to be well-integrated
with them as part of an overall public engagement strategy.
Many people still prefer to talk on the phone to a live voice,
or to present their views in their own handwriting or in a faceto-face
meeting.
What are the drawbacks?
There are still many barriers preventing some people
accessing a website:
Lack of access to a computer;
Difficulty reading or comprehending the text;
Inability to use the software;
Limited to a text-only screen, small screen or slow
internet connection; and
Problems with software, hardware and computer
systems.
T14
99