Econsultation Gimmick or Good Practice

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Ask Bristol

• Set up as e-panel in January 2005
• Ongoing dialogue rather than one-off and one-way
  consultations
• Discussions analysed and feed into consultation
  alongside other methods
• Analysis report distributed to all registered
  members
• Good demographic participation from 25-50 age
  group

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Viewfinder

• Piloted from Department for Constitutional
  Affairs/Ministry of Justice e-innovations fund
  went live in January 2007
• Aimed initially at young people attracting the
  under 25s to councils consultations
• Worked with Bristol Young Peoples forum to
  develop the project

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Objectives

• Can some of the popularity of UG websites be
  transferred to council consultations?
• Are people comfortable using video technology to
  engage with the council and each other?
• Encourage participation from those who dont get
  involved in traditional methods, particularly
  young people
• Humanise the consultation process

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About the site

• Website built and hosted by Public-I
• Uses open source technology so low cost
• A Beta site so able to continually change and
  improve in response to feedback
• Incorporated with other consultation tools Ask
  Bristol one website for people to feed in to
  decision makers in the way THEY choose

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Influencing decisions

• Included in reports, but decision makers can also
  view the feedback
• Outcomes can then be fed back on the site in an
  easily accessible way
• Viewers absorb information without having to read
  lots of text

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What we have learned

• Good way to feed out information but regular
  communication needed to keep involvement
• Vox popping good way to go out and seek views of
  those who may not frequently take part in
  consultations
• Many people have chosen the text route
• Has encouraged people who dont normally
  participate including young people

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What next?

• Has potential to grow
• Need to keep publicising it and draw people in
  with interesting topics
• Need clearer step by step instructions and video
  on how to make and upload your own film clip
• Continue feeding out information on Consultations
  via video and vox popping where appropriate
• Not intended to replace traditional methods

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Video introductions to consultations and video
vox-popping
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Opportunities from the WWW

• Previously relied on the media to produce /
  distribute video
• Today videos are cheap to make. Technology
  easy-to-use
• Internet - quick and easy way for us to
  distribute
• New opportunities for direct communication and
  engagement

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Opportunities from the WWW

• More measurable visitors, views, who
• More time to communicate video 2 minute slot on
  local TV news
• Content can be shown across different websites
• Watch what you want, when you want

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Video direct communication

• Webcasting
• Video on council website
• Video introductions to some council consultation
• Video vox-popping
• BSL videos

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Webcasting
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Video on council website domestic violence
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BSL videos
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Explaining the issues Bristol Partnership site
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Video introductions to consultations
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Video vox-popping
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Why produce video introduction to issues?

• Media rich world
• Short films e.g. you-tube surging in popularity
• Videos - wealth of information
• Need to appeal to hard-to-reach / young people
• More impactful
• Not at the whim of a video editor from a
  traditional media outlet
• Literacy

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Lets take a look
Filming and editingNathan Eisenstadt
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Video introductions - lessons learnt

• Sound is critical get it right first time
• Video editing skills are essential more
  difficult than recording the footage
• Storyboard very clear on your message
• Allow half-a-day to collect the footage
• Brief the presenters
• Dont make it too long

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Why video vox-pop?

• Can stimulate other peoples views
• Greater impact to hear people in their own words
• Hook people into a consultation
• Can illustrate / support other research e.g.
  survey results
• Can highlight new issues

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Lets take a look
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Video vox-popping lessons learnt

• Consider location, time of day
• Good spread of people
• Easier at their own home
• Video interviewing is a skill relax the
  interviewee, encourage them to speak
• A lot of reluctance easier with older people!
• Legal issues - security / privacy issues
• Time consuming - be prepared for rejections

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Final thoughts

• Video vox-popping not an end in itself
• Useful in attracting comment
• Firmly qualitative research needs to be
  presented as such
• Useful in illustrating findings from traditional
  research e.g. questionnaires
• Potentially high impact with decision makers
  needs to be used professionally

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Contacts

• Anna.mcdermott_at_bristol.gov.uk
• Philip.higgins_at_bristol.gov.uk
• Catherine.howe_at_public-I.info
• www.askbristol.com