CivicStat
Public Engagement in the Information Era
At Civic Intelligence our goal is to redefine the way that local government and related organizations utilize and interact with data. Engaging with the public for specific policy purposes can be challenging, particularly when respondents aren’t representative of your ideal group. Targeted engagement, however, is a proven strategy which serves to build the data architecture required to make informed decisions. Our engagement model operates in three phases:
Read below to find out more about each phase of our engagement model. Scroll to the end of the page to try out a demo version of our engagement tool.
Design
Engage
Review
CivicStat is designed for seamless user experience. Prior to the start of the engagement period, our team will place informational flyers, sandwich boards, and other media in strategic locations around the engagement area. The engagement piece will inform users about the engagement project, its purpose, and how to participate.
Each engagement piece will contain a QR code, with instructions, which will automatically connect the respondent to the engagement map. Mobile users will be automatically geolocated within the engagement area, and can complete survey questions, or drop comment pins, all from their mobile device.
Design
Our empowerment strategy connects local government and private organizations with the communities they want to learn more about. Our area analysis brings data to life by visualizing where obstacles are, and where opportunities might grow.
The first step in the process is to identify which area you would like public input about. For example, maybe you are:
A chamber of commerce who would like business feedback about your service area.
A city planning a new park district, and would like citizen feedback on location, access and amenities.
An economic development authority who needs both public and commercial input on development priorities for your area.
Our experience with public data collection will you help identify the engagement area which will bring the most value to you and your stakeholders. Once established, our team will integrate any existing data you have into the engagement area. Whether you have paper documents, spreadsheets, or notes scrawled on parchment, our team will digitize and integrate that information into the engagement tool. Your staff will have access to historical records along with engagement data all in one place to allow for a comprehensive analysis of your focus area.
A 3D view of Downtown St. Paul, color-coded by building type. Parcels, properties, and districts can be coded to display a limitless number of characteristics, including zoning, market value, square footage, or daytime population.
Engage
Once your engagement area has been established, our team will begin building your data collection dashboard, which will be used to collect responses from public users, and analyze collected data. Your dashboard is highly customizable, and we will work with you to identify which types of user responses will bring the most value to your organization. For example, you can ask users to:
Rate the quality, quantity, and accessibility of bike trails in your city, to determine usage, demand, and satisfaction.
Report public transportation usage, which can be used to identify commute times and market demand.
Give preferences on which businesses to recruit for a development area.
Your dashboard can highlight important features in your engagement area to draw user attention to it, and request specific types of input. Users can access this dashboard on their mobile device and select the “find my location” feature which will automatically show the user where they are in the engagement area, making location-dependent feedback easy to submit.
If your organization would like spatially-relevant input, our solution allows your target user group to drop pins and make comments within a designated area. Your dashboard can require, or make optional, providing additional information when a user submits a response. As an example, if your organization is polling residents of an urban district on street design and beautification, you may also want to ask the user for:
Demographic information(age, gender, # in household)
Length of district residency
Employment in district/outside of district
Additionally, responders can attach photos or other documents to their submission allowing them to pinpoint specific objects within the engagement area.
Our team will consult with you to determine the optimal window of time to collect public responses based on the area size, engagement objectives, and types of data sought. Your dashboard’s settings can be calibrated to end public engagement either after a period of time, or a specific number of responses have been collected.
For non-mobile users, a link to the map or project website will be listed, which users can then access later at their home computer to complete a survey or drop a comment pin. The engagement piece, instructions, and map are available in a wide array language offerings, and are automatically translated as the user accesses each.
Review
After the engagement period ends, our team will begin its analysis of the collected data. We analyze the response data from every dimension to ensure we capture the information and trends most important to your city or organization. Your dashboard’s data can be extremely revealing not only for the overall composition of responses, but also for showing where in your engagement area the responses came from.
Our delivery methodology is based on the model that presenting data is most useful when it can generate stakeholder support and interest. Our analysts will visualize response data in ways which addresses your engagement objectives, and supports recommendations for further action. Our team will summarize key response data results which specifically address your organization’s engagement objectives.
Our team will develop presentation and reporting material best suited for you and your stakeholders. Whether presenting at a formal conference, committee meeting, or public forum, we’re here to support. We can facilitate the scheduling, venue, and communication so that you get the very most out of your engagement efforts.
Try Our Tool Here!
Our engagement tool uses real-time geospatial data collection software to bring the power of crowdsourced feedback directly to you. You can customize each criteria used in the collection process, including the area, time period of collection, and types of feed