Title: A Very Social Media Metropolis
A feedback loop of innovation within social processes and online tools has introduced a new reality, one where complex tasks such as writing an encyclopedia or planning the knowledge city of tomorrow are increasingly being crowd-sourced through social media. By leveraging the 'wisdom of the crowd' online communities are collaboratively crafting the future of our cities.
However, whilst the tools and case studies exist, there is to date, no developed body of knowledge on how to purposefully engineer such collaborative online communities. What are the right processes? What online tools best support these processes? If we build the tools, how do we ensure people will come? If they do come, how do we ensure they’ll do what we want them to?
This session will showcase the development process for the participatory design behind successful Gov 2.0 initiatives such as the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne (the world’s first collaborative city plan), Parks Victoria's wePlan online consultation platform, EPA Victoria's organisational Web 2.0 Framework, and Southern California's bicycle and pedestrian planning wiki.
Key learnings from these projects will be covered with a focus on the ethical and practical needs for approaches to collaborative design. Specifically, the need for collaborative participation on the part of agency staff and stakeholders in the design Gov 2.0 projects.
14. World’s 1st collaborative city
plan
City planners collaborating
with the public
Crowd-sourced solutions to
urban issues
Add, edit, delete content 24/7
20. The following points represent the final conclusions reached
regarding the implementation of the Future Melbourne wiki.
Was the City of Melbourne successful in the
implementation of a wiki platform for public
consultation?
Yes, in the opinion of the reviewers it was.That is not to say
it was without challenges.These challenges centred primarily
on the collaborative process (as opposed to the
technology), indicating a need for further development of
support processes, as well as collaborative capacity building
within the organisation.The recommendations of greatest
importance in this regard are:
• City of Melbourne Guide to Collaborative Consultation
• An Organisation-wide Mandate for Collaboration
• Explore Opportunities for Further Implementation of
Collaborative Online Consultation
Are wikis a viable platform for public consultation
that should be further explored?
Yes, in the opinion of the reviewers they are.The great
majority of those interviewed (internal and public
participants) agree on this point, while the local and
international interest and participation confirm many
benefits.The recommendations of greatest importance in
this regard are:
• Explore Opportunities for Further Implementation of
Collaborative Online Consultation
• Explore the Opportunities for Development of a City of
Melbourne Community Engagement Platform
• MaintainVisibility of & Promote the Future Melbourne
Experience
Summary of Recommendations
The following is a summary of recommendations so far
referred to within this post-implementation review.They
have been ordered by their perceived importance for:
a) The ongoing success of the City of Melbourne's online
public consultation.
b) The internal integration of collaborative technologies.
However, as the recommendations have been developed in
order to support and synergise with one another (especially
across the internal/external boundaries) the ordering should
not be taken as a final guideline as to what should or should
not be adopted.
1. City of Melbourne Guide To Collaborative
Consultation (Internal & External Recommendation)
Such a guide should provide an organisation-wide approach
and understanding of online consultation, helping to unify its
conceptualisation, approach, process, practices and
evaluation.The guide should aim to integrate key learnings
from the Future Melbourne initiative and draw on the
experience and knowledge of those who were involved.This
guide would provide the opportunity to determine ahead of
time many of the challenges that are faced during initiatives
such as Future Melbourne, as well as managing and informing
the expectations and understandings of those considering
participation (i.e. public participants as well as external
stakeholders).
2. An Organisation-wide Mandate for
Collaboration (Internal Recommendation)
Develop a mandate and associated action plan that outlines
the collaborative values, skills and outcomes desired by the
City of Melbourne, independent of process, technology or
work area.Work towards the implementation of such a plan
across the organisation, customised for the specific needs,
orientations, and outcomes of individual departments and
initiatives.
3. Innovative & Integrated ICT Change
Management (Internal Recommendation)
Develop and implement an innovative change management
program that supports the ongoing and sustainable adoption
and integration of new technologies and process
4. Explore Opportunities for Further
Implementation of Collaborative Online
Consultation (External Recommendation)
Explore and implement future initiatives that employ
collaborative ICT (increasingly called 'web 2.0' or 'social
media') as a means to engage the local and global public, as
well as sourcing ideas and information from the global
'problem and solution' domain. Collaborative ICT and social
media-oriented channels can also be employed to engage the
4. Conclusion
Post-implementation Review
24. Challenging the tyranny of
distance
Collaboratively drafting the
future of Victoria’s parks
Modular approach preserves
online community
25. DPC/100605
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne
If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible
format, such as large print or audio, please telephone
9651 5814 (TTY), 9651 5135 or email actionplan@dpc.vic.gov.au.
This document is also available in an accessible format on
the Internet at www.dpc.vic.gov.au.
ISBN 978-1-921697-92-0
People
planning
parks