The document summarizes Plan Melbourne, a large public consultation to help shape the future of Melbourne, Australia to 2050. Over 50,000 people participated through various channels like surveys, forums, social media and a website. Key findings included the importance of consistent messaging across multiple channels, continual evaluation to refine the approach, and the value of partnerships to help manage such a large initiative. Social media was highly effective at increasing reach and engagement. The consultation represented the largest in Victoria's history and provided valuable insights to help plan Melbourne's long term development.

1. Plan Melbourne
Unlocking the secrets behind Victoria’s
largest public consultation

2. Image by BPhotos
Melbourne is the world’s most livable city thanks in
part to decisions made more than 50 years ago.
Work is now underway to shape the future of
Melbourne for 2050 and beyond…

3. Governments
around the globe
now embrace
online
consultation.
Mass
democratisation
through
technology is
reshaping the way
we deliver public
value.

4. As expectations
continue to
grow, public
sector
communicators
are adapting to
more with less.

6. On-demand
technology is
changing the way
people consume
media.
This is having an
impact on
traditional
approaches to
advertising.

8. Insert YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/XIuX3iFY2I4

9. “A city is not an accident,
but the result of coherent
visions and aims”
Leon Krier, The Architecture of Community
The views of the people are at the heart of the
vision for Melbourne’s future. A clear plan for two-
way engagement was critical.

10. Two core aims
were central to all
communication.
Six channels
worked together to
deliver a consistent
narrative.
Continual listening,
ongoing analysis
and evaluation
helped refine and
adapt.

11. A refreshed brand helped reinforce a sense of
shared responsibility. It reminded people the
choices they are helping make today will echo
for generations to come.

12. Print, radio and online worked
together to raise awareness and
encourage people to get
involved.

13. 30% of traffic from
mobile devices.
Strong correlation with
advertisements and
website visits.
Surveys in daily papers
helped people have
their say

14. Social media
helped increase
message reach
and deepen
conversations

15. 8000 surveys
completed
800 Melburnians at
the forum
200 joined in online
250+ stakeholders
100 organisations at
roundtables
48,000 unique
website visitors
16,000 discussion
paper downloads
5500 YouTube views
598 formal
submissions
The largest consultation
in Victoria’s history

16. Help! We couldn’t do everything at
once...
[Effective partnerships with experts gives
flexibility and agility]
[Can ramp up when needed]
[Builds capability through skills transfer]
[Need clear rules and guidelines]
[Self hosted discussions]
We couldn’t do it alone

17. Social media by engagement level

18. Social media at the public forum

19. Manually graded sentiment helped gather insights

20. Participants at the
forum continued
the conversation
during breaks

21. ● Promoted on social media
● 9am-3.45pm
● 424 entries (one per minute)
● 127 remote participants
(during) and 89 in following
24 hours
● Compiled as report
(94 pages)
A liveblog meant anyone could get involved

22. ● 161 posts by the social media team (some pre-
written, such as biographies)
● 172 tweets from the #planmelbourne hashtag
● 61 images, some photographed by the social
media team, others sourced from Twitter and
Instagram and including presentation slides
● 24 polls replicating the polls in the room
● Four videos from Plan Melbourne’s YouTube
channel
● Two comments directly to the live blog from
participants
Liveblog content

23. (c) William Gottlieb via Flickr
What did we learn?
1. Keep the content coming
2. Pick the best team you can
find
3. Can outsource
responsibility, but not risk
4. Have clear management
plans and processes in
place
5. Measure and report,
test and refine
6. Be risk aware, not risk
averse

24. Insert YouTube video:
http://youtu.be/0zHUo4OOyPA

25. To wrap up
• Communication is evolving,
we need to adapt
• Resource pressures help
drive productivity and
innovation
• Need a combination of
paid, earned and owned
media
• Have a plan, but be flexible
• Trust your partners and
listen to their advice
• #JBDI

26. Follow us:
@DarrenWhitelaw@CraigThomler
Questions?