Ross Ferguson, eDemocracy Programme Director

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Ross Ferguson, eDemocracy Programme
Director Hansard Society CoE, Strasbourg April
23, 2007
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Digital Dialogues - Overview

• Independent review
• Hansard Society (independent, non-partisan
  political literacy charity)
• Commissioned by Department for Constitutional
  Affairs
• Began December 2005
• www.digitaldialogues.org.uk

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Digital Dialogues - Overview

• How might government use ICT to engage citizens
  in the policy process?
• Promote awareness of online engagement technology
  and techniques
• Embed online engagement theory and skills in
  central government
• Evaluate a series of case studies in order to
  benchmark administrator and user demographics,
  attitudes and behaviours.

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Digital Dialogues Case Studies

• PHASE 1
• Department for Education and Skills online survey
  site
• David Miliband MP ministerial blog ODPM
• Department for Work and Pensions Welfare Reform
  forum
• Department for Communities and Local Government
  forum
• Department for Communities and Local Government
  webchats
• Food Standards Agency forum.
• PHASE 2
• Law Commission Forum - http//forum.lawcom.gov.uk
  
• Planning Portal Forum - www.planningportalforum.ne
  t
• European Youth Parliament/FCO Forum -
  www.eyptalk.net
• FSA Chief Scientist Blog - www.fsascience.net
• ONS Small Area Geography Policy Review Blog -
  www.onsgeography.net
• Department for Transport Road Safety Webchat -
  www.dft.gov.uk/roadsaftey/webchat
• Party Funding Review Forum - http//forum.partyfun
  dingreview.gov.uk
• Party Funding Review Webchat - http//chat.partyfu
  ndingreview.gov.uk

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Digital Dialogues Methods

• Attitudinal, behavioural and demographic data
  (managers and users)
• Process observation
• Some content analysis
• Site analytics
• Pre- and post-activity surveys
• Semi-structured interviews
• Media monitoring

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Digital Dialogues 5 User Trends

• Political engagement majority new participants
  to government policy process
• Participation rates high spectator rate fewer
  participants
• Knowledge and skills political literacy
  fragmented
• Perceptions of community connections between
  users weak
• Perceptions of moderators users want more
  deliberative input from policy officials

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Ross Ferguson, eDemocracy Programme
Director Hansard Society r.a.ferguson_at_lse.ac.uk
www.digitaldialogues.org.uk www.hansardsociety.or
g.uk