Success Factors and Evaluation of E-Participation

OurSpace Workshop at CeDEM13 www.joinourspace.eu

www.donau-uni.ac.at/cedem

Michael Sachs & Judith Schoßböck Centre for E-Governance, Danube University Krems

•  Introduction o  General input about e-participation o  The OurSapce project

•  Success Factors & Indicators o  Concrete definition of factors

•  Evaluation models o  The OurSpace Evaluation Methodology o  Discussion on evaluation of e-part projects

Structure of the Workshop

•  General input about e-participation and evaluation

•  Short intro to the OurSpace project

Introduction - Overview

• Techno-Optimsim

• Evaluation

• Success factors

Introduction

OurSpace – The Virtual Youth Space

Funded by the EC Consortium

•  Implementation of an innovative communication platform for democratic participation

•  Creating a community that focuses on discussing political issue that are relevant for young people.

•  Forward the results of the deliberation process to decision makers and institutions.

•  To make young people familiar with decision makers, governmental/political institutions and the decision making process.

•  A sustainable and inexpensive platform and the evaluation thereof.

Objectives

•  Web 2.0: Integration of Socialen Media and Networks •  Discussion with 4 langauges •  Outcome oriented discussion

o  Preparation of National and European themes for young people o  Make politics relevant for young people

•  Involvement of o  Young people o  Decision makers o  Public institutions

Challenges

• Mobile communication channels o  Android App, Website optimised for mobile phones

• Facebook-Integration o  Registration, Facebook App

•  Implementation of Google Translate o Moderated discussion in all stages of the deliberation

process

Features

1.  Suggest a theme and rate a theme 2.  Discuss a theme and provide comments and

proposals; rate ideas 3.  Rate the pre selected best proposals 4.  Show results and get feedback from relevant

bodies and persons.

Deliberation in 4 Stages

Participation in Mothertounge

Points system for motivation

Success Factors Group Discussion

Outcomes

Please introduce yourself briefly and make a short statement on one of the following issues: •  Name one factor for success in e-

participation. •  Name one factor for failure in e-

participation.

Warm up with each person in group

•  initiated: top-down vs. bottom-up •  local vs. global perspective •  target group and specific purpose vs. all

inclusive eParticipation •  participation as legitimation vs.

collaboration

Success perspectives for discussion

Discussion in small groups •  What factors lead to (no-) success in known

e-participation projects? o  Briefly describe the project (scope and aim). o  Describe the (no-) success factor and its impact on

the project. o  Could this factor be a general factor for (un-)

success in other projects? o  How can you measure these (no-) success factors?

(evaluation)

~ 15-20 min. discussion. One presenter per group

(No-) Success factors from specific projects

Evaluation Methodologies

Input from Moderators Group Discussion

•  Several levels for evaluation •  Definition of Indicators (Indicator

categories) for each level of evaluation •  Description of methods and tools for

evaluation •  Definition of success criteria for the

measure

Evaluation Methodologies

4 layered approach (based on existing evaluation models) •  Political level •  Impact and Relevance •  Technical level •  Technological Implementation •  Social level •  Users Perspective •  Methodological level •  Procedures

OurSpace: Approach

•  Questionnaires •  Interviews •  Media analysis •  Performance Monitoring Tool •  Discourse analysis •  Data

o  Platform, Google Analytics o  Facebook, blogs, events

OurSpace: Evaluation tools

Indicator Categories

Indicator Category: Political Level

Measurement and Tools

•  Your experience with eParticipation evaluation models? What were useful tools?

•  Quantitative vs. qualitative models? •  Which success factors should always be evaluated?

(and why?) •  How complex do evaluation models need to be? •  Is there a need for standardised models in

eParticipation? •  General problems in evaluation of e-participation? •  How to measure impact of a project on societal and

political level? •  Internal vs. external evaluation of projects.

Evaluation models (discussion)

Outcomes and Summary

Success factors and indicators Evaluation models

Summary at the blog of the conference digitalgovernment.wordpress.com

www.joinourspace.eu

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