Originally published 20 December 2004. This article is retained from the tCI archive. Law, policy or practice may have changed since publication.
An enthusiast for online discussions recently claimed that the aim was to replicate on the Internet, what he considered the most effective and genuine debates - namely the cut-and-thrust of the argument in a pub! One of the aims of e-democracy after all is to encourage open and transparent debate, and to make it easy for citizens to participate. No wonder discussion boards (sometimes called bulletin boards) are beginning to proliferate.
But what value do they offer as a consultation tool? True, they attract a good following especially if the subject matter is topical, and if there are aspects that lend themselves to different views, or to the expression of personal experience. They give a flavour of the debate in wider society, and give an opportunity for protagonists to argue their case - putting forward their arguments and rebutting those of their opponents. The sheer accessibility of the web makes it convenient to participate; it is not a question of getting to the Town Hall by 5.00pm or attending a public meeting at 7.30pm. You can sit at your PC any time of day or night; you can debate with people you've never met …or even knew existed. And you don't have to make your way to the pub!
But on the other hand, not everyone has access - or an aptitude to use new technology. There is a digital divide, and even though Councils can place kiosks in libraries or community centres, e-discussion forums will only appeal to a minority of technophiles. It is clear that regardless of the quality of online debates, they are hardly representative. In fact, online forums probably attract extremists, enthusiasts, fanatics, and sometimes the malicious (all of whom, of course, have every right to be heard).
This is why they need to be moderated. This means having trained people who manage the debate, ensure that participants observe the rules, and guide the discussions to prevent them flying off at all kinds of tangents. It can be a challenging task!
So what do discussion forums contribute? Many people will participate just to get something off their chest - so they clearly get value from the process. The consultor, however only benefits if the discussions can be properly analysed and summarised.
The need for standards and a common set of training materials has been identified by the National Project for Local e-Democracy. Based around Bristol City Council, part of this project is to devise the rules of engagement for online discussions and other forms of e-consultation - and to develop training materials that every Council in England can use. Watch this space!
Trigger points
- Help define training needs by participating in the national e-democracy project's Requirements Workshops.
- Innovate and experiment with e-consultation technologies
- Develop adequate analysis methods so that e-discussions are properly interpreted
This is the 20th Tuesday Topic; a full list of subjects covered is available for Institute members and is a valuable resource covering so many aspects of consultation and engagement