When I checked MindMixer in April
2012 it had 29 communities; see MindMixer
Communities for a list. They have
learned through experience optimal engagement comes when technology is combined
with two C’s (Content and Context) as illustrated in visual. MindMixer Technology appears to be an effective tool to capture insights with feedback that is relevant. PiedmontVoice.org is one of several communities taking advantage of this innovative tool.
The MindMixer web site states:
” First things first, let’s start with technology, because it’s still very important. Technology should allow the government agency a diversity of functionality. Crowd sourcing ideas is an important functional element, but so is functionality that supports prioritization, interactive budgeting, and traditional survey questions. Equally important, the public facing design of the technology plays a key role in success. Together, functionality and design provide the foundation for total engagement.
” First things first, let’s start with technology, because it’s still very important. Technology should allow the government agency a diversity of functionality. Crowd sourcing ideas is an important functional element, but so is functionality that supports prioritization, interactive budgeting, and traditional survey questions. Equally important, the public facing design of the technology plays a key role in success. Together, functionality and design provide the foundation for total engagement.
Assuming an agency has adequate technology
(preferably MindMixer :), success is contingent on executing the two C’s. If
you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times, content is king.
Creating and presenting compelling content is difficult for lots of government
agencies. Why? Typically the most successful content is either controversial
emotional or non-technical. Government agencies often times fear the emotional
and operate in the technical (by requirement). Helping these entities
understand the importance of creating and presenting content that yields
interest and maintains simplicity is critically important.
Compelling content can change the
trajectory of engagement effort instantly. Combining compelling content with
context can take a community to even greater heights. Offering participants
contextually relevant opportunities to participate makes engagement personal.
Context should be driven by demographics, location, and interest. Asking a
citizen for ideas about a new streetscape works. Asking a citizen for ideas
about a streetscape in their neighborhood works better. Asking a citizen about
ideas for a streetscape in their neighborhood, while they are walking on the
street brings engagement to an entirely different level. Context creates
ownership. Ownership leads to action. Action solves problems.
In summary:
The engagement technology you choose is important, but it’s only one
predictor of success. Make your content
interesting and emotional. Emotion drives interest. Add context to the conversation. It creates
personal ownership.” Extract from http://www.mindmixer.com/blog/4.
As I reflect on the Design Funnel discussed in
previous blogs, tools such as MindMixer
provide a method of expanding the efficiency of the process of moving through
the Design Funnel. In the wide area of
the funnel where degree of freedom is large, Ideas would be captured more
efficiently. In the not too distance
past this process was done by going to the library and exploring what may be
available as options for refinement into Goals, Solutions, Products, Processes,
Services or Experiences. More recently
search engines have removed the inefficiency of this activity. With this new technology humans and
technology should work more in concert to build a more viable approach to
discovering and refining the ideas/options that will lead to the objective
quicker.
The Southeast
Guilford Community Association has a goal to “Develop Alliances with
strategic organizations”. The Southeast
Guilford Community Alliances are focused on enhancing the Quality of Life, strengthening
community both now and for future generations, encouraging growth and financial
support of community and businesses. They work independently and
collaboratively toward that end.
It occurs to me that the MindMixer tool would be useful to
groups such as The Southeast Guilford Community Alliance for engaging
the broader community in an interactive Virtual Town Hall. Community forums and surveys have been used
in the past to address this issue.
Another thought is that PiedmontVoice expand to allow smaller
independent community Virtual Town Hall Voices.
Hopefully this blog and others at http://www.bcswonline.com/blog/index.html
will be useful in triggering ideas that will benefit PiedmontVoice and Piedmont Triad Sustainable Communities
Planning Project
