Distance dialogue - what will be important in future

1. Have faith in people’s digital skills!

Yes, digital dialogue formats are complex. And yes, camera equipment and streaming come at a cost. But after a year of learning, the use of conferencing and collaboration tools is well on the way to establishing itself as a new cultural norm. From primary school pupils to grandmothers: society is now well-versed in digital communication. Interacting with others via tablet, PC or smartphone is part of everyday life.

Public authorities, politicians and businesses that want to engage with the public must meet people where they are today: sitting in front of a screen, equipped with a webcam and headset.

Our recommendations:

• Think inclusively: It remains necessary and appropriate to consider whether a digital participation format excludes the target groups you wish to reach. We recognise the opportunities offered by digital events: more people can join in from anywhere with minimal effort. Project organisers should bear in mind that even an in-person meeting can exclude people, for instance if it involves a long journey. Online formats also allow new target groups to be reached for whom in-person events are less attractive. An in-person meeting is not always the best choice for an event that aims to be as accessible as possible.
• Provide support: By offering analogue support or assistance in good time, online formats can be made accessible to older people or those with little digital experience. Technical guidance for the online portal, a helpline and the opportunity to test the tool’s functions before the event create a sense of security and a feeling of achievement.
• Offer alternatives: To ensure that online dialogue is as inclusive as possible, analogue supplements are helpful. People who are unable to participate online should be given the opportunity to express their concerns in advance in writing or by telephone.

2. Delays in the planning process? Not necessarily!

A planning process does not have to be delayed simply because on-site participation is not currently possible. After a year of online dialogue, all experts agree that digital formats are not an equivalent substitute for in-person events. However, many positive examples from recent months have shown that digital dialogue formats work as a stopgap solution. We and our clients have had very positive experiences with public online public information evenings, digital consultation sessions on construction site planning with a predominantly older audience, and planning workshops in the digital space.

Our recommendation:

• Plan for two scenarios: depending on the pandemic situation, a planned in-person event should very quickly and flexibly be made available as an online format too. Those who plan for both options from the outset can switch over confidently and stress-free without losing any time.

3. Step out of your comfort zone!

Digital dialogue formats have now established themselves for some project organisers as a simpler and more convenient alternative – in contrast to time-consuming in-person meetings. During lengthy approval and consultation processes, all stakeholders were regularly consulted at in-person meetings. This involved a great deal of effort in terms of organisation and conceptual planning. During the pandemic, politicians, administrators and project organisers have moved such formats online. However, they must not rest on their laurels.

Our recommendations:

• Back to basics: particularly for conflict-prone and lengthy planning processes, it is important to restore the agreed level of participation to stakeholders if online participation had to be scaled back during the pandemic. Those wishing to maintain trust and credibility should restore citizens’ usual opportunities for participation – supplemented and enriched by digital formats.
• Cherry-picking: Hybrid events and online offerings will continue to shape public dialogue even after the pandemic. Those wishing to offer stakeholders added value must move away from compartmentalised thinking, where there are only two options: in-person or digital. In future, the aim will be to integrate in-person and online formats more closely and to combine the best of both in a targeted manner.