Dialogue at a distance – What will be important in the future

1. Have confidence in people’s digital skills!

Yes, digital dialogue formats are resource-intensive. And yes, camera equipment and streaming do cost money. However, 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 a tablet, PC or smartphone is part of everyday life.

Public authorities, politicians and businesses wishing 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 right to consider whether a digital participation format excludes the target groups one wishes 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 example because it involves a great deal of effort due to a long journey. Online formats also make it possible to reach new target groups for whom in-person events are less appealing. An in-person event is not always the best choice for ensuring the event is as accessible as possible.
• Provide support: By offering in-person or timely support, online formats can be made accessible even to older people or those with little digital experience. Technical guidance on 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.
• Offering alternatives: To ensure that online dialogue is as inclusive as possible, in-person alternatives are helpful. People who are unable to participate online should be given the opportunity to express their concerns in advance, either in writing or by telephone.

2. Delays in operational processes? It doesn’t have to be that way!

A planning process does not have to be delayed simply because in-person participation is not currently possible. After a year of online dialogue, all experts agree that digital formats are not an equivalent substitute for face-to-face events. However, many positive examples from recent months have shown that digital dialogue formats work well 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 plans – primarily with older residents – and planning workshops held online.

Our recommendation:

• Plan for both options: depending on the pandemic situation, a planned in-person event should be able to be adapted very quickly and flexibly to an online format. If you plan for both options from the outset, you can switch over confidently and stress-free without losing any time.

3. Step out of your comfort zone again!

Digital dialogue formats have now established themselves as a simpler and more convenient alternative for some project organisers – in contrast to time-consuming in-person meetings. During lengthy approval and consultation processes, all stakeholders were regularly consulted at in-person meetings, which 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 protracted and conflict-prone planning processes, it is important to restore the agreed level of participation to those involved, should online participation have been more limited during the pandemic than before. Anyone wishing to maintain trust and credibility must 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. Anyone 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.