Digital consultation works best when people understand the decision, the contribution being requested and what happens to their response. The choice of survey, map or discussion tool follows that explanation. A useful engagement website also gives staff a practical way to review and respond to what people share.
Explain what can change
Begin with the decision being made. Describe the parts that are open to input and any constraints that are already established. People can give more relevant feedback when they understand the scope of the conversation.
For a neighbourhood improvement project, that might mean explaining several options, the features they share and the questions still being considered. Keep the explanation short enough to read before taking part, with supporting detail available nearby. Avoid asking for views on a choice that has already been made.
Choose a format that suits the question
A short survey can compare defined options. A map can connect feedback with a place. An ideas space may help when the team wants suggestions that do not fit a fixed list. A discussion format needs a clear purpose and a plan for moderation.
Do not add every available tool simply because the platform supports it. Walk through what each contribution will tell the team and how it will be used. Where two tools ask the same question, consider whether one clearer activity would make participation easier.
Match the question to the contribution
Choose the smallest useful activity. Adding several participation tools can make the same consultation harder to understand.
- Compare defined options → a focused question
- Show the options on a consistent basis, explain the constraints and ask what matters to the participant. Keep open comments available where a fixed answer cannot explain their reasoning.
- Locate an issue → a map with an alternative
- Ask for a place and the issue at that place. Provide a text-based way to contribute when the map is difficult to use, and plan how both routes will be reviewed together.
- Develop new ideas → a moderated submission
- Explain the kind of suggestion sought and what is outside scope. Define moderation, duplicate handling and escalation before opening the activity to the public.
The contribution format should make the decision clearer, with a closing update that explains how input was considered.
Help people complete the contribution
Show the expected effort, explain any required information and make the steps understandable. Review the experience on a small screen and consider people who use a keyboard or assistive technology. Provide a suitable alternative when someone cannot use the online activity.
Test the questions with people outside the project team. Ask them to explain what they think each question means. This can reveal assumptions that internal reviewers overlook. A beautifully presented consultation still produces weak evidence if participants interpret the same question in several incompatible ways.
Design the staff work at the same time
Decide how contributions will be reviewed, grouped and escalated where necessary. Give moderators clear guidance and make responsibilities visible. Agree how the team will handle duplicates, comments outside scope and questions that deserve a direct response.
Reports should preserve the difference between the number of submissions and the variety of views expressed. A theme summary can help the team read a large volume of feedback, but reviewers should be able to return to the original context before drawing a conclusion or presenting it to decision-makers.
Close the conversation clearly
Tell participants what happens after the closing date. When a decision is available, explain the main themes, what influenced the result and what happens next. If the process takes longer than expected, publish an update rather than leaving an old invitation as the latest information.
The deliverables are a participation plan, clear public screens, a workable review process and a useful closing update. Together they make the consultation understandable from the first invitation through to the explanation of the decision.
Explore our Digital community engagement and feedback, related services and Make a public-service website easier to use.
Questions and answers
How do we avoid a consultation that feels like a formality?
State which decisions remain open and which constraints are settled. Ask questions that can influence the open choices, then explain the findings and their effect when the decision is made.
Should a consultation require an account?
Only where there is a clear purpose that justifies the extra step. Review what information is necessary, how participation will be managed and what alternatives people need before deciding on registration.