Service with a Smile :)

Ok, so maybe you don’t always see the joy on our faces when we know we’ve helped one of our customers out, but this is certainly the Delib ethos. We aim to deal with all of our support requests efficiently, but most importantly, with the personal touch we pride ourselves on.

Many of you will have contacted us before, and will be aware of the various channels of support available, but we thought we’d remind you of the useful resources on offer, because, quite often, the answer to your question is just a few clicks away.

Knowledge Base

If you use Citizen Space frequently, we really recommend that you set this as a favourite, add a bookmark, or make a shortcut, in your web browser:
delib.zendesk.com

Our Knowledge Base is an extensive online source of information on all things Citizen Space. It’s the first place to look if you’ve got a question, and it’s rare that you’ll fail to find the answer you’re looking for.

The quickest way to find the most relevant article is to simply use the search bar at the top of the page and hit the ‘Search’ button (or press ‘Enter’). Try and keep your search terms brief but specific – for example, if you wanted to know ‘how to add a question to your consultation’, you could simply type in ‘question’ and you’ll find your answer in one of the articles displayed beneath:

You can also browse articles in the Knowledge Base by category.  You’ll notice we have different sections for each of our apps, and within those sections are categories, each with multiple articles within them.  If you’re looking to find out about things that Citizen Space can do then this might be a useful way for you to discover features you didn’t know existed:

Our Knowledge Base is constantly growing – either as we add new features to the product or we find ourselves answering the same question more than once, so it’s always worth checking back here even if you’ve not been able to find your answer in a previous search.

Submitting a support request

If you’re struggling to find the information you’re looking for in our Knowledge Base by either searching or browsing, you should submit a support request to us.  This is easily done from the Knowledge Base itself by clicking ‘Submit a request’ from the navigation menu above the search bar:

This will bring up a form for you to fill in with your question or details of the problem that you’re experiencing. You’ll notice that as you start typing your subject, the system will show you relevant links to articles within our Knowledge Base too.

To ensure we can give you an accurate and speedy reply, please try to include as much detail as possible; things that can really help us get to the bottom of an issue you are experiencing include:

  • Links to affected pages
  • Details of the web browser and operating system you’re using
  • Any screenshots that display the problem you’re facing (you can also attach other files or documents you think might help us by clicking ‘Attach file’ under the description field).

Once you’ve provided as much information as you can, hit ‘Submit’ and a ticket will be created for our Support Team. If you’ve not used the system before, you’ll receive a verification email – as soon as you’ve clicked the link in this email, we’ll be able to see your ticket. If you’re already logged in, your ticket will reach us immediately.

Emailing us

You can also raise a ticket with our Support Team by emailing us at support@delib.net.  This will automatically create a ticket that will reach us in the same way as if you had used the ‘Submit a request’ feature described above.  Once again, make sure you include as much information as possible, and attach any files that demonstrate the problem.

Our Support Team

Our support team is made up of multiple members from Delib. This includes all of our account managers and developers, so there will always be someone available to answer your question, no matter how technical it may be.

As a rule of thumb, we aim to have support enquiries resolved within one working day, but as the nature of technical problems can vary greatly, it can sometimes take us a little longer. We’ll always let you know if this is this is the case.

Your Account Manager

All our Citizen Space customers have a dedicated Account Manager: Rowena, Karl or, if you’re in Australia, Dan. You’ll have liaised with them through the set-up process, and perhaps you might have met them at a training day.

But their support doesn’t stop there; if you have any question, then please feel free to contact your Account Manager by either email or by phone. They might not always be able to deal with your issue immediately, particularly if it requires technical input from a developer, but they will be able to pass any questions on to the wider team.

Call us!

If your enquiry is urgent or you’d simply like to speak to a real person then just pick up the phone and give us a call.

If you’re in the UK, we have a local rate number which is 0845 638 1848 – this will save you money on the call cost if you’re based far from Bristol. If you’re dialling from an office that blocks these kind of numbers, or you’re calling from overseas, then you can also get through to us on +44 (0)117 381 2989.

Our Australian customers can reach our Brisbane office on 1800 034 129 (or +61 1800 034 129 if you’re outside the country).

Posted in News about Citizen Space |

The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham pioneer Response Publishing

We work on a continuous improvement model for our software products, releasing a new and improved version of Citizen Space, with product enhancements and new features, 10 times a year. Before we fully release a new feature, we ‘pioneer’ it with a small number of customers to iron out any final user experience or other issues.

The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham are currently pioneering our Response Publishing feature. Response Publishing will allow customers to publish appropriate responses made to their consultations. The feature was first used by the Scottish Government for its Scottish Referendum consultation, for which they published over 18,000 responses made by the public.

Response Publishing lets customers redact sensitive personal data, inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate content from responses, or sections of responses. Customers may also provide an explanation for each redaction for later reference.

LBHF are using the feature in their Learning and Listening Survey. They like the fact that Response Publishing will allow them the option to report, for example, the age, gender and location of respondents, in reference to their response. They plan to publish a sample of responses after the survey closes.

LBHF Learning and Listening Survey

Once this feature is on general release, customers will be able to use it on a per-consultation basis. A consultation with Response Publishing will require a permission question, which determines how much of each response may be published, if any. For example, LBHF’s permission question looks like this:

LBHF Response Publishing permissions question

The way respondents answer this question will automatically categorise that person’s answers appropriately within Citizen Space. For example, the answers from a respondent who selects, ‘No, I do not want my comments published.’ will not be scheduled for moderation and redaction, as they cannot be published under any circumstances.

Publishing responses could help customers further engage with the communities they serve by offering transparent information that citizens can relate to.

Would you like to pioneer our Response Publishing feature? Please get in touch by emailing info@delib.net to get started.

Posted in News about Citizen Space | Tagged , |

Customer Spotlight: East Sussex County Council

East Sussex County Council recently joined the Citizen Space customer family. We are delighted to have them on board! Account Manager Rowena Farr recently went to Eastbourne to train their staff and learn more about the organisation.

East Sussex County Council's Citizen Space

East Sussex previously used Snap surveys and an in-house system for their consultations. They made the switch to Citizen Space as it offered them far more consistency across the organisation. Citizen Space is user friendly, for both admin users and consultation respondents. They also liked the user permission levels in Citizen Space, which will help them manage their consultation process.

Using Citizen Space will help them add value to their consultation process. As it is cloud-hosted, it allows for home working, which hasn’t been an option in the past. The council look forward to using Citizen Space to run large consultations, such as those to do with bus services, and also to help them consolidate school admissions and feedback activities. Citizen Space will help them gain an overall view of all forthcoming, current and closed consultations, which is a big plus over their previous methods.

Sue Buxton, Consultation and Engagement Manager for East Sussex, is passionate about citizen engagement. To help staff in their consultation work, she has prepared a comprehensive 8-step consultation process guide, based on guidance from the Consultation Institute. The guide is stored on the council’s intranet for easy access.

East Sussex used their training day to train staff from various departments in the organisation, with the view that they would then be advocates for the software in their respective offices. They will then host their own staff training sessions. Other Citizen Space customers do this, and it is an efficient way of utilising the training we provide to reach the widest number of employees.

East Sussex plan to launch their first consultation later this month.

Posted in News about Citizen Space |

Avon & Somerset Constabulary and PCC engage with the community

Our UK office is based in Bristol, and given our business, we are more aware than most people of innovative engagement activities in our area. One organisation consistently impresses us with the way it reaches out to our local community. Avon and Somerset PCC and Constabulary make it easy for citizens in their catchment area to get in touch and have their say on policing and safety issues in the city.

Avon & Somerset Constabulary Police Pod

A&S Constabulary's 'Police Pod' in Bedminster

A&S Constabulary are highly visible in the area. They regularly set up ‘Police Pods’ and ‘Cop Shops’ – mobile drop in centres where citizens can call in and discuss crime in their area on a one-to-one basis. Empty shops and mobile offices are used to house these policing surgeries, which are located in high traffic areas, such as supermarket car parks and shopping centres.

A&S Constabulary and PCC use Citizen Space to gather opinions on issues such as public order, police funding and the overall policing budget. The online consultation software allows them to reach a larger group of people than they could with public events or local cop shops.

A&S Constabulary uses Citizen Space

A&S Constabulary uses Citizen Space to engage online

Besides the comprehensive information provided on the Avon & Somerset Constabulary website, citizens are also able to sign up for email alerts about any crime issues that take place in their local area. Additionally, Avon and Somerset PCC Sue Mounstevens sends out an informative email about local policing issues and priorities.

A&S PCC Sue Mountstevens' regular email bulletin

The organisation also uses Facebook and a variety of Twitter accounts to engage with people. These channels are used to provide minute by minute updates on crime in the area, plus overall information and news about events. They regularly use hashtags to create conversations around specific topics.

A&S Constabulary on Twitter

Additionally, A&S Constabulary uses YouTube to share information about specific crimes and criminal activities.

A&S Police on YouTube

Using these methods, Avon & Somerset Constabulary and PCC are able to reach a wide cross-section of people across their catchment area. With a mixture of online touchpoints and offline events and drop in opportunities, people of all ages and economic backgrounds can keep abreast of what’s happening in the area and keep in touch with the organisation.

Posted in Digital democracy news | Tagged , , |

Forestry Commission England use Citizen Space to capture broader range of views

Toward the end of last year, Forestry Commission England ran their first Citizen Space consultation titled ‘Film Making at The Bourne – Planning Application’. The consultation focused on stakeholder views in order to help prepare a planning application which seeks to standardise the current filming activity on the land. Previous movies filmed in the Bourne Wood include Gladiator, Children of Men, The Golden Compass and a number of Harry Potter films.

Bourne Wood blurb

Forestry Commission have submitted an application which, if approved, would standardise the current usage of the land and allow for more flexibility. The application requests a change of use for the site from ‘forestry’ to ‘ongoing forestry with filming activity’. This would ensure that a reasonable amount of  filming activity can continue on site without film companies having to reapply for planning permission on every occasion or the process being so long that they decide to film abroad. Filming is good for the tourist industry and economy of the area.

Location of Bourne Wood

Forestry Commission used their Citizen Space consultation to supplement an offline event attended by 120 people. The online survey utilised features such as the addition of a picture on the front page and fact banks to provide contextual information.

90% of the online respondents were positive towards the issue, whereas the feedback from the 120 people who attended an offline event was more negative. The use of an online survey allowed Forestry Commission to get a balanced view from people who use Bourne Wood. It also captured views from people who were not able to attend the event; if not for Citizen Space, these people wouldn’t have been heard.

“Citizen Space allowed us to hear from a broad range of individuals who provided a broader and more positive perspective than those who attended the event,” said Libby Burke of Forestry Commission.

The results of the consultation are currently still being analysed, however the general outcomes can be seen in the ‘We Asked, You Said, We Did’ section of the consultation. The planning application has been submitted and can be viewed on the Waverley Council website.

Posted in News about Citizen Space | Tagged , , |

Get your consultation noticed by adding images

There are a number of reasons why using images is a good idea with your consultations, ranging from the obvious (they look nice), to the not so obvious (they can help people to remember things).

Micro camera on a workspace

This image is from Morgue File

Aesthetics

From an aesthetic point of view it’s always wise to incorporate images alongside your text; not only do they help to break up the page, but they also add some much needed ‘eye candy’ to what can often be a dreary text-heavy affair.  When was the last time you visited a webpage that didn’t contain a single image?  Exactly. Your consultations needn’t be any different.

Science

Ok so here’s the interesting part – using images on your consultations may even help people to remember the content of your consultation.  According to the picture superiority effect, effective use of visuals such as graphical illustrations or photos can make your web pages more memorable.  This is because the human brain is better at remembering concrete concepts (such as images) than abstract concepts (such as text).  It’s a proven technique used in a wide range of applications, such as foreign language learning tools, and various forms of advertising.

Types of image

Now all this talk of images doesn’t mean you should go away and start adding random pictures to your consultations – they need to be carefully chosen.  Some image types serve more of a purpose than others, so let me run you through a few examples.

By Sunil060902 via Wikimedia Commons

Concrete images

Concrete images are literal representations of the textual content on a webpage, and are probably the most common type of image you’ll come across on the web.  Also known as ‘familiar objects’, they can help users to remember the contents of a consultation through familiarity.  An example of a concrete image would be to display a picture of trains at a platform if you were running a consultation on proposed changes to your local train station.

An image from Morgue File doesn't require attribution.

Abstract images

Abstract images, or metaphors, can often be used to replace concrete images when there is no obvious (or literal) image to choose from.  They are popular amongst designers because of their ability to help users to remember new information, and are a proven mnemonic device.  An example of an abstract image is the well-known use of a light-bulb to represent a new idea.       

By User:Booyabazooka via Wikimedia Commons

Diagrams

Diagrams come in many different forms, but essentially their job is to provide a graphical representation of information.  They also have many different uses: for example, bar charts are great for comparing data; line graphs can help users understand trends; connecting lines can help users understand relationships; flow charts can depict processes; and so on.  In the world of consultation, diagrams can be incredibly useful and I would recommend using them whenever you want to display statistical information (you can see them being used directly within Citizen Space if you were to download one of our Summary Reports).

No attribution is required for this image.

Maps

Maps are most commonly used to depict a geographical location and should play a prominent role in consultations run by transport or housing departments.  They do however have other uses: statistical maps (such as heat maps) can represent different factors, such as population levels, mobile phone coverage, or crime rates.

Where do I get my images?

My first answer to this would be, ‘not Google!’  It’s all too easy to type in a search term and choose the first decent image that comes up in the results, but if you do this and add the image to a public consultation you will more than likely be breaking the law – you have been warned!

Don’t let that scare you off though.  There are many places you can go online to source your images, and some of them are free.  Have a look at the following excellent resources:

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a non-profit organisation set up to help people find and use media (such as images, videos, and music) on websites without the worry of copyright infringement.

You can use their search facility to browse popular online image resources for images which are tagged with the Creative Commons license.  This includes huge image libraries available on Flickr, Google, and Wikimedia Commons.

Now although this means you’re very likely to be able to use an image, you might have to include some form of attribution to the rightful owner.  It’s very easy to check if this is necessary – just look for license information alongside the image, and read what it says – you can see relevant attribution alongside images we’ve used in this blog post.  Here’s a useful step-by-step guide on how to include attribution with your images.

Free image libraries

There are many free image libraries available online for you to find images.  Once again, attribution may be required, so check the details of the image.  Morgue File and Free Digital Photos are two such image libraries.

Paid-for image libraries

If you can’t find a suitable image using either of the free resources above, then you’re bound to find one using one of the Web’s many paid-for image libraries.  They are chock-full of hundreds of thousands of professional quality images, including illustrations, diagrams, and photos, and are an essential tool to many web designers.  Prices can vary, depending on the type of image you need, but they even have royalty-free sections where you won’t need to pay a penny (read the license info though!).  iStock Photo, Shutterstock, and Getty Images are three of the more popular resources.

Last, but by no means least, you should ask your organisation’s web services team! They may have their own bank of images which are free to use, and no attribution will be required.  Failing that, they might already have an account on one of the services listed above which might make sourcing an image easier for you.

How do I use my image on Citizen Space?

The first thing you need to do is determine where you want to place your image.  Will it appear on its own, with text displayed above and beneath, or do you want your image to appear to the left or right of the text?  This decision should help you determine what size your image should be.

Images downloaded from one of the resources mentioned above will very likely be too large to use at first, so have a read of our handy guide to resizing images to ensure you end up with something that works.

When you’ve resized your image, you’ll need to get it added to your consultation.  This is a quick and easy process, and you can read all about it in our Knowledge Base article, but if you’re unsure what to do, or you have further questions, then get in touch with our Support Team by emailing support@delib.net.  They’re always happy to help.

Posted in Citizen Space tips & tricks | Tagged , , , , |

Forestry Commission England’s training days

We recently trained Forestry Commission England on our Citizen Space and Dialogue App online engagement apps. They will also receive training from our partner organisation Helpful Technology on MailChimp, a third-party email service provider.

We delivered training in-house to Forestry Commission England who chose to cover both Citizen Space and Dialogue App in one day.

Forestry Commission England receive their Citizen Space and Dialogue App training

Karl Orsborn, one of our Account Managers, led the training session.

Karl Orsborn

After training, customers can supplement their knowledge via our online knowledge base. The knowledge base features a wide variety of how-to articles covering all aspects of Citizen Space and Dialogue App, and is added to on a regular basis. It can also be used by employees who have not had training to help broaden usage of the products within the organisation, and is available 24/7.

Citizen Space also has its own comprehensive user guide.

For further information on Citizen Space and Dialogue App and training available please get in touch with one of our Consultants on +44 1173 812 989.

Posted in News about Citizen Space | Tagged , , , , |

Using Citizen Space to consult with children

Motivating children and young people to take part in online surveys can be difficult, even for those who design products or services aimed at children. There are several issues for those wishing to collect the opinions of young people to bear in mind. Among other things, you must be clear about what the survey or consultation is about, and how the information will be used. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety provides guidelines for children’s safety online in order to help both children and providers do the right thing, and governing bodies in other countries can offer similar advice.

BBC Trust CBBC consultation header

The BBC Trust are currently running a survey to consult with adults and 6-12 year olds on its children’s services, and have found some clever ways to make the survey not only engaging, but also safe for participants.

As privacy and ethical concerns are paramount when engaging with children the consultation does not ask for any personal information. The Trust also adapted its survey to appeal to its audience by using child-friendly copy and the inviting use of colour and pictures. (If it’s of interest, we’ve written detailed instructions about how to create colourful headers in this knowledge base article.)

BBC Trust CBBC Consultation

A sister consultation for parents and carers is running concurrently with the one aimed at youngsters, and it’s hoped that they will be able to encourage and help their children to participate in the survey.

Posted in Citizen Space tips & tricks, Digital democracy news |

Customer spotlight: Wyong Shire Council

Wyong Shire Council in New South Wales have been a key Citizen Space client since 2012. Choosing to adopt Citizen Space as part of their broader Engage Me framework, Dan and I had the pleasure of heading to ‘the shire’ for the day to meet our key user Colby Crane.

Dan, Colby and I discuss Citizen Space over Tim Tams

After a very busy period of consultation and engagement activity, it was great to check in on how Wyong Shire Council are using Citizen Space:

  • Citizen Space is used to supplement existing and other feedback methods. Consultation at Wyong Shire Council takes a variety of forms including giving local residents the opportunity to feedback over the phone, via ‘have your say’ booths in the council offices and local town hall meetings.
  • Citizen Space is used to act as an online hub for all consultation and engagement. All consultation activity happening in Wyong Shire is channeled through Citizen Space, which has resulted in local residents often choosing to check back on consultation progress. Residents are also choosing to refer back to the hub to seek out any new engagement activities.
  • Citizen Space is being increasingly used to aid wider consultation processes and planning. Working in collaboration with Delib, Wyong Shire Council are pioneering a couple of new and exciting features including the ability to visualise all up and coming consultations in a Gantt Chart. This excited feature, available to all customers in 2013, helps aid consultation planning, reducing the risk of engagement fatigue.

For further information on how Citizen Space can be used or to request a demonstration from our Delib Australia team, please get in touch with our Consultant James Aiken on 0429 996 863 (International: +61429 996 863) or email james.aiken@delib.net.

Posted in News about Citizen Space |

How Citizen Space can help organisational process: a case study of WA Environmental Protection Authority

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority have been a key Citizen Space user since October 2012 and were our first pin on the map in Western Australia.

The adoption of Citizen Space has helped the EPA both internally and externally. Our Australian and UK account management and sales teams met with Donna Weston at EPA to learn some more about the benefits of using the app.

3 ways Citizen Space has helped internal stakeholders at EPA:

“Citizen Space is an example of serving the communication of the business” Donna Weston, EPA

1) Presenting comments in a clean way

The simple and clean interface of Citizen Space has helped the agency establish a clear internal cultural standard for online consultations. This has assisted staff to work more quickly through consultation projects using the app’s easy-to-use structure.

2) Having an externally hosted instance

Having Citizen Space externally hosted within Australian territory has been really beneficial. It helps reduce the strain on limited IT resources and frees the EPA from having to carry out any updates or install new software, as we manage all of that for our customers.

3) Improved and more efficient analysis process

Previously the EPA received consultation submissions via email or paper. Admin staff would collate the comments into an Excel spreadsheet before showing assessment officers who considered the feedback. This step has now been cut out, and assessment officers can view comments and statistics in real time as consultation responses come in. This is a more efficient way of processing user responses, as results can be analysed straightaway, rather than at the end of the process.

3 ways Citizen Space has helped external stakeholders at EPA:

1) Being able to collate on the ground information in an efficient manner

EPA are a small department without many staff. Consulting online helps the department to collate information which may have not otherwise have been collected or considered.

2) Providing end-users with an acknowledgement email and ID number helps confirm their response

The ability to add a response manually helps to identify duplicates. The acknowledgement email and ID numbers are really handy as they help when associating responses and allow for manually adding submissions.

3) Easy to promote internally and to relevant stakeholder groups

The EPA Citizen Space instance has been shown to the EPA’s Stakeholder Reference Group, a mix of external professional organisations, agencies, individuals and chambers of commerce. They are really busy so anything that helps streamline the consultation process and allows them to keep abreast of it is of benefit.

Internally it is possible to keep up to date with any consultations added to the system via RSS feeds. This helps people inside the agency to see what consultations are being created in other areas of the EPA and identify potential cross-overs.

Posted in Citizen Space tips & tricks, News about Citizen Space | Tagged , , , |

Introducing EPA – Delib’s first Environmental Protection Authority & WA client

Western Australia’s Environment Protection Authority are a small department with their central office located in sunny Perth. With limited staff on the ground, the benefits of being able to use Citizen Space have been increasingly realised over the past four months, since they took on the system in October 2012.

After discussing the wonders of new organisation websites over a cider or two on Monday evening with the Delib team, we were lucky enough to be able to ask Donna Weston, Communications Coordinator at Environment Protection Agency a few questions.

Delib AU & UK team members meet Donna Weston from EPA

Donna – what do you enjoy most about your role at EPA?

It’s great to be able to see everything through from the beginning of a process to the final outcome. The organisation is so diverse, I get to take part in some really interesting projects; I really love my job!

Also I got to run the internal staff photo competition, that was lots of fun ;)

What type of consultations do EPA run?

About 90% of our consultations are based around public comment rather than necessarily being traditional consultations. It is important to allow the public to provide this input to inform decision making.

How do you push to promote consultations at the Environment Protection Agency?

Our Citizen Space is linked straight through from our homepage and has a top spot on the home page. I also run the Twitter account which is interesting. Most of our tweets form a one way conversation, but this works fine for helping to encourage feedback.

Citizen Space has also been used to help both Internal and External organisational processes at EPA.

Posted in News about Citizen Space |

Customer spotlight: Western Australia’s Dept of Sport & Recreation

The Government of Western Australia Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) recently joined the Delib family, choosing to adopt their own Citizen Space and Dialogue App instances. I had the pleasure of catching up with them for the first app training session in sunny Leederville.

Me (far right) with Claire Scullin & Susan McDonald from DSR

As our first sport and recreation client, it was important for me to get a feel for how the department works. “You don’t wear something because you went to it, you wear it because you took part in it,” said Susie, after I commented on her Margaret River Surf Competition t-shirt. Aside from the awesome working environment, Dan and I we were also well treated during the training session.

Dan concentrates on training whilst I man the biscuits ;)

As a recent adopter of our tools, it was exciting to hear about DSR’s consultation plans and how they feel Citizen Space and Dialogue App will benefit the department:

  • Being able to engage beyond focus groups. Currently lots of individuals come along to focus groups but not everyone gets a chance to speak. Online consultation removes these barriers and allows individuals to have their say and allows them to engage in their own time.
  • Being able to outreach to local stakeholders who may have limited internet access. The DSR overcomes this barrier by heading out into the public with iPads. This not only allows more individuals to have their say but also saves the time of having to go back and manually add responses following an offline consultation or event.
  • Being able to consult with local government. As a state level department, it is important for the DSR to consult with and ask local government what they think of proposed plans.
  • Being able to run consultations across state departments as well as within the DSR. The long term vision for DSR is to share consultations with other departments. Citizen Space features such as being able to run internal, private consultations could help with this.

Watch this space for DSR’s first Dialogue App consultation!

Posted in How we work, News about Citizen Space | Tagged , |