Participation Tool II

A comprehensive consideration of gender and diversity in the area of e-participation is seen as very cost and time intensive. The same applies to the use of complementary technologies. For example, participation processes in which the subject area of augmented reality (AR) plays an important role or where attention is paid to the “on-site availability” of data and information relevant to the participation procedure are virtually non-existent. The aim of the Participation Tool II project was to develop prototypical integrative features – building in particular on the participation tool – which create the prerequisites in the area of e-participation and are able to take gender and diversity aspects into account efficiently, cost-effectively and as comprehensively as possible in the future as well as enable “mobile on-site availability” and meaningful integration of supplementary technologies. The Participation Tool II project thus makes an important contribution to meeting current and future social requirements and needs in the context of projects relevant to mobility and infrastructure.

Client: bmvit, ways2go. 4. invitation to tender

Duration: October 2012 to September 2014 (24 months)

Project partners: Mediative Solutions OG, one’s own, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH

Project description:

The proportion of the population who want to participate in the planning and development of their own living environment and also the breadth (gender, age, milieu, ethnic origin, language skills etc.) of the groups of people to be optimally integrated (in the sense of gender and diversity) has steadily increased in recent decades. However, in many projects relevant to mobility and infrastructure comprehensive participation is still waived and the legally stipulated “minimum programme” is being implemented. In particular, a comprehensive consideration of gender and diversity aspects in the area of e-participation is seen as very cost and time intensive, and the same applies to the use of complementary technologies. On the other hand, the demand for new media and new technologies to be incorporated into e-participation is becoming increasingly frequent and loud. In most participation processes in Austria, e-participation is still either generally waived or is limited to a website for information and if necessary, few tools for communication. Participation processes in which, for example, the topic area of augmented reality (AR) plays an important role or the “on-site availability” of data and information relevant to the participation procedure is paid attention to are virtually non-existent. Participation Tool II is essentially based on the findings and developments in the “participation tool” project and on the “ways2gether” and “knowledge4all” projects (all ways2go, 3rd call for proposals).

The goal of the Participation Tool II project was to develop prototypical integrative features – building in particular on the participation tool – that create the prerequisites in the area of e-participation to be able to take diversity aspects into account in the future efficiently, cost-effectively and as comprehensively as possible and to enable “mobile on-site availability” and meaningful integration of supplementary technologies. The aforementioned goals were achieved through the three conceptualised parts: “mobile on-site availability”, “gender and diversity in e-participation” and “interfaces”.

The “mobile on-site availability” part includes solutions which contribute to the fact that all data and information contained in the participation tool is also available in “on-site services”, can be used on site in the concrete planning area and thus significantly improve the understanding for planning. The “gender and diversity” part includes a very detailed and comprehensive consideration of different demands on e-participation with a clear focus on possible technology-based solutions. The aspect of “interfaces” includes a broad and also international field of external providers of components (mostly Web2.0 solutions) in the context of e-participation and their possible integration into the participation tool. In particular, the integration of augmented reality (AR) as an additional output medium for geolocalized information is to be used.

The Participation Tool II project thus makes an important contribution to meeting current and future social requirements and needs in the context of projects relevant to mobility and infrastructure. In essence, a contribution to a user-oriented, sustainable, barrier-free and socially-just (everyday) mobility for all population groups is made possible or promoted. These goals are achieved through a significantly better and planning-relevant understanding of the needs of relevant population groups (individually for each [participation] project).

Contact: DI Dr. Alex Neumann, MA MSc