I’ve been doing a bit of research into citizen engagement models for my MSc research and started to think about how these models relate to digital engagement. I looked at various models and frameworks and combined them to help me conceptualise digital engagement.

Firstly I evaluated the participation model provided by David Wilcox in his 1994 participation framework, which was based on Sherry Arnstein’s ‘ladder of participation’ from 1969.

Wilcox’s participation levels

Arnstein ladder of participation

Arstein’s ladder of participation

I noticed some similarities with Charlene Li’s and Josh Bernoff’s ladder of Social Technograph profiles. The profiles are based on survey research into consumer participation in social technologies. The ladder was recently updated to include a category for Twitter users!

Social Technographs

The Groundswell site provides an interactive profiling tool which is based on demographic and behavioural data, to help companies define their commercial social technology strategies. However I think the tool has some transferable relevance for defining citizen participation profiles and assessing the propensity of certain age groups and genders to engage.

What would be really useful would be to overlay this behavioural data with the type of profile data that some local authorities have access to, either through OAC or Mosaic, along with other data layers, e.g. Council survey data, Place Survey data.

Li and Bernoff suggest various activities which the Social Technographs participate in. I have adapted these along the lines of Catherine Howe’s recent ‘long list’.

Lastly I thought about what type of roles might be involved at each level and drew inspiration from Steph Gray’s digital engagement roles. I have added other roles which are more relevant to local government, where communities are likely to play a more active role in engagement. Particularly where there are active hyperlocal sites in existence.

So, voilà! An adapted digital engagement framework for communities and local government. It’s a first draft so any comments welcome.

Participation level Social Technograph type Activities Roles involved
Supporting

You help others do what they want – perhaps within a framework of grants, advice and support provided by the resource holder.

Creators Publish and moderate a hyperlocal website/blog

Run social media surgeries

Upload a video or podcast you create

Write articles and post them

Community Manager

Digital mentor

Community Activist

Council Officer

Acting together

Not only do different interests decide together what is best, but they form a partnership to carry it out.

Creators Take part in online deliberations (in forums, web chat etc.) Social reporter

Community activist

Councillor

Council Officer

Deciding together

You encourage others to provide some additional ideas and options, and join in deciding the best way forward.

Critics

Conversationalists

Creators

Post ratings

Comment on a blog

Contribute to online forum

Contribute to/edit articles in a wiki

Vote on polls

Create a petition

Join social networking sites and enagement platforms

Use RSS feeds

Add tags to web pages or photos

Community member

Community Activist

Councillor

Council Officer

Consultation – You offer a number of options and listen to the feedback you get. Critics

Conversationalists

Collectors

Post ratings

Comment on a blog

Contribute to online forum

Contribute to/edit articles in a wiki

Vote on deliberative polls

Sign an e-petition

Visit social networking sites and engagement platforms

Maintain profile on social networking site or engagement platform

Tweet

Use RSS feeds

Add tags to web pages or photos

Community member

Council Officer

Councillor

Information – The least you can do is tell people what is planned. Spectators Read blogs

Listen to podcasts

Watch videos from other users

Read online forums

Read comments/ratings

Read tweets

Community member

Council Officer

Councillor

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