Measuring needs and preferences

Finding out how many citizens have which needs, and what their preferences are between alternative options (e.g. through surveys, opinion polls, preferenda).

• • Some consultations set out to find what particular groups of people need.
  • Others try to find out what preferences people have between different options.
  • In either case, apart from discussion systems, we often use surveys and votes to quantify the needs or preferences.
  • computers can help send out surveys, collect the results, and analyse them. They can also be used to run a quick vote in a meeting, or by subtle analysis of preferences, find underlying consensus between oponents.

Online survey cycle

Finding out how many citizens have which needs, and what their preferences are between alternative options (e.g. through surveys, opinion polls, preferenda).

• Online petitioning
  • online petition or e-Petition allows you to support a petition by adding your name and address online. Information about the subject is also provided, to put the petition in context and help you decide whether to sign.
  • Bristol City Council e-petitioning
• E-polling/E-voting
  • voting software: Deborda
  • wireless voting system: Xtol, vPad
  • SMS voting
• Online surveys
  • an online survey is designed to replace traditional paper questionnaires.
  • Survey example 1: mobile phone Internet service, example 2: various types of survey questions

Online petitioning

• cHIMICON LABS - Petition Script
• International Teledemocracy Centre - e-petitioner
• iPetitions
• Petition Module for Durpal/CiviCRM/CivicSpace
• Petition-them.com
• The Petition Site
• UK e-petition - www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page297.asp
• www.PetitionOnline.com