Technology

1. What are the various technologies I could use to
   1. Publicise the e-consultation. (Email campaign)
   2. Stay in contact & update participants. (Mailling list, periodic newsletter)
   3. Get their views. (Online discussion forum, online line feedback forms)
   4. Collective writing. (Wiki pages, group report authoring tools)
   5. Conduct a survey. (Online questionnaire authoring tools)
   6. Organise meetings.
   7. Consult over long distnaces. (Online chat, audio/video conferencing)
2. What are the various technologies & what are they used for?

• Supporting one-way information transfer

  Convert consultation documents to PDF format, put them online and make them downloadable
  Convert consultation documents to web pages, make the content navigable
  Collect feedback from online form

• Supporting dialogues

  Realtime 'chat'
  - systems that allow people to converse with others at the same time, reacting immediately to each other, wherever they happen to be
  - e.g. chat rooms, text messaging, audio and video conferencing.

  Ongoing discussions
  - these allow people to take part in a longer discussion over several days or weeks, joining in whenever they have time
  - e.g. discussion forums, e-mail mailing lists, e-newsletter and virtual worlds.

1. Where can I get information on the technology and technical knowledge that I will need in order to engage in E-consultation?

Technology selection process

• Define your needs (Why you need a consultation technology)
  • Define consultation case
    • Description: a short explanation of the consultation activity
    • Reasons: a description of the needs why this consultation activity should be taken
    • Assumptions: All the assumptions to make this consultation activity
    • Benefits: List of benefits for consulting organisation and participant
    • Cost: How much it cost to run this consultation activity
    • Investment: Can this consultation activity will be taken in future
• Define your selection criteria (Criteria for Technology selection)
  • Vendor stability and reputation (support)
  • Wide adoption in market
  • Does it require any possible changes to meet stack holders needs
  • Secure and mature/proven technology
  • Training and documentation
  • Actual implementation of the technology
  • Technology accessibility standards
• List of matching technologies
• Select the best suited for you
  • Good description of technology
  • Infrastructure required (network)
  • Platforms (operating systems, hardware)
  • Architectural Integrity (Interaction with other technology, Would it possible to integrate with other technology?)
  • Fitness for purpose (Is it meeting purpose envisaged?)
  • Expertise (What knowledge should be available in-house, Maintenance and support)
  • Maturity of Standard (Is the technology mature and well-proven)
  • User needs (Does the technology satisfy the user requirements and Matching stack holders requirements)
  • Preservation needs (Is technology is appropriate for long-term preservation)
  • Budget (time, money)