In my work with PlaceMatters and APA’s Technology Division, I am constantly looking for more effective tools and techniques to engage citizens in land use planning and community building.  The continual emergence of innovative GIS and online tools has made the search exciting and rewarding.

As technology becomes more an integral part of planning and public outreach around planning, the need for a “creative touch” becomes increasingly important. While technology can increase the quality and quantity of public input, it can also diminish the quality of human interaction and creativeness.  In particular, we look for activities that use technology but also engage youth, utilize art materials, maps and other visuals, and encourage storytelling.

Last month, PlaceMatters helped run five workshops in Routt County Colorado as part of their Vision 2030 process.  We used keypad polling and content management web technologies to collect ideas, let people identify what qualities of community character are most important and most threatened, and vote on the issues submitted to the larger group. The use of wirelessly linked laptops at each table and keypads for each participant enabled us to have four feedback mechanisms packed into a single evening.  These tools illustrate the rapidly changing science of public participation.

­“These two trees have been standing next to our school since it began. They remind us how change can be beautiful if done right.” -Madison King

 
­Nonetheless, two of the more rewarding and engaging activities of the evening were sharing photos and statements provided by school children in the community, and going around the table and sharing favorite memories of living in Routt County.  These two activities were critical in adding energy and excitement to the evening. In preparation for the first activity, we had local schools engage in an art project tied to the initiative.  Students were given disposable cameras to take pictures of the things they like most in their community and to add statements.  These images were then shown at the public workshops both as a PowerPoint and posted on a physical display in the room.  The photos and statements (example to the left) reminded people why we are engaging in a conversation about the county’s future – to sustain the elements of community we find so important and pursue activities that continue to build a sense of community for future generations.

The second activity involved going around the table and having people share their favorite memories of living in the valley.  For those who were not shy to speak into a microphone, we had inexpensive microphones attached to the computers at each table and collected stories digitally.  In the end we collected over 100 stories, which will be available on a rotating basis on the Vision 2030 media site.

Without these two activities we would have missed great stories and information about what makes a place special. As science and technology play a more prominent role in public gatherings, it is critical also to identify creative and artistic activities that balance the technical tools.