CHALLENGE:

The aim of all BETA Projects is to ultimately roll out the good ones across the city, wherever needs or wants the particular solution in question. As part of the local stage of all BETA Projects, we wanted to try to explore how we might gather local input into the exact placement of a solution, IN ADVANCE of the installation. 

At present, the options appear to be binary - either full-on consultation (leaflet drops, local community hall meetings, public drawings etc) or none (the item is just installed one day). For example read this Dublin Inquirer piece which highlights the tension that can occur between locals naturally wanting to input into what's happening on their street, and the costs (both in terms of staff time and delay in delivering solutions within the city) if all minor adjustments were to require high levels of consultation. 

PROPOSITION:

For relatively minor changes to a street, could we find a third option which sits in the middle ground? Something which prevents locals feeling taken unawares when something is changed on their street, and gives them a chance to input and suggest some tweaks, but which does not require a large amount of (finite) staff time to deploy and use?

Characteristics:

• Clearly visible (it's aiming to consult, after all)
• Informative
• Flexible 
• Resistant to damage, moving, etc.
• Temporary
• Able to move to a new location (if the local consultation results in such).

TRIAL:

We have been trialling using pavement signs to alert locals.

OUTCOMES:

These signs have been used at 14 locations. 

• When to use
  • This option can only be used when consultation not actually required from a legal point of view. 
• Cost
• Design
  • Design/colour
  • Durability
• Negative interactions
  • Moved or removed, and does it have a meaning behind it? (ie was it just a prank, or was it a form of protest by a local?)
  • Damaged
  • How can DCC learn about a sign being moved or removed?
• Placement
  • Not obstructing footpath
• Consultation
  • People seeing (location and length of time onsite)
  • People understanding what it's saying.
  • People understanding how they can feedback, and what types of feedback are being sought.
  • What is "consultation" and "listening".

DECISION:

[Trial not yet complete.]

NEXT STEPS:

• QR codes
• There is a separate issue occurring with locals removing the barriers which are erected within a day or two of the final installation, and parking a car on the site. There is a separate project to explore there.

RELATED:

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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