Digital Engagement
Innovation across digital spaces to create new focal points for two-way conversations on transforming places
Digital Engagement has formed a core part of New Practice’s work since our formation. A greater spotlight has been shone on the value and limitations of digital engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic. With opportunities to meet in person limited, digital spaces have become the focal point for conversations on transforming places.
Bespoke websites created to work accross all devices
We have developed significant experience in creating bespoke digital engagement platforms as focal points to wider engagement programmes, across websites, online surveys, video presentations, webinars, and even video games.
These platforms offer opportunities to share important information and ideas, learn about peoples’ opinions and concerns, and offer opportunities to learn and participate creatively in placeshaping.
Creative co-design with video games like Minecraft
It is critical to every project we undertake that people across diverse and under-represented communities can take part and shape key outcomes that will impact their lives. We have developed approaches to in-person engagement settings through an iterative process over the past decade. We understand that different people of different backgrounds and abilities will participate in different ways, and that our approaches must be carefully tailored to ensure that diverse voices are amplified.
Using embedded translation tools to widen access to diverse communities
Digital Engagement brings this focus on accessibility in to even sharper relief - the barriers to accessing and participating in digital engagement process can be significant to many people, and as professionals working in this space, we have seen many examples that sorely neglect this critical aspect of meaningful citizen engagement.
Webinars making use of interactive tools
New Practice have worked to ensure that digital engagement spaces we create are as accessible as possible, writing in plain and accessible language, using web accessibility standards, and embedding features like language translation, closed captioning, and responsive design to ensure access across all commonly used devices.
Project presentations, making use of accessibility tools like closed captioning
As the opportunity to meet in person and undertake more established forms of community engagement begin to open up, New Practice believe that Digital Engagement tools will remain a critical part of ensuring that diverse and under-represented communities are included in conversations on the shaping of the built environment. Hybrid approaches that weave together physical and digital opportunities to participate are invaluable to improving the way we create conversations around placeshaping and the built environment.
Creating engagement tools that bridge the gap between physical and digital participation