It ’ s important to do your homework into these significant issues before selecting your software and tool , plus being clear on what support you can get if you get stuck or if anything goes wrong .
Some things to look out for :
Ongoing engagement allows you to be nimble , see results as they come in and respond to them . You can start to easily measure data month-on-month , see trends and report to your team with just one click . Even if staff members change across the project lifecycle , your data is there and project knowledge isn ’ t lost .
Another benefit is being able to segment your data and tailor your actions e . g . see how many ‘ business owners ’ have completed your survey , email everyone in West Ward or gauge whether age is a factor in positivity or negativity to a project .
SAFETY , MODERATION & ACCESSIBILITY Some of the key concerns around ‘ going online ’ are often security of personal and corporate information , the safety of the environment for those engaging ( and how you moderate that ) plus the questions around making sure you are accessible and open to all community members who may have specific needs , not be online or require translations .
• Where is data stored , is it encrypted and who can access your data ?
• How many site and project administrators can you have ?
• Can you set projects to public or private ?
• Are on-site translations available ?
• Does it meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ( WCAG )?
• Is third-party moderation available and are basic filters in place ?
• Are IP addresses available for users and can you only allow one submission per IP address to avoid spam or multiple submissions ?
• Can you download surveys to paper forms and upload results ?
• Can you add notes , actions and files from offline engagement ?
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