Council and WebCouncil

Council and WebCouncil are two tools that can enhance community participation in the decision making process. Council is a facilitated process supported by "meetingware" technology including laptop computers and voter keypads to get feedback and ideas from large groups. The computers are networked together using wireless technology maximizing mobility and reducing setup time. In Washington DC, Mayor Williams has used Council to facilitate two large scale Citizen Summits. The first community-scale gathering took place in November 1999. A second meeting took place in October 2001. Each Citizen's Summit attracted over 2,500 participants. With 10 people at a table and one laptop per table, the mayor could discuss and ask questions about his strategic plan and receive rapid audience feedback. After discussing citywide issues, the group broke into neighborhood constituencies to establish priorities. The first meeting produced a 300-page report outlining next steps, the second meeting focused on follow-up and implementation. WebCouncil is a web-based tool that enables virtual meetings, specialized discussion groups, and resources to manage and track a project. It is often used to keep people involved and active in discussions and next steps in between face-to-face meetings.