1) Evaluation of online activity (website around the G20 summit & online consultation etc); and
2) Digital engagement which is about open and transparent government practice that begins with a conversation and builds into a meaningful ongoing relationship.

The type of evaluation metrics needed for these two distinct activities are very different. It becomes a question of volume versus quality of interaction (in it’s most basic form).

At the moment there are plenty of guides and frameworks that outline how to evaluate consultation and engagement activities. However, there isn’t anything that outlines how integrated (on-&-offline) approaches are measured nor how relationships are maintained and built over time.

Steph’s and Stephen’s work are great starting points but as Simon quite rightly points out we need to move away from one-off events/projects that engage citizens and move towards involving citizens in the policy/decision making process. This, of course, would require a different set of metrics.

In terms of a common framework it is difficult to achieve. When I was working @ DIUS with Steph (hi!) I invited people to contribute to an evaluation framework but only a couple of people responded – probably because it’s an emerging area.

Re: business case – it may be just a point of terminology, but I see the basic task of project definition (what it is you’re doing, why, how, with what and to whom) as slightly separate from the business case which to me is about having an evidence base for a justification why the project will achieve its aims, based on prior examples. Maybe I just have rather high hopes for my business cases.

@Simon: Agreed, it’s an unusual example. But it’s not the success or otherwise of the engagement so much that I find really positive, but the fact that it had clearly defined goals, some proper welly behind it and is being thoroughly evaluated – at least partially in public. Sure, we’ve seen evaluations like the Hansard Society’s Digital Dialogues before but defining, implementing and evaluating your own digital engagement is still unusual and rather impressive.

I’ve never felt comfortable with short term, fixed term projects like this. The examples of true ‘engagement’ which I’ve experienced have been when people open themselves up to the wider world, not for one specific day, but as an integral part of their work and/or life.

Let’s think about the word ‘engagement’. When two lovers get engaged, they aren’t doing so – in theory, at least! – just to organise a large one-off event, namely the wedding. It’s the first step in a much longer process leading to ’til death us do part’.

As budgets get squeezed, as they will, the need for provable results is only going one way. Motto: Be a Boy Scout and be prepared.