A New Way of Making Strategies
…in the Making

Summary
CoMConnect was a unique three-day event supporting community co-creation of City of Melbourne’s Digital Strategy.

The process engaged more than 200 participants throughout, including dozens of City of Melbourne staff.

The ‘open space’ format provided a framework for a constructive two-way dialogue between the council and residents.

Through dialogue, residents achieved a deeper understanding of the role and constraints of the council, enabling them to more effectively participate in determining CoM’s future direction.

Thus, council staff were able to obtain high quality knowledge and insight about Melbourne’s digital future, as well as the needs, interests and values of residents.

Broadly, citizens were interested in:

The future of Melbourne and its community
The digital future more generally
New modes of community-government engagement

The event also raised awareness of the council’s efforts to create a digital strategy, through effective use of social media. More than 400 people responded to a request for expressions of interest.

The scope and pace of growth of the digital sphere is rapidly increasing.

Strategic Business-as-usual

Matthew Willcox | Innovation Coordinator | Business Information Services Branch | City of Melbourne
Lorraine Tighe | IT Program Manager | Business Information Services Branch | City of Melbourne
Colin Fairweather | Chief Information Officer | Business Information Services Branch | City of Melbourne
There must be a better way…

Technology-enabled co-creation
Linux
FutureMelbourne

Experts helped frame the co-creation process (not write content)

Open Space Technology
The first step…

How will the world’s most liveable city thrive in the digital future?

Social Media Campaign
melbournedigitalcity.tumblr.com
twitter.com/cityofmelbourne

CoMConnect catches on

20+ CoM staff pledge to attend, including the CEO and Deputy Lord Mayor

400+ expressions of interest from the community via eventbrite.com

Launch Event
Friday, August 10th 5pm – 7pm
at City of Melbourne
Day 1
Saturday, August 11th 9am – 6pm
at Hub Melbourne
Day 2
Sunday, August 12th 10am – 5pm
at Hub Melbourne
Bazaar
August 11-12th 10am – 5pm
at Hub Melbourne
CoMConnect Schedule

Speakers
Susan Riley, Deputy Lord Mayor
Kathy Alexander, CEO
Mark Stoermer, Dir. of Corporate Business
Stuart Candy, ARUP Innovation & Foresight
Mark Elliott, Collabforge




Launch Event
Friday, August 10th 5pm – 7pm
at City of Melbourne

Estimated 100 attendees

Program
Introduction to process, context and theme
Lightning talks to inspire
28 participant-led sessions exploring the core question
Closing discussion



Day 1
Saturday, August 11th 9am – 6pm
at Hub Melbourne

Estimated 150-170 attendees

11:30 am
SHARING THE AGENDA IN DECISION MAKING, Matthew Gordon
THE FUTURE OF CBD RETAIL, Chris Seymour
DIGITAL AGE & FUTURE OF WORK, @bradkrauskopf
2D & 3D DATA VISUALISATIONS, Susan Kempson
DIGITAL PLAY & THE CITY, Floyd Mueller @exertiongames
PAUSE DIGITAL/CREATIVE FESTIVAL MELBOURNE, George Hedon

1:15 pm
NBN WTF, Matthew Wilcox
ONLINE VOTING IDENTITIES, Chris Barnett
KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR A SUSTAINABLE MELBOURNE, Chris Watkins
COMBINING ART, INTERACTIVE & NEW MEDIA, Jeszlene Zhou
WHO'S IN MY 'HOOD, Marianne Doczi @KnowNow_KnowHow
FROM IDEA TO SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM, Danny Davis
ENGAGING THE DISENGAGED Tegan Kop & Karen Arvidsson

2:00 pm
THE SELF-AWARE CITY Austin Ley
SERVICE DESIGN THINKING THROUGH ETHNOGRAPHY, Gavin Melles
RESPONSIVE WEB & FUTURE READY CONTENT, David Hauser
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, Carolyn Anderson
SUSTAINABILITY DATA, ARTISTS & SPACES FOR PRESENTATION, Jodi Newcombe
ENCOURAGING DIGITAL INCUBATORS Rolf von Behrens
I LOVE MELBOURNE SONG VIDEO, Mark Freeman

3:00 pm
SWARM FUELLED ENGAGEMENT, Keren Flavell
EDUCATION, TECH & MELBOURNE'S FUTURE Victor Brooker
COMPLEXITY, EMERGENCE ROLE OF GOVT, John Baxter @johnsbaxter
OPEN DATA, MAKING IT HAPPEN?, Patrick Sunter
UX COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EXPERIENCE MAPPING, George Evans
A LAB FOR ART AND TECHNOLOGY Pierre Proske
AGING IN PLACE, Marianne Doczi
DIGITAL CONVERSATION WITH YOUR COUNCIL, Jade Wisely



Day 1
Saturday, August 11th 9am – 6pm
at Hub Melbourne

28 Participant-led Sessions

Program
Framing talks: coming back in, refocusing the core question
Group discussion about the role, structure and process of the council
19 participant-led sessions focused on action
Closing discussion, and commitment by CoM to come back in 2 months




Day 2
Sunday, August 12th 10am – 5pm
at Hub Melbourne

Estimated 80-90 attendees

11:30 am
CITY AS API, Damon O'Sullivan
BENEFITS FOR WHOM? MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS, Marianne Doczi
DROP IN DIGITAL EDUCATION, Paul Breen
PUBLIC SECTOR DECISION MAKING, Simon Weller

12:15 pm
PLATFORM FOR BUILDING BETTER FUTURES, David Hood
DIGITAL INCLUSION THROUGH POLICY, Tegan Kop
DIGITAL PLAYING & MEETING VENUES, Tony Smith
HELPING PEOPLE FROM OVERSEAS, Mark Freeman

1:30 pm
USING GAMES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, Marigo Raftopoulo
OPENING OWNERSHIP THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, [unrecorded]
DIGITAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES, Pat Gregory
WHAT CAN THE MAKER COMMUNITY DO? Paul Szymkowiak
DOTCONNECT - ITS ALREADY HAPPENING: EVENT MAPPING, Matt Wilcox

2:30 pm
MAKING FEEDBACK EASY, Juan Caraza
MAKING COMMUTING AWESOME, Brendan Graetz
INCREASING SOCIAL COHESION, Damon O'Sullivan
ENGAGING THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS, Mark Elliott & Erick Mitsak
CONNECTING SUBURBAN HUBS, Claire Spencer

Day 2
Sunday, August 12th 10am – 5pm
at Hub Melbourne

19 Participant-Led Sessions

Live, hands-on examples of digital innovation in Melbourne
Bazaar
August 11-12th 10am – 5pm
at Hub Melbourne

Open to all CoMConnect participants

Event awareness
The conversation continues

This “Word Cloud” was generated using notes and ideas submitted online by CoMConnect participants

Event outputs
Session Schedule
Project Ideas
Session Notes

What CoM Was Seeking
In undertaking CoMConnect, CoM wanted to learn about:




The community’s interests for the engagement

The key themes, trends and interests on the community’s mind

The next best step CoM can take with the community, and the role CoM should play

Community’s Interests in Engagement

Community’s Interests in Engagement
Participant takeaways:
Deeper
Understanding
of CoM
Structure
Had Fun
Felt listened to and valued
New
Relationships
Empowered to build new solutions

What’s on the Community’s Mind
Three broad themes of community knowledge and interest surfaced:
The future of Melbourne and its Community
The Digital future more generally
New Modes of Community Government Engagement

Theme 1
Working better: a connected, enabled community

THE FUTURE OF CBD RETAIL, Chris Seymour
DIGITAL AGE & FUTURE OF WORK, @bradkrauskopf
UX COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EXPERIENCE MAPPING, George Evans
SUSTAINABILITY DATA, ARTISTS & SPACES FOR PRESENTATION, Jodi Newcombe
KNOWLEDGE SHARING FOR A SUSTAINABLE MELBOURNE, Chris Watkins
CONNECTING SUBURBAN HUBS, Claire Spencer

Living better: a connected, empowered community

AGING IN PLACE, Marianne Doczi
BENEFITS FOR WHOM? MAPPING STAKEHOLDERS, Marianne Doczi
EDUCATION, TECH & MELBOURNE'S FUTURE Victor Brooker
WHO'S IN MY 'HOOD, Marianne Doczi @KnowNow_KnowHow
THE SELF-AWARE CITY Austin Ley
HELPING PEOPLE FROM OVERSEAS, Mark Freeman
DIGITAL PUBLIC LIBRARIES, Pat Gregory
MAKING COMMUTING AWESOME, Brendan Graetz
INCREASING SOCIAL COHESION, Damon O'Sullivan

Playing more: integrated with living & working

DIGITAL PLAY & THE CITY, Floyd Mueller @exertiongames
PAUSE DIGITAL/CREATIVE FESTIVAL MELBOURNE, George Hedon
I LOVE MELBOURNE SONG VIDEO, Mark Freeman
WHAT CAN THE MAKER COMMUNITY DO? Paul Szymkowiak
The future of Melbourne and its Community

Theme 1
Participant Comments & emerging themes

Theme 2

Work: new business opportunities

ENCOURAGING DIGITAL INCUBATORS Rolf von Behrens
A LAB FOR ART AND TECHNOLOGY Pierre Proske
2D & 3D DATA VISUALISATIONS, Susan Kempson
RESPONSIVE WEB & FUTURE READY CONTENT, David Hauser
SERVICE DESIGN THINKING THROUGH ETHNOGRAPHY, Gavin Melles
OPENING OWNERSHIP THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, [unrecorded]
ENGAGING THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS, Mark Elliott & Erick Mitsak

Live: imagining new ways-of-living

FROM IDEA TO SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM, Danny Davis
DROP IN DIGITAL EDUCATION, Paul Breen
PLATFORM FOR BUILDING BETTER FUTURES, David Hood
DOTCONNECT - ITS ALREADY HAPPENING: EVENT MAPPING, Matt Wilcox

Play: more integrated with living & working

COMBINING ART, INTERACTIVE & NEW MEDIA, Jeszlene Zhou
DIGITAL PLAYING & MEETING VENUES, Tony Smith
USING GAMES FOR POSITIVE CHANGE, Marigo Raftopoulos
The Digital future more generally

Theme 2
Participants comments & emerging themes

Theme 3

Consultation & engagement: open & transparent

SHARING THE AGENDA IN DECISION MAKING, Matthew Gordon
PUBLIC SECTOR DECISION MAKING, Simon Weller
COMPLEXITY, EMERGENCE AND THE ROLE OF GOVT, John Baxter @johnsbaxter
DIGITAL CONVERSATION WITH YOUR COUNCIL, Jade Wisely
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, Carolyn Anderson
SWARM FUELLED ENGAGEMENT, Keren Flavell

Government as platform: enabling open innovation

MAKING FEEDBACK EASY, Juan Caraza
ONLINE VOTING IDENTITIES, Chris Barnett
OPEN DATA, MAKING IT HAPPEN?, Patrick Sunter
CITY AS API, Damon O'Sullivan

Inclusion: deepening & broadening the base

NBN WTF, Matthew Wilcox
ENGAGING THE DISENGAGED Tegan Kop & Karen Arvidsson
DIGITAL INCLUSION THROUGH POLICY, Tegan Kop

New Modes of Community Government Engagement

Theme 3
Participants comments & emerging themes

CoM Next Step & Role:
Cultivate collaborative community

Government as
platform for participation

A new approach: integrated

The Key: continuity

Realising our digital future together
The Vision:

This outcomes brief developed for City of Melbourne by:
Illustrations and narrative support compliments of: Damien Melotte, @ecoresonance