Participation Tool

environment has been increasing tremendously in the last thirty years. Practice shows that the implementation of mobility relevant infrastructure projects is only possible if the project is met with acceptance by the majority of the population. A professional, efficient and constructive participatory process is the key for success to achieve such an acceptance. In order to reduce costs and ressources needed for a participatory process and allow for a target group and needs specific access to planning processes the project will develop a unique tool. For the first time internet based and tradtional, non technical methods will be combined in one tool using a modular approach. Thus the participation tool will support and improve citizen participation and reduce barriers for all relevant stakeholders, users and user groups. Taking into consideration the existing legal and economic frame the development of the tool will build on existing good practice for citizen participation. Before conceptualizing the tool the state of the art in the field as well as the needs of the beneficiaries and stakeholders of participation processes will be assessed. Once the prototype of the participation tool is developed it will be tested in a real life situation in one Austrian municipality. The field test will be monitored and evaluated giving concrete reommendations for further improvement of the tool. The end result of the project is a marketable product that can be promoted at the local, national, regional and international level. To increase the chances for promotion a profitibilaty analysis will be carried out and an operator model will be developed. Target group for the tool will be public administration, politicians as well as private companies. The participation tool will consist of online and offline elements using a modular approach based on the requirements of the participation process. To operate the tool it will be structured in a „frontend“ and „backend“. The frontend will allow to operate all online applications that can be used in the participation process. It therefor represents the publicly visible part of the tool. The backend structures and allows the whole planning and management process of the tool, such as the process architecture, the operation of all online applications, and the administration of offline methods and its interfaces with the online applications. The profit of the participation tool for the different stakeholders, users and user groups is expected to be high: Participatory processes will become more efficient and professional, costs and ressources needed will be reduced, planning will become easier and less risky, barriers for participation will be reduced allowing more citizens and different, even marginalized citizen groups to participate and thus increase acceptance for the planned mobility relevant infrastructure projects.