Making complex information sensible is critical to the decision-making process. It requires an understanding of the issues confronting the decision-makers, the available information and data, and the capacity/digital graphic tools to organize and display information to understand trends, develop scenarios, and frame choices.
Capacity building for institutions, organizations, and public agencies requires not just the use of information technology but the context in which they are used, and the ability of the organizations's staff to integrate its use in its daily operations, often requiring a cultural change in the organization.
Framing choices for the public using digital information, democratic decision-making. Digital technology, such as Community Viz®, can be critical tools in scenario planning, the development of indicators, and performance measures to evaluate the performance of the scenarios.
Tracking change is critical to a community's understanding of where it has been, where it is heading, and how well it is performing against the community's expectations. Tracking change provides a community with information it needs to take corrective action "just-in-time" rather than "never-in-time."
The integration of civic participation processes with state of the art scenario building, GIS, and visual simulation tools make it possible for communities to reach consensus to realize their vision for the future.
History provides an insight into what preceded us, who we are, our culture, and how places happen. New digital tools make it possible to interactively record personal histories, and historical information and link it to real-time visual simulations of the place.
The ESC works with planning authorities, institutions, developers and community-based organizations interested in how technology integrated with civic involvement processes can help make planning and plans more transparent, accountable, and accessible, support concensus and democratic decision-making.