Digital & Visualization Tools

Mapping / GIS Analysis. Geographic Information System (GIS) provides useful tools to evaluate communication conditions. Its scope includes community assets, opportunities, problems, demographic composition, infrastructure deficiency, equity analysis (evaluation of investment, benefits access, and the distribution of negative impacts), demand analysis, and connectivity analysis. 

Weighted Multi-Criteria Ranking. Weighted multi-criteria ranking is usually used to evaluate the relevance of different projects to identified objectives and to prioritize the projects. Ranking assigns numeric values to each criterion and to the perceived linkage between the project and the criteria. The ranking is based on the compiled value by multiplying the two values for each project. Criteria usually include stated objectives, public preference, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility.    

Scenario Planning. Scenario planning is to plan for the future by exploring multiple possibilities of what might happen and by identifying how the community can be responsive, resilient, and effective as the future becomes reality. It includes assessing existing conditions, forecasts, and the impact of influential factors, as well as evaluating a preferred scenario or multiple scenarios.

Budgeting Allocation Exercises. Similarly to participatory budgeting, budgeting allocation allows the public to understand the amount of investment that a project will take and prioritize how much should be invested in each sub-project. This is an effective way to educate communities about trade-offs involved in projects, compare the costs of different project alterations, and prioritize alternatives based on the available budget. 

SWOT Diagram. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT Diagrams assess a community’s current situation and provide a basic guide for strategic planning. The SWOT process often considers population composition, natural environment, local industry and business activities, community organizations, open/green space, public service, public infrastructures, cultural heritage, and other community assets.