In most cases, ‘hearing’ refers to a meeting where a panel of politicians/officials have a dialogue with an invited expert panel, but it could also include representatives for concerned citizens, often in front of a large group of visitors/public.

The aim is that politicians/officials should have a comprehensive exposition and knowledge of the subject/issue that the hearing focus on, from various experts, interested and concerned parties. At the same time, everyone can ask each other additional questions, often resulting in good and rewarding discussions. Sometimes the chairperson concludes the hearing by letting all participants, politicians as well as experts, comment on what they have learnt from this rendezvous. In the invitation, it is important to express the aim of the hearing, and what the results will be used for. Extensive preparation efforts are required for compiling and defining the issues of the hearing, and for finding and inviting appropriate panel members, so the ‘expert panel’ can provide an all-round exposition. An experienced meeting/debate leader is required, and also several people to document the meeting (possibly recording). Plan and inform in reasonable time so everyone can take part, and organise publicity before and after the hearing. Decide how feedback should be brought to panel members and visitors. This method requires a certain competence from the leader to hold a hearing. Resources for information, communication and documentation of the hearing are required. 

This is a method for initiating a meeting place for citizens, local organisations and politicians. The aim is to discuss and have a dialogue on important issues and to answer the locals’ questions.

This method could constitute an on-going collaboration with the local community, and the discussion/dialogue is focused on issues of special interest to the local area. The number of open area meetings may vary, from every second month or once a quarter to twice a year. The meetings take place in the evening, and are led by local politicians with officials assisting in factual matters, methods, etc. The agenda of the meeting is broadly drawn and informed on before invitations to the meeting are made. To assure that a participant will be answered at the meeting, questions or viewpoints should be registered beforehand. There should also be time for a few additional questions from the participants. A summary of the results is reported back to the participants, either on an individual basis or in an information/newsletter that is sent out after each meeting. Normally it is also available on the web. The summary is also communicated inwards in the organisation, boards as well as administrations. In Lund City, citizen assemblies are performed regularly. The citizen assemblies cannot decide that things will be carried out; they can just make recommendations or propositions. The meeting protocol is signed by the chairperson and two selected citizens. The protocols are subsequently posted in citizen bureaux and libraries. The protocols will also be presented to the city council. It is important to make the agenda and invitation early on, and to inform on the meeting in various ways. Resource expenses are relatively low. Often the meetings take place in in-house premises, and the main costs are for personnel, including time for planning and participation in the meeting, and answering for notes/protocol reaching the participants. 

Workshops in dialogue form are actually simplified group discussions with the aim of allowing the participants to examine an issue thoroughly, challenge each other’s views and develop their viewpoints/arguments to reach a deeper understanding of and insight into the issue/subject.

The workshops enable in-depth discussion on a specific topic with a couple of people for a few hours. They are also useful when an organisation wants better insight and understanding of what could lie behind people’s views or a statement. The workshop in dialogue form is similar to the focus group, but tends to focus more on dialogue, discussion and negotiation. A workshop may take anywhere from a few to several hours to complete. It is a small-scale event. Workshops in dialogue form include only a limited number of people and can consequently not be used to collect statistically significant information for measuring the general opinion accurately. The fact that the participants’ views are developed through discussions could also mean that they are not representative of the remaining citizen collective. The method could provide the organisation with valuable information on citizen views and standpoints on a certain issue, however. The participants have the time and opportunity to discuss an issue thoroughly, including expenses, advantages and long-term consequences. Through discussions with others, the participants acquire insights into other perspectives, allowing their own views to develop and be challenged. The dialogues may build and strengthen relations between participants, and could provide them with new knowledge and skills. Usually, 8 to 16 participants meet; who they are depends on what the issue is. Participants may be selected from demographics, interest groups, or at random. The costs for this form are generally not very high, unless you have to find participants through a genuinely random selection which could involve expenditure. Citizens may need carrots to make them take part in the workshop. Additional costs may include rent for meeting premises (choose informal surroundings if possible), catering and supportive arrangements, like childcare. (SALAR)

The basic idea of a counsel is to let people come together to discuss various alternative approaches to problems – their pros and cons, and the consequences of carrying out the plans.

As a rule, counsels are well prepared and organised, with a clearly structured dialogue with citizen, interested parties, entrepreneurs, other actors, e.g. within a geographic area. This method occurs in several different variants, and can be applied to situations where aims as well as courses of action are open. It could be a question of e.g. determining the direction and basis for upcoming changes and developments in dialogue with the residents and actors of an area. Proposals are formulated and prioritised, and then handed over to the politicians for decision. Sometimes, the term ‘Counsel’ is used when a municipality or regional board wants the citizens to take sides and prioritise one of two different proposals, either on the Internet or in meetings in the flesh. It is often promised, too, that the proposal that gains most votes will be the one that is carried out. With that it is a method for participation.

It is important to remember that it is an actual case that is handled. If actors and other interested parties are going to contribute and take an active interest, there must be some kind of rootedness in reality. It cannot be some kind of “swimming practice on land” without a clear aim defined in time and space. Make certain that you have the right target group/interested parties and that the adequate number of participants is invited from the start. Engage an experienced process leader who knows how to make the rules and limits clear, and clarify what the participants can have an impact on – their acting space. Do not forget the feedback to the participants after the project, on what was decided and how. This method requires extensive work and efforts beforehand, during and afterwards from officials and politicians.

The main proposals are already crystallised and with that no new proposals can enter the process in this form for counsel. 

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

SWOT analysis is often used for analysing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in an operation, as part of strategy work. This method is also applicable to a number of areas in municipalities/organisations, e.g. to acquire the citizens’ views on plans, projects, commissions, etc.

The analysis model is usually pictured as a matrix with four squares which provides an overview of the most important factors to regard when analysing an operation, a project, plans, etc.

A suitable way of utilising the SWOT analysis could be the following:

1. Brainstorming, i.e. all participants bring up as many different factors as they can think of, that could affect the operation/issue/subject ahead. 
2. Place all the factors in the matrix jointly. 
3. Evaluation of the factors on a 1-5 scale: 5 means either very good (strengths and opportunities) or very bad (weaknesses and threats). 
4. Ranging according to the evaluation scale in all four areas. 
5. Proposed measures: 

• How to use strengths 
  
• How to get over weaknesses 
  
• How to take advantage of opportunities 
  
• How to avoid/fend off threats 
  

The results of the SWOT analysis are compiled to comprise a basis for the continued process. Clarity about the aim of the meeting and that a specific method – SWOT analysis - will be used is important. Select a process leader who is familiar with the method. Arrange the premises so the walls have space for putting notes with the different factors under respective headings in the matrix. Post-it notes could be used favourably. It is also possible to use just the two upper squares in the matrix; which strengths and weaknesses are there? It quickly exposes the strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities that could affect the operation/subject/issue. This is a good tool for finding out where to put the efforts in an issue. The strengths you identify should of course be attended to in the future. The weaknesses you identify, you should consider how to treat. The threats you see, you must try to remove completely from e.g. the operation, and finally, the opportunities you see you should strive to utilise and develop.