The world needs to make changes in response to the climate emergency. A significant area of change needs to take place on our streets. We need to encourage people to drive less and to walk, cycle and use public transport more. We need to reallocate the limited space we have on our city roads to modes other than cars. Wellington City Council is the organisation responsible for most of the city’s roads, as such, they’re at the centre of change. The challenges put to Diagram were manyfold: how do we encourage people to ride their bikes? How do we engage and consult with the community on these changes to the roads? How do we keep people up-to-date on the projects we’re working on?

Unfortunately, these questions were being asked against the backdrop of the infamous Island Bay cycleway. There was a need to do things differently at WCC. They needed a new plan for how to use digital to take the community with them.

We worked with Council stakeholders and the internal digital and communications team to settle upon a three website strategy. The first website - Council’s main website - would house high-level information about cycleway and roading plans. The second website - Transport Projects - would hold detailed information about all the projects and be the ‘home’ for all engagement and consultation relating to cycleway projects. This website would also be the repository for live and historic cycle count data. The third website - Bike There - would support behaviour change initiatives that encouraged people out of their cars and onto bicycles.

Being clear on the purpose, boundaries and audiences for each website resolved political tensions and enabled better collaboration between different parties. Once the high-level strategy was in place, we worked with the Council to define the overall experiences required for each website, then supported the procurement of web partners to deliver the projects.

We have been working alongside Wellington City Council on transport related behaviour change, engagements and consultations for several years. For each new project we support the Council with strategy, advice and analysis. In many instances, we are trusted to act as ‘product owner’ – where we brief and oversee digital development on behalf of Wellington City Council. Effectively, we become the client for the digital agency.

Our independence and advice has helped WCC more effectively communicate its transport projects and engage the community in new and innovative ways. Ultimately, our work has contributed to the political cohesion that is producing real and meaningful changes on the road. We’ve even helped WCC with the project to finally improve the Island Bay cycleway.

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Technology partners:

PS/ digital