Viewing and Analysing Consultation Responses

Overview

This guide explains how to access, view, and analyse responses from your consultation participants. Learn how to use the consultation dashboard, filter responses, and understand the data you've collected.

Accessing the Consultation Dashboard

From a Consultation

Navigate to Project → [Your Consultation]
Click Dashboard or Report (if available in navigation)
Or go directly to: /campaign/[consultation-id]/dashboard/

From Account Overview

Go to Account → My Consultations
Find your consultation
Click View Report or Dashboard

Dashboard Overview

Main Tabs

The dashboard is organised into several tabs:

Activity Overview: Summary of consultation activity and engagement
Responses Overview: Detailed view of all responses and ideas
Participant Details: Information about who participated
All Content: View all consultation content including annotatables
Detailed Report: Comprehensive report view
Attachments: Files uploaded by participants (if enabled)

Dashboard Header

Consultation Title: Name of your consultation
Date Range: Consultation start and end dates
Response Count: Total number of responses received

Activity Overview Tab

Key Statistics

View summary figures including:

Total Responses: Number of response sessions submitted
Total Ideas: Number of individual ideas added
Total Participants: Number of unique participants
Response Rate: Engagement metrics

Visualisations

Response Map: Geographic distribution of responses
Heat Map: Density visualisation of response locations
Charts: Graphical representations of response data
Timeline: Response activity over time

Area Summaries

Summary statistics by consultation area
Response counts per area
Engagement levels by geographic zone

Responses Overview Tab

Response List

View all responses with:

Response Details: Participant information and submission date
Ideas Count: Number of ideas in each response
Location: Where ideas were placed
Categories: How ideas are categorised
Tags: Tags applied to responses

Response Filtering

Use filters to narrow down responses:

Click Filters button
Apply filters:
- Date Range: Filter by submission date
- Areas: Filter by consultation area
- Categories: Filter by idea categories
- Tags: Filter by tags
- Form Responses: Filter by form field answers
Filters persist as you navigate
Clear filters to reset view

Viewing Individual Responses

Click on a response in the list
View response details:
- Participant Information: Form responses
- Ideas: All ideas in this response
- Locations: Map locations of ideas
- Submission Date: When response was submitted
Navigate between responses
Close response view to return to list

Response Statistics

Total Responses: Overall count
By Area: Response distribution by area
By Category: Response distribution by category
By Date: Response timeline
By Tag: Response distribution by tags

Participant Details Tab

Participant Information

View information about who participated:

Demographics: Participant characteristics from forms
Response Counts: How many responses each participant submitted
Engagement Level: Participation metrics
Geographic Distribution: Where participants are located

Form Response Analysis

Question Breakdown: Responses to each form question
Response Charts: Visualisations of form responses
Response Tables: Tabular data (if enabled)
Summary Statistics: Aggregated form data

Participant Filtering

Filter participants by:

Form Responses: Filter by answers to specific questions
Response Count: Filter by number of responses
Date: Filter by participation date
Area: Filter by consultation area

All Content Tab

Content Types

View all consultation content:

Ideas: All participant ideas
Annotatables: Interactive map elements
Responses: All response sessions
Other Content: Additional content types

Content Organisation

By Type: Group by content type
By Area: Group by consultation area
By Category: Group by category
By Date: Chronological organisation

Detailed Report Tab

Comprehensive Report

View a detailed, printable report including:

Executive Summary: Overview of consultation
Response Statistics: Detailed statistics
Area Analysis: Analysis by consultation area
Category Breakdown: Analysis by categories
Participant Analysis: Participant information
Visualisations: Charts and maps
Recommendations: Suggested next steps (if available)

Report Sections

Introduction: Consultation context
Methodology: How consultation was conducted
Findings: Key findings from responses
Analysis: Detailed analysis
Appendices: Supporting data

Filtering Responses

Accessing Filters

Click Filters button (usually in top-right)
Filter panel opens
Apply multiple filters
Filters work across all tabs

Filter Types

Date Filters

Submission Date: Filter by when responses were submitted
Date Range: Select start and end dates
Relative Dates: "Last week", "Last month", etc.

Geographic Filters

Areas: Filter by consultation areas
Location: Filter by specific locations
Boundary: Filter within boundaries

Content Filters

Categories: Filter by idea categories
Tags: Filter by tags
Keywords: Search response text

Form Filters

Form Fields: Filter by answers to form questions
Multiple Criteria: Combine multiple form filters
Exact Match: Match exact answers
Partial Match: Match partial answers

Saving Filters

Filters persist during your session
Clear filters to reset
Some systems allow saving filter presets

Exporting Data

Export Options

Access export from dashboard:

Click Export button
Select export type:
- Sessions: Export all response sessions
- Locations: Export all idea locations
- Other Content: Export annotatables and other content
- Responses: Export form responses

Export Formats

CSV: Spreadsheet format for data analysis
Excel: Microsoft Excel format (if available)
PDF: Report format (if available)

Using Exported Data

Analysis: Import into analysis software
Reporting: Use in reports and presentations
Archiving: Keep records of consultation
Sharing: Share with stakeholders

Response Analysis

Understanding Response Patterns

Geographic Patterns: Where responses are concentrated
Temporal Patterns: When responses were submitted
Thematic Patterns: Common themes in responses
Participant Patterns: Who is participating

Key Metrics

Monitor important metrics:

Response Rate: Percentage of target audience responding
Engagement Level: Depth of participation
Coverage: Geographic coverage of responses
Diversity: Diversity of participants

Identifying Trends

Common Themes: Recurring topics in responses
Popular Ideas: Most supported ideas
Concerns: Common concerns raised
Suggestions: Frequently suggested improvements

Dashboard Settings

Display Options

Table/Chart Toggle: Switch between table and chart views
Auto-summarisation: Enable automatic response summaries
Display Preferences: Customise what information is shown

Report Generation

Click Report button
Configure report options
Generate printable report
Export or print report

Best Practices

Regular Monitoring

Check Regularly: Monitor responses during consultation
Respond Promptly: Address questions or issues quickly
Track Progress: Monitor response rates
Identify Issues: Spot problems early

Data Analysis

Review Thoroughly: Take time to understand responses
Look for Patterns: Identify common themes
Consider Context: Understand responses in context
Document Findings: Record key insights

Response Management

Organise Responses: Use categories and tags effectively
Filter Strategically: Use filters to focus analysis
Export Important Data: Save key data for analysis
Maintain Records: Keep consultation records

Common Issues

Dashboard Not Loading

Check Permissions: Ensure you have access
Refresh Page: Try refreshing the browser
Check Consultation Status: Verify consultation is accessible
Contact Support: If issues persist

Missing Responses

Check Filters: Ensure filters aren't hiding responses
Verify Dates: Check date range filters
Check Status: Verify responses were submitted
Refresh Data: Try refreshing the dashboard

Export Problems

Check Data: Ensure there's data to export
File Size: Large exports may take time
Format Issues: Verify export format is supported
Browser Issues: Try different browser

Performance Issues

Reduce Filters: Too many filters can slow dashboard
Limit Date Range: Narrow date range if needed
Clear Cache: Clear browser cache
Contact Support: If performance is consistently poor