How Participation Builds Better Relationships

Interviewer: Tobias Nowak
Why is it still so hard to get participation right and what needs to change?
Giacomo Piovan: Most participation formats reach the same group of people. Those who have time, feel confident, and are already involved. But the city belongs to everyone, not just the few who speak up. Our goal is to change that. We want to hear from people who are usually not heard, without excluding those who already participate. It’s about broadening the conversation to include everyone. And that means we need to rethink how, where, and when we ask. It’s crucial to involve citizens from the very beginning, not just at the end, as is still often the case.
Stefanie Ellwanger: A lot of people think their opinion won’t make a difference. That’s one of the biggest barriers. We try to show that their voice matters. It’s not just about asking for input, it’s about showing what changes because of that input. When people see their feedback leads to changes, they start to trust the process. And let’s be honest, citizens are already participating whether we invite them or not. They voice their opinions on social media when services don’t meet their expectations. Today’s citizens expect the same level of responsiveness from public services as they do from consumer brands.
Who are the people cities are not hearing from and how can we reach them better?
Stefanie: Young people, people with impairments, those who don’t speak the main language of the country, people who are busy with work and family. They often don’t participate because they feel excluded or don’t have the time. At SensityCity, we’ve learned over 12 years that cities get better results when participation reflects the full community. We use hybrid formats, online and in person, and we go where people are. That’s how we make it accessible.
Giacomo: I can give an example: As part of the Luxembourg Urban Garden event, LUGA, in collaboration with City of Luxembourg, focused on Park Odendahl where we started interviewing different groups of citizens to understand their needs. However, we realized that there was not enough variety in the education levels, as most respondents had university degrees. So, we connected with local NGOs and community workers in the Pfaffenthal neighborhood to reach younger residents and non-Luxembourgish residents. We conducted interviews in multiple languages, and mostly on-site. Being on-site helps us understand citizens’ reality. These semi-structured interviews allow us to go deeper and capture the detail of what really matters to people, like wishes and worries. This can be done by conducting a structured series of interviews with citizens, without adding unnecessary complexity.
You describe participation as a process rather than a single moment. What does that mean in your work?
Stefanie: We don’t just collect opinions and disappear. Participation starts with informing people and continues through follow-up and feedback. People want to know what happens next. Cities are not static. They’re dynamic, they learn and evolve. That’s why we treat participation as an ongoing process. Now this doesn’t mean every project takes years. We can create meaningful engagement in focused timeframes, but always with the understanding that participation builds on itself. It also helps people feel less powerless. When you’re involved, you see you can make a difference.
Giacomo: Yes, participation as a process needs time. Involving participants from the initial idea to the final realization seems like a lengthy process, especially considering the demanding schedules of city officials and politicians. However, in times of growing interest in citizen participation, it is possible to break down participation into different phases and proceed step-by-step. That thinking led us to create different packages for cities, like “The New Participation”. This service is a compact, structured process that helps cities get started without a huge investment. We combine a demographic screener with qualitative interviews and deliver a clear, actionable report that works as briefing for further studies. All of this can happen very fast within six to seven weeks. Because we speak the relevant languages and can adapt to each context, the outcomes are representative and usable from day one.
Many cities worry that participation slows things down. What do you say to that?
Giacomo: I hear that a lot. But the opposite is true. When you involve citizens early in the process and not just at the end as is still generally the case, you avoid conflicts later. You don’t have to fix problems that could have been prevented before.
Stefanie: It’s also about mindset. You don’t need to have everything figured out yet. It’s more about being curious and just getting started. We’re there to support the process, to moderate, to advise. Participation helps cities understand their people better and that makes their decisions stronger.
How does SensityCity support cities beyond research?
Giacomo: In Dudelange, we supported not just the research but also the communication side. We helped the Department of Participatory Democracy to share online and offline questionnaires via social media content that reflected citizens’ perspectives and better connect with the public. Our team at SensityCity brings different skills to each project: researchers who understand citizen needs work alongside communication specialists who know how to reach different communities to bridge the gap between citizens and administration. This means we don’t just collect data; we help cities present it in ways that resonate with citizens and build trust in the process. That makes a big difference.
What motivates you in this work?
Stefanie: What drives me about participation is the belief that no single person or institution alone can truly understand the diverse and shifting needs of a city. People who live and work in a place every day are the ones who know best what is needed. By actively involving them in the process, we can create cities that are not only more liveable, but also more meaningful to those who inhabit them. It’s not about imposing top-down solutions on them but about co-creating spaces that reflect real needs and aspirations.
Giacomo: What motivates me is the conviction that cities should not only be designed to be functional, but should also take into account the different needs and perspectives of their inhabitants, because cities should be shaped with people in mind, not just for them. My goal is to support meaningful change and improve the way we live together, especially at a time when dialogue and democracy are under pressure.
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Stefanie Ellwanger
Insights & Research
Director
stefanie.ellwanger@sensity.eu
+49 151 18 71 40 72

Giacomo Piovan
Service & Participation Design
Consultant
giacomo.piovan@sensity.eu
+352 621 270 687