An online deliberation tool, Vizzata aims to offer a simple and accessible tool for gaining access to public opinion, and encouraging critical thinking among users.
Problems and Purpose
VIZZATA is an online research tool which allows participants to engage with content, ask questions and comment on this content, and receive responses to their questions and comments. The aim of the tool is to enable deliberation and meaningful online interaction among users, while also providing in-depth qualitative data to researchers, in an accessible and cost-effective way. [1] Use of the tool enables quick turnaround, with researchers being able to rapidly gather responses from a range of "sociodemographic groups drawn from a range of geographical areas." [1]
VIZZATA also offers a means to understand stakeholders' views on an issue and to test the clarity or persuasiveness of different message formats. [1]
Origins and Development
VIZZATA was developed by Bath University Professor Julie Barnett, supported by the Wellcome Trust and a European Union research and innovation programme. [2] Brunel University, White October and consultancy Brook Lyndhurst then spun it out into a UK company, now available to researchers. [2]
How it Works
The tool enables "a structured two-way dialogue broken into multiple exchanges, focused on participants' questions and their evaluation of subsequent responses." [3]
The VIZZATA tool presents participants with bite-sized sections of content in the form of text, images, videos, website screenshots, while enabling questions and comments about what participants see. [2] Where text is presented, participants are able to highlight glossary terms to obtain more information. The research team is then able to view, analyze, and respond to questions or comments. [2]
On the researcher's end, VIZZATA allows them to analyze and characterize participant questions and comments, while receiving data on which content participants are more attentive to (e.g. number of questions and time spent). [3] Surveys can be built within the tool to measure participant opinion.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
Want to contribute an analysis of this tool/technique? Help us complete this section!
See Also
References
[1] FoodRisc Resource Centre (2016). The VIZZATA method. Retrieved from http://resourcecentre.foodrisc.org/the-vizzata-method_149.html
[2] White October (2020). VIZZATA™. Retrieved from https://www.whiteoctober.co.uk/ventures/vizzata
[3] FoodRisc Resource Centre (2016). Online deliberative engagement. Retrieved from http://resourcecentre.foodrisc.org/vizzata_52.html
