The digital project platform, which is already a working prototype and was extensively used and tested during the first real use case, is of essential importance for the OP-OD method. In principle, however, it would be conceivable to share the information and submissions with all participants by using other digital plan server tools. Yet the platform should enable greater visibility and interaction for all participants. Looking to the future, the development of a free OP-OD app aims to provide very low-threshold access for all parties involved. The current OP-OD main platform and its still provisional user interface do not yet meet this requirement to a sufficient extent. In addition, it is intended to allow planning processes to be consulted and followed by third parties or from the outside as well on the relevant project sub-platforms, which will have been adjusted specifically for each project. This is intended to promote an open exchange of knowledge.
The project platform is an essential communication and work tool for the process. Indeed, it pre-structures the process, contains all the basic principles of the planning, publishes all call questions and, also, collects and publishes all the outputs of the idea and development phases, together with their intermediate steps. Each participant has an own profile and can upload contents independently. In addition, the platform serves as a selection tool in the course of development phases when ‘packing’ either the individual or collective idea backpacks. At in-person and online meetings during development phases and at (virtual) plenary events, it also assumes the function of a plan server or an idea database. These can be accessed directly and by everyone. Likewise, all information, all work statuses, all of one’s own ideas, and all the ideas of others are available to all participants at any time in a simple, visual way, especially during the idea and development phases. In addition, the election of developers by the idea contributors takes place through a digital vote on the platform. Finally, the platform enables ticket management, which manages a proper number of elaborations of individual calls.
The platform is basically divided into three parts.
The first part contains basic information about the project and its content-related boundary conditions, as well as about the structure of the call rounds, including schedule and honorarium.
The second part is the main one: the actual, interactive user interface, which constitutes the digital interface to the planning process. This is where calls are published; ideas are uploaded and shared; idea backpacks are packed; and syntheses and synthesis intermediate results are uploaded and documented, as well as the so-called idea review within the development phase.
The third part is a kind of visible back office containing user profiles, a download folder for general documents, the preamble and, if necessary, other material on general topics.
Additional functionalities, such as the election of developers and the drawing of tickets for the calls, are directly embedded in the platform; they are only activated for eligible participants for certain periods.
