We design and implement public engagement projects using our scenario visualization tools. We have worked in communities both big and small, in regions all over the world. The following projects illustrate many of our capabilities:

Featured Projects:

• SEQ Futures - Queensland Growth Management Summit
• CMAP - Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
• CRD - Capital Regional District (Victoria, BC)
• DRCOG - Denver Regional Council of Governments
• Lethbridge, AB
• More...

Queensland is the fastest growing state in Australia. Queenslanders were recently surveyed about growth, and results show, according to the Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh “that South East Queenslanders are polarised on this issue and there is a need for a genuine debate”. At the end of March the State Government is convening a summit, to foster debate and discussion about population growth in Queensland. As future growth pressures are anticipated to be highest in South East Queensland, the most populous portion of the state, the State Government selected MetroQuest to power the SEQ Futures engagement tool. The tool has been introduced in order to make the summit open to all Queenslanders.

The Queensland Government went looking for a tool that could do more than simply ask questions; they wanted to present residents with the ability to create and explore alternative futures for South East Queensland in order that they become part of the debate. They needed a solution that could be configured quickly and cost effectively to meet the tight timeline associated with the summit.

The tool they selected was MetroQuest. Not only does it enable the exploration of different futures, it allows Queenslander’s to express their preferences for as many as 15 priorities, and then understand how the future they have selected performs in terms of those priorities. Since MetroQuest also includes powerful data collection and reporting capabilities, the government has been able to report on which priority has been ranked highest by all users, that being good public transport. Read the complete story here (new window) in the Brisbane Times.

Try SEQ Futures (new window)

CMAP’s GO TO 2040 initiative marks the hundredth anniversary of the visionary Burnham Plan, largely credited for making Chicago the great city that it is today. And in the spirit of “make no little plans”, Daniel Burnham’s famous quotation, CMAP’s goal was to involve the largest possible number of people in the Chicago region in a discussion about their future.

After reviewing all of the tools available for engaging its public, CMAP decided that MetroQuest was the only technology that could support the process in the way that it wanted. To ensure that anyone who wanted to participate in GO TO 2040 could do so, CMAP traveled throughout the region running 50+ MetroQuest workshops. For the people unable to attend the public workshops, a web version of MetroQuest provided an opportunity to learn about the choices and register input towards a vision for the future. In addition, MetroQuest kiosks were placed in visible high traffic areas throughout the region to ensure that everyone knew that that their participation was welcome.

CMAP used MetroQuest to make GO TO 2040 understandable to the general public so that they could meaningfully take part in regional visioning, understand existing conditions, evaluate alternative future strategies, and develop the preferred scenario.

View the web tools (pop-up)

The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government for the 13 municipalities and three electoral areas that are located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The CRD is a retirement center and one of Canada’s fastest growing regions as a result of its extremely warm climate.



Currently undergoing an update of its Regional Growth Strategy (RGS), the CRD chose MetroQuest to lead the discussion on the long term liveability of the region and the many things that communities care about such as transportation, affordable housing, and environmental sustainability. MetroQuest is also being used as a framework for regional thinking – to help the individual communities think beyond their own borders.

The CRD is building awareness and support for its Regional Growth Strategy by using MetroQuest in workshops for their regional leaders, the general public, and to collect feedback over the internet. Visit the project (new window)

The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) fosters regional cooperation amongst its 56 municipal and 9 county governments. DRCOG is dedicated to making the metropolitan area a great place to live, work and play by planning for the many future challenges including reducing increasing roadway congestion, preserving air quality and protecting open space for recreation, agriculture and wildlife.

To help with its challenge, DRCOG commissioned a MetroQuest to explore how the area could look in 2040. How could the region accommodate millions of new people and jobs? How might different development patterns and infrastructure investments influence the region’s quality of life?

DRCOG is currently using MetroQuest in a multi-year exercise with policy makers, business leaders and the general public to explore these questions by visualizing alternative future scenarios for the region. Visit the project (pop-up)

Read "MetroQuest may help you shape Colorado's future" from the Denver Post.

The City of Lethbridge is growing rapidly and is starting to experience a host of growing pains from affordable housing shortages and rising taxes to traffic congestion and loss of open space. In 2009 the City of Lethbridge in partnership with MetroQuest, conducted a community consultation process to create a long range vision to the year 2050 to address the long range growth and development needs of the community. The MetroQuest Process was used to develop a clear vision based on the priorities and values of Lethbridge residents.

The MetroQuest process included:

• Comprehensive data collection and analysis
• Web-based polls to identify community priorities
• Web-based scenario evaluation using MetroQuest Online
• A series of 8 community visioning workshops featuring MetroQuest

The process represented the largest community participation process ever for the City of Lethbridge with over 1200 residents actively engaged. The result was a broad consensus on the vision for the future of the community. The community showed strong support for compact and smart growth development combined with a focus on alternative transportation modes. This support translated into a more efficient and supportive process for the creation of the city’s Municipal Development Plan.

We have worked for communities both large and small, all over the world. Other communities and organizations we have worked with include:

• Calgary, AB
• Fort St. John, BC
• Idaho Transportation Department
• Yellowknife, NT
• Spruce Grove, AB
• Niagara Region, ON
• George Washington Regional Council (Virginia)
• Guelph, ON
• Edmonton, AB
• High River, AB
• Beijing, China
• Manchester, UK