Q: Who were your Digital Ambassadors?
A: The Digital Ambassador in Weiz was Gerald Hutter, a technical expert and the owner of VariCon GmbH. He has in-depth knowledge of energy technologies, as well as digital tools and monitoring systems. He was selected for his ability to explain complex technical topics clearly and for his strong interpersonal skills, particularly when communicating with citizens about technical solutions and challenges. His combination of technical expertise and approachable communication style enabled him to provide effective support for the public outreach and engagement activities of the pilot.
Q: What was their role?
A: Gerald Hutter played a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the technical content of the project and citizen engagement. His main responsibility was to support the implementation and communication of the Challenge Mapping tool, helping local citizens to understand its purpose and how to use it. Acting as a facilitator between the project team and the community, he ensured that local energy transition challenges were properly collected, communicated, and reflected in the pilot’s progress.
He actively contributed to several outreach activities during the pilot phase, including
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introducing and explaining the Challenge Mapping tool at local events and meetings
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engaging directly with citizens
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encouraging participation in the digital mapping process.
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Assisting at JETA meetings and supporting the presentation and discussion of mapped challenges and technical solutions in the Schlossgasse pilot area.
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Supporting the communication of technical implementations in the regional pilot area (Schlossgasse) to make it easier for non-expert stakeholders to understand the benefits and potential environmental impact of the solutions.
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Gathering feedback from citizens about their challenges and perceptions was used to adapt and improve the pilot strategy.
Q: What worked well?
A: The Digital Ambassador model was particularly effective in translating technical concepts into accessible information for the public and fostering local engagement. Events such as the JETA meetings in Weiz were valuable platforms for raising awareness and collecting meaningful feedback.
Q: What challenges did you face?
A: One challenge was maintaining continuous citizen engagement beyond individual events. This required consistent outreach and communication to keep the community involved in pilot activities. Another practical challenge was related to Gerald Hutter’s availability. As the owner of VariCon GmbH, his limited availability occasionally made it difficult to arrange meeting dates and coordinate his participation with other project activities.
Q: Is there anything you would change about how you managed or structured the process?
A: For future implementation, it would be beneficial to establish a backup structure for the digital ambassador role. This would ensure that a second trained person is available to step in when the primary Digital Ambassador is unavailable. This would provide more flexibility in scheduling and ensure consistent outreach and participation in key activities.