The ‘Living Q’—An Interactive Method for Actor Engagement in Transnational Marine Spatial Planning

Abstract

Abstract:The interaction of stakeholders is regarded key in modern environmental and spatial planning. Marine/maritime spatial planning (MSP) is an emerging marine policy domain, which is of great interest worldwide. MSP practices are characterized by diverse approaches and a lack of transnational cooperation. Actors with various backgrounds have to identify mismatches and synergies to jointly aim towards coherent and coordinated practices. The 'Living Q' is a communication method to make actors aware systematically about their viewpoints in an interactive, communicative and playful environment, while it draws on results of a proceeding 'Q Methodology' study. Results from 'Living Q' exercises with international expert's groups from European Sea basins show that the method is capable to foster communication and interaction among actors participating in 'Living Q' exercises, while having the potential to generate added value to planning processes by actor interaction in a collaborative setting.

Are Differing Viewpoints Amongst Key Actors Influencing Implementation of Key Eu Marine Environmental Policies? Case Of Strictly Protected Areas

“…The coded statements within each (sub)theme were discursively analysed with succinct summaries produced, and these were then used for further reflexive analysis and comparisons with results from the other methods, such as interviews (Gorjanc et al, in review) and Q study (Gorjanc et al, in review). The main method used were Living Q workshops (Ripken et al, 2018) organised in different EU Regional Seas, with participants representing national policy-makers, their expert advisers, and representatives of EU and Regional Sea Convention institutions. Living Q focus groups were used to explore the influence of group dynamics on participants' opinions, views, and arguments.…”

“…A Living Q methodology (Ripken et al, 2018) was used to facilitate interactions within the focus groups. A Living Q methodology is an emerging method that has been developed and applied in the maritime spatial planning in the EU.…”

“…A Living Q methodology is an emerging method that has been developed and applied in the maritime spatial planning in the EU. The methodology is sufficiently new that it has so far only been reported in a single paper by Ripken et al (2018), but it builds on well-established principles of increasing engagement and interaction with stakeholders in consultation processes. The results so far demonstrate that the systematic awareness of differing viewpoints in an interactive and communicative environment can improve communication and interaction among participants (Ripken et al, 2018).…”

“…The methodology is sufficiently new that it has so far only been reported in a single paper by Ripken et al (2018), but it builds on well-established principles of increasing engagement and interaction with stakeholders in consultation processes. The results so far demonstrate that the systematic awareness of differing viewpoints in an interactive and communicative environment can improve communication and interaction among participants (Ripken et al, 2018). Living Q was used in this study because it offers a clear and structured way to observe the influence of the group dynamics and the power of rational arguments on the convictions held by participants can be directly observed.…”

“…This paper will thus present a preliminary study of the group processes across different marine interest groups in EU marine environmental policies, spanning all four EU regional seas. Living Q workshops (Ripken et al, 2018) and diagramming approaches have been employed to follow the way arguments and social forces play out in groups, while discussing polarising policy priorities identified based on interviews (Gorjanc et al, in review) and Q study (Gorjanc et al, in review). The results presented in this paper, provide a first foray into this topic and outline research directions for the future to better understand the influence of group dynamics on EU marine environmental policy-making and implementation.…”