Community surveys
Ask the blocks the change actually touches.
When a local decision changes daily life for a specific set of streets — a road closure, a new development, a shared space — the people on those streets are the ones worth hearing. They're defined by geography, and geography is what Ortwort targets.
Draw the affected area, ask about the proposal, and collect responses from residents inside it.
A link shared online is answered by whoever finds it
The usual way to gather community feedback is a form posted on a website or social media. Anyone can answer it — including people nowhere near the affected streets, and organised campaigns from elsewhere. The results are easy to dispute for exactly that reason.
If the question is “should this street be pedestrianised”, the relevant public is the people whose walk to the shops, school run or parking changes. Ortwort restricts answering to the area you draw, so the feedback is at least coming from the right place.
It is still indicative sentiment, not a referendum or an official consultation, and shouldn't be presented as one. It's a quick, geographically honest way to take the temperature.
How it works
Setting up an area and a question takes a couple of minutes.
- 1
Write the question about the proposal
Keep it plain and answerable while waiting for a bus. Single or multiple choice, a 1–5 scale, or short text for open comments.
- 2
Draw the affected area
Trace the boundary of the streets a change would touch, or a radius around the site. Only people inside it can answer.
- 3
Collect responses from residents on the ground
They reach the survey on ortwort or through a link, QR code or notice you post locally. Their device confirms they're inside the area — no account needed. Exact locations are never stored, only a coarse cell.
- 4
Read the results
Live counts and percentages. You can make the results public so residents see the same numbers you do. Small areas stay hidden until enough people answer.
What communities ask
Pedestrianisation and traffic changes
Ask only the streets whose access, parking or noise would actually change.
A proposed development
Gather sentiment from the immediate neighbourhood before or during a planning process.
Parks, playgrounds and shared spaces
Ask the people who'd use a space which of several options they prefer.
Local events
Measure interest and gather concerns from residents near a proposed venue or route.
Frequently asked questions
What is a community survey?+
A survey aimed at the residents of a defined area about something that affects them locally — a proposal, a change, an event. Ortwort ties it to the map so only that area can respond.
How do you make sure only local people answer?+
The respondent's browser reports a location, the server checks it against the boundary you drew, and anything outside it is rejected. Location accuracy worse than about 1 km is also rejected.
Is this representative or official?+
No. It's indicative local sentiment, not a statistically representative sample and not an official consultation. It should be described that way when results are shared.
What about respondents' privacy?+
No account is required to answer. The exact coordinates used for the eligibility check are discarded immediately; only a coarse cell of about 1 km and the country are kept. Data is hosted in the EU.
Can the results be public?+
Yes. You can publish a survey with public results so residents see the same aggregate figures as the organiser. Cells with only a few answers stay hidden either way.
Ask the affected area, not the whole internet
Free to start. Draw the boundary, ask about the proposal, and hear from the people on those streets.