Alleys or ’Entries’ are an important part of Belfast’s history, reflecting the life and resilience of its communities. Belfast City Council recently established a team dedicated to revitalising alleyways, inspired by projects like ‘Wildflower Alley’ in the South of the City.
To shape their vision, they needed to capture community views in a way that was engaging and meaningful, providing both statistical data and personal insights. In this particular project they required a solution that could be deployed on a very short timeline to support a global arts funding application.
We brought “Benny the Bin” to life. The client team dreamed up a character based on a local Belfast bin with a big personality – who loves to tell and hear stories. Deployed in under three weeks at Belfast’s Autumn Fair, Benny spoke with visitors about their alleyways, encouraging them to think beyond the mundane and imagine new possibilities for these spaces.
Through the Story Engine platform, these open-ended conversations were transformed into structured insights and real-time reporting. AI tools took unstructured conversations, transforming raw speech into valuable reporting and analytics in real time. The system enabled stakeholders to access and export clear, actionable data within 48 hours, meeting the demanding project schedule.
50+ conversations were captured across the two-day event, providing Belfast City Council with a depth of insight that far exceeded traditional survey methods.
Many participants reflected thoughtfully on how alleyways could become vibrant community hubs, suggesting everything from green infrastructure to cultural initiatives. Others touched on broader social and structural themes, highlighting the richness of open conversation as a consultation tool.
The project was delivered at speed, with positive feedback from stakeholders on both the quality of engagement and the clarity of reporting.
As a prototype, Benny the Bin demonstrated how conversational, character-led AI can shift public consultation from static, one-way communication to dynamic, inclusive dialogue. This project laid the groundwork for future community engagement models.
