This past month over 250 public participation professionals came together in Charlotte at The IAP2 North America Conference to learn best practices and share their success stories. We heard many of those success stories specifically at the Better Together Lemonade Stand, which PublicInput.com hosted along with IAP2. We heard what good public participation means to...
When public involvement practitioners are looking for best practices, they often turn to IAP2 - the International Association for Public Participation. The IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation lays out a trusted framework for defining the public’s role in the public participation process. With an integrated public engagement software it is possible to execute, and most...
What is mixed-mode surveying? Academics and researchers have long heralded “mixed-mode” surveying, the practice of using multiple methods to reach and engage participants, as a strategy to optimize data collection and reduce survey error [1]. Mixed mode surveying has also been found to: Increase participation among rural residents [2] Better engage populations over the age...
Reaching beyond the usual voices is the first step in a robust, integrated approach to public engagement. But even organizations who can reach a broad set of residents can still face challenges if they aren't focused on lowering barriers to participation. What exactly does it mean to ‘lower the barrier to participation’? Tearing down walls...
Trusting a consulting professional with the community engagement process, whether for a single project or over the long run, helps keep public involvement a priority while alleviating constraints on time and effort. When hiring a consultant for the task at hand, it is important to consider two key factors: The goals of public participation in...
Public organizations are now capitalizing on the everyday presence of social media in residents’ lives by applying targeted advertising methods and connecting these efforts to the bigger picture of engagement through centralized public engagement software.
After collecting public input and finding key insights, we might often go straight to outlining a plan without following up with residents on how their input may have impacted that plan. Closing the feedback loop is not just a nicety, there are real benefits for decision makers, both in the short run and in the...
Community engagement - whether in a town of 5,000 or a major metropolis - comes down to intention and design. PublicInput.com CEO Jay Dawkins spoke about this, and five common pitfalls of community engagement, in a recent episode of the ELGL podcast, GovLove.
