Step 3: Scoping
Project design should be developed alongside existing frameworks such as community action plans, and cognisant of other projects and initiatives requiring community input. This is particularly important to deliver broader community benefits and to mitigate against engagement fatigue.
Identifying scope, project design, and coordinating with wider activities
Clear scope and project objectives should be identified and communicated to the community. Project design should be developed alongside existing frameworks such as community action plans, and cognisant of other projects and initiatives requiring community input. This is particularly important to support integrated ‘joined up’ activity, to deliver broader community benefits and to mitigate against engagement fatigue.
Questions for Project Leads:
- What can realistically be changed through your participation process, and what are the parameters you are working within? If nothing can be changed, is a meaningful participation process able to take place?
- Where are there opportunities for power to be shared with participants/stakeholders?
- For example, is there a point at which you can bring in local citizens or local organisations to make some of the design decisions such as a citizen-led steering group or a governing role in how the engagement is carried out? This typically works well for longer-term projects such as citizen-panels.
- How might participants/stakeholders decision-making be made ethical and equitable? For example, do all participants share equal say through a vote or consensus-building or do participants who are more affected by the issue have greater say?
- What existing community plans and projects are taking place with similar ambitions?
- Where is the starting point for engagement?
Resources and case studies:
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