At the National Co-ordinating Centre of Public Engagement (NCCPE) we have been considering the factors that make for high quality engagement, and have considered which of these are important for all forms of engagement, and which are important for specific forms of engagement. We have pulled out four key principles, which, when considered together, are most likely to lead to a high quality engagement project.
Four principles of high quality engagement
Whilst there are many other factors you will need to consider (including effective project planning and marketing) these four principles ensure that you are developing thoughtful, purposeful engagement that is appropriate to the needs and interests of all those involved.
In summary:
- Purpose: Why are you doing the engagement?
- People: Who is involved in the project as participants, partners, or deliverers of the project? How have you considered their needs and interests in developing your approach?
- Process: Is the process appropriate to the purpose and people you are engaging with?
- Evaluation: Have you considered how to use evaluation to both inform your approach, and to assess its value?