What do you do if your transportation planning process lacks community engagement?

1 Understand your audience

Before you design and implement any engagement activities, you need to know who your target audience is and what motivates them. Do some research on the demographics, interests, and preferences of the communities you want to engage with. Find out what channels and methods they use to communicate and access information. Identify the key influencers and opinion leaders who can help you reach out to more people. Tailor your engagement approach to suit your audience's needs and expectations.

2 Use multiple and creative methods

One size does not fit all when it comes to community engagement. You need to use a variety of methods and tools to reach different segments of your audience and capture their feedback. For example, you can use online surveys, social media, webinars, podcasts, blogs, and interactive maps to engage with people who prefer digital platforms. You can also use traditional methods such as public meetings, workshops, focus groups, newsletters, and flyers to connect with people who prefer face-to-face interactions. To make your engagement more fun and interactive, you can use games, quizzes, simulations, scenarios, and storytelling to spark interest and creativity.

3 Provide clear and relevant information

To engage your audience effectively, you need to provide them with clear and relevant information about your transportation planning process and goals. Avoid using jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that may confuse or alienate your audience. Explain the purpose, scope, and benefits of your plan in simple and concise language. Use visuals, infographics, maps, and diagrams to illustrate your ideas and concepts. Provide examples and case studies of similar or successful projects to inspire and inform your audience. Address any common questions or concerns that your audience may have.

4 Listen and respond

Community engagement is not a one-way communication. You need to listen and respond to your audience's feedback, suggestions, and concerns. Show that you value and respect their input by acknowledging and thanking them for their participation. Provide them with regular updates on the progress and outcomes of your plan. Incorporate their feedback into your plan where possible and explain how and why you made certain decisions. Invite them to continue the dialogue and provide further input as your plan evolves.

5 Evaluate and improve

Community engagement is an ongoing and dynamic process that requires constant evaluation and improvement. You need to monitor and measure the effectiveness of your engagement activities and methods. Collect and analyze data on the number, diversity, and satisfaction of your participants. Seek feedback from your participants on how they found the engagement experience and what they learned from it. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your engagement strategy and make adjustments as needed. Share your evaluation results and lessons learned with your participants and stakeholders.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?