Inclusive engagement allows all people to be a voice in the future of the places they live and love, fostering transparency and accountability. At Design Workshop, we don’t check the box on engagement, we approach each project with the community as a critical partner in success. Diverse perspectives, meaningful dialogue, and active listening are crucial for developing innovative ideas that are supported by the community. We weave community engagement throughout the process in every project — big or small — so the community’s ideas are integrated into our designs. Below are three of our favorite tips to support robust dialogue for the future of your community.
1. Meet People Where They Are
While traditional methods such as open houses and meetings are an important tool in our engagement toolbox, we love to host ‘pop-up’ style events to hear from more diverse voices who might be too busy or unable to attend a formal event. For The Frisco Comprehensive Plan in Frisco, Colorado, we met the community at their local coffee shop, at a Middle School football game, at elementary school pick ups, and outside the grocery store to talk about how they would like to address important issues around growth and development, parks and open spaces, and transportation and infrastructure improvements. Instead of an open house of 30–40 people, we chatted with hundreds of residents — from kids to seniors — each with different ideas and interests.
2. Ensure All Voices Are Heard
We design our processes in ‘engagement windows’ where we use multiple methods to ask questions in different ways, such as mirroring in-person events with an online platform to allow people to participate in a way that works for them. We track who is taking part through multiple channels to ensure we hear from diverse perspectives. In Salt Lake City, Utah, we engaged a broad cross section of the community for the 300 W Corridor and Small Area Plan using online tools such as surveys, social pinpoint, as well as in-person neighborhood events. It is important to also consider access to information, including digital access and overcoming language barriers. Using in-person translators and dual-language online materials, we were able to provide access to the community's English and Spanish speaking community members.
3. Get Creative
The key to engagement is to listen and respond to the community’s needs. Every place and project are different, and engagement is not a one-size-fits-all approach. In each project we consider who needs to be involved, what are the best ways to connect, and how we can make it fun! For The Willits Affordable Housing and Community Space project in in Basalt, Colorado, we wanted to hear ideas from the youth of the community, so we designed a puzzle activity for a High School class to understand what they wanted in the project. But we didn’t stop there. We hosted neighborhood meet and greets with nearby residents, held 1:1 interviews with community partners, and attended the local holiday tree lighting to hear what the community hoped for on the project site.