Community Engagement Culture & Actionable Insight
In a recent blog we discussed agility in public engagement and the need for a unified engagement approach that values insight over the act of data creation. Here, we will take a closer look at what this means and how adjusting the culture of engagement has the power to accelerate trust building, efficiency, effectiveness, and true data-driven decision-making.
Community Engagement Culture & Challenges to the Status Quo
A community engagement approach that is more inclusive of agile values and principles is all about culture change, which is no small feat. It is unsurprising that it took a global pandemic and landmark civil and political unrest to trigger cultural change in the way state and local governments approach community engagement. The most notable change in recent history was the shift in legislation and practice from a typically in-person public meeting to include virtual and/or hybrid meeting formats. Other examples of this “cultural shift” include:
– Policy: sunshine law updates incorporated virtual engagement tactics
– Priorities/Oversight: showing an increased priority on equity and accountability
– Roles & Responsibilities: accessibility and inclusion as an expectation
– A new demand for virtual engagement options
– An expectation for multilingual translations and interpretations
– Multi-tactic approaches to engagement (text, phone, email, etc.)
Actionable Insight
According to the IBM Center for The Business of Government, insight is critical in the process of uncovering solutions and making decisions in the public sector
Insight offers the power to gain understanding from data, people, or a situation not immediately evident on the surface. Insight enables leaders to uncover a solution and act based on keen and clear observation. Observation, however, does not lead immediately to insight. Government leaders must make interpretations shaped by context, knowledge, and the experience of decision makers—implicit knowledge, often built up after years of experience.
IBM Center for the business of government – Seven Drivers Transforming Government
An innovative community engagement process that places a high value on insight, that is both meaningful and relevant, is key to this cultural shift away from the activity of data generation.
Demanding Insight
With insight having such a major influence on more informed decision making, here are few other ways that PublicInput users are innovating their community engagement processes to place a higher demand on insight:
– Development of community driven strategies that prioritize equity and leverage available insights to inform tactical approaches.
– Leveraging technology for real-time interactive opportunities for feedback, engagement, and collaboration.
Read more about how state and local governments can provide a more consistent, accessible and predictable resident experience in our new 2023 Engagement Survey Results Report today.
