Groups make decisions that lead in a new direction.

Individuals change behavior.

newsletter

email newsletter

charrette

workshop

hotline

radio spotopen house

appreciative inquiry

asset mapping

open space technology

asset mapping

town hall

press release

website

online social networking

citizen surveypublic hearing

stakeholder interview

focus group

deliberative dialogue

world café

study circlefuture search

Image Credit: DPZ

Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation

Understand the Complexity of the Decision . . .

less complex more complex

Type of Decision

Routine Controversial

Technical Decision Values-Based Decision

Known, accepted values

Values in conflict

Stakeholder Characteristics

Known, easy to identify Unkown, hard to identify

Small number Large number

Homogenous Diverse

Equal power and resources

Unbalanced power and resources

Important stakeholders have power

Important stakeholders outside power structure

Decision Phase / Implementation Issues

Decision already made

Decision needs to be made

Single entity can implement

Implementation requires multi-party collaboration

Implementation Stage

Goal Setting, Idea Generation, Selection of Alternatives

People generally agree the sponsor

has the right to act.

Legitimacy of sponsor action is in question.

Sponsor has legal authority to make

decision.

Sponsor needs others to take legal action.

. . . to Choose the Right Type of Public Involvement

Understand the Complexity of the Decision . . .

less complex more complex

Uni-Directional Communication

newsletter

website

recorded hotline

press release

Purpose: Inform, Educate Feedback Loops: Minimal or None

radio spot

public hearing?

Bi-Directional Communication

workshop

public hearing?open house

Purpose: Generate Ideas, Solicit Feedback

charrette?

Feedback Loops: Some

citizen survey

live hotline

focus groupstakeholder interview

Multi-Directional Communication

charrette? deliberative dialogue

social networkin

g

open space technology

future search

asset mapping

world café

Purpose: Develop Collaborative Action Feedback Loops: Many

So what?

Assessment Tool

Decision Analysis for Sustainability

Many Hands . . . The Only Way

One Question . . .