Planning your engagement
The nature of a project’s public engagement programme will depend on the need that has been identified, as outlined in the project brief and procurement documents, and the scale and intention of the planned impacts.
For projects with embedded and measured public engagement, the intended impacts are likely to be described within a Theory of Change (logic model) with a planned evaluation process. Those documents might present high-level ambitions, such as ‘heritage skills training’ or ‘open consultation workshops’, but getting real value from these activities needs detail around the how, who, what and where of each planned engagement.
This section provides a ‘look up’ for how different types of activities can achieve different types of impacts. An outline of the activities to be delivered, and how they will meet public benefit and social value outcomes, can be expressed within a public engagement plan (see Infosheet 4 - Creating a public engagement plan).
How do you decide which activities will work best?
A good place to start when considering different types of activities is the Public Participation Spectrum developed by the International Association for Public Participation. The IAP2 spectrum was designed to ‘assist with the selection of the level of participation that defines the public’s role in any community engagement programme’. It shows how differing levels of participation are appropriate to different goals, timeframes, available resources and levels of concern which might drive a decision-making process. This ranges from informing members of the community (passive, non-participatory activity) through to empowering them (co-design and user-led engagement).
Applying this thinking to public engagement activities within an archaeological programme will need consideration of the range of available options. Having multiple channels (or ‘ways in’) for audiences is essential to impact-driven work; this could mean offering different types of activities, or working with different delivery partners, to meet different goals – rather than accepting a one-size-fits all solution. Different activities, carefully planned, can also be stackable, driving participants from passive to active or collaborative engagement, each delivering increasing levels of impact.
This process of public engagement planning will help the project delivery team map the opportunities offered to the target audiences against project outcomes, and allow those commissioning and monitoring the project to be involved in that process. The result will be a public engagement plan (see Infosheet 4 - Creating a public engagement plan) which will be appropriate to the size, scale, complexity and ambition for the programme.
Resources
- International Association for Public Participation, IAP2 spectrum: Webpage and Document (PDF)
- Developing your public engagement plan: Infosheet 4 - Creating a public engagement plan
Engaging your audience
Audiences, both current and potential, lie at the heart of good engagement planning and must be considered at every stage of project delivery from the beginning. Instead of asking ‘how do we get people to engage with this?’ once the project has been designed, meaningful engagement starts with asking ‘who do we want to engage with, and how and why do they want to engage with us?’ during the design phase.
In addition to outlining specific details for each activity, the public engagement plan also considers how the audience group(s) identified within the project’s intended impacts will be reached and activated. Some questions to kickstart that process include:
- is there an existing audience?
- are existing audiences right for the identified outcomes?
- are the defined activities right for the identified audience groups?
- how will the project team reach non-traditional groups or underrepresented audiences?
- what level of participation is needed for the different audience groups?
- are there organisations, such as local amenity groups, youth organisations or charities, who can help?
- does the existing audience group fit the outcomes and impacts identified?
- will the audience want to engage with the proposed activities?
- have we got the resources to manage and facilitate audience engagement?
Creating an exciting activity programme will not automatically result in people signing up to get involved; a ‘build it and they will come’ mentality is one of the biggest failure points of public engagement. It is essential that the delivery team consider each activity with a specific audience group in mind, mapping out the best channels to reach them and building in checkpoints on progress. The public engagement plan should link directly to the project brief and procurement documents, by considering the strategic decisions made about the audience group(s) and primary motivation behind the work, exploring how all project channels can be used to drive engagement with archaeology.
Resources
There are many resources available that can help with audience planning. These are a great place to start:
- Heritage Digital Academy’s guide to growing and engaging audiences online: Webpage
- CultureHive provides curated resources for audience development: Webpage
Procurement documents, such as Invitations to Tender (ITT), and Request for Quotations (RFQ), are used in the procurement process to solicit bids or proposals from suppliers or contractors. They will outline the scope of works and any requirements for delivery, as well as detailing how tenders will be evaluated by the procurement team.
A document that outlines the objectives, scope, requirements, and constraints of a project. In archaeology, a project brief might be issued by the project commissioner or facilitator and should provide a clear description of the goals, expectations, and deliverables for a specific archaeological project. It serves as a reference point and guide for the project team and all stakeholders involved.
The active engagement of the general public or targeted audience groups in the planning, decision-making, or execution of a project. In archaeology, public engagement refers to activities and initiatives designed to involve and educate the public about archaeological discoveries, research, or heritage.
A conceptual framework that explains the expected outcomes and the steps required to achieve a desired impact. In archaeology, a theory of change will outline the logic and assumptions which frame how the proposed archaeological activities will lead to specific outcomes and ultimately contribute to broader impacts.
