Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
among stakeholders. For example, more resources might be needed for expert
facilitation, information sharing, and dialogue where decisions involve major
trade-offs.
Methods of engagement - techniques and tools
What are the best tools for engaging the community that would generate a
good outcome? The choice of tools and techniques should be selected based on:
O
purpose or objectives of having stakeholders participate: to share infor-
mation; to gather and aggregate data; and/or to permit interaction
(Baldwin and Twyford 2007)
O
stakeholders' preferences and needs
O
the resources available (including money, time, and skills)
O
the size and complexity of the project.
Tools for purpose of engagement are well illustrated in the IAP2 Public
Participation Spectrum.
Most projects include, at minimum, tools for sharing information, particu-
larly at the early stages. These might include brochures announcing the
initiation and time frame of a project; booklets summarising resource
condition and trend or an issues identification document. Such information is
particularly important to ensure a community can make an informed contri-
bution. It can also be used to check the accuracy of data and understanding of
issues. Later on in a water resource planning process, a summary of submis-
sions and feedback to the community about how their issues were addressed
should be provided.
Providing the right information to support the contribution of various user
groups can be complex:
O
they may have variable skills and knowledge bases, or be from different
disciplinary backgrounds
O
information needs to be accessible to the non-specialist
O
they may have different information needs, requiring data at different time
and space scales, and various degrees of prior synthesis and analysis
O
they may be geographically dispersed.
While information needs to be provided by an agency, mechanisms are also
needed to gain input from the community. Tools for public input that lie
at the 'high end' of the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum are expected
to improve the likelihood of gaining public acceptance and making better
decisions. They allow for greater interaction and deliberation. It can provide
for input of local knowledge, especially important when there is little
formally collected data. Though dialogue and deliberation cannot be expected
to resolve all disagreement, they can often reduce areas of disagreement and
