Print
Task 4: Develop Process and Engagement Strategies
Prepare a work plan and timeline
To create an initial draft of the project work plan, hold a project team meeting facilitated by the sustainability coordinator. The project work plan details all of the tasks and activities, team roles and responsibilities, key outputs and milestones and associated deadlines. It ensures everyone shares a common understanding and is on board and committed to following through on assigned tasks.
It is important to build flexibility into the plan to allow for the unexpected, for feasibility and/or technical studies and for inevitable changes that occur in a creative process. If the potential need for rezoning has been identified, the bylaw amendment process is also integrated into the project timeline. The work plan is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
 |
Informing Tools | Work Plan and Timeline |
 |
Additional Support |
NCI Charrette Handbook & NCI Charrette Planners Forms Kit: 1.1.5 Dynamic Planning Process Road Map, 1.1.6 Charrette Ready Plan |
Conduct stakeholder identification and analysis
A collaborative planning and design approach engages a full spectrum of stakeholders from the outset. This ensures that opportunities and constraints inherent to the development and the surrounding community are identified and addressed early on; that opportunities for building on synergies and creative energy are optimized; and that stakeholders are on board when it comes time to implement the plan.
The sustainability coordinator convenes a meeting of people identified by the core team as being knowledgeable about the different aspects and sectors of the community. The meeting is facilitated by the sustainability coordinator and its purpose is to elicit the range and type of stakeholders for the proposed development. Stakeholders are identified by considering:
-
Who are the decision makers?
-
Who can help achieve the outcome?
-
Who could present a barrier to the outcome?
-
Who is directly affected by the outcome?
Once a potential stakeholder group has been identified, a stakeholder analysis spreadsheet is generated that identifies:
-
critical viewpoints that need to be represented;
-
the people, their affiliation and role in the project;
-
what constitutes a "win" for each stakeholder;
-
the level of engagement required for holistic, diverse feedback;
-
an outreach strategy for engaging each stakeholder; and
-
their role (if any) in the design.
Information for the analysis is gathered through public meetings such as a workshop, group meetings such as a community league function, and interviews with individuals or smaller groups. Depending upon the complexity of the project and the size of the stakeholder group, it may be useful to hire a specialist in this area to ensure that the outreach program is successful.
 |
Engagement Tools |
Stakeholder Analysis Meetings |
|
Informing Tools |
Stakeholder Analysis |
|
Additional Support |
NCI Charrette Handbook & NCI Charrette Planners Forms Kit: 1.1.3 Stakeholder Identification and Preliminary Analysis |
Prepare stakeholder engagement strategy
The stakeholder engagement strategy addresses stakeholder needs and ensures they remain committed and engaged throughout planning, design and implementation. It identifies the main events, who will be involved and the tools and methods that are used to communicate with various stakeholders throughout the process. The sustainability coordinator is responsible for generating this strategy and ensuring it is executed as identified.
This exercise also serves to distinguish the key stakeholders from the broader stakeholder group. Key stakeholders provide feedback and input at numerous workshops and are more directly engaged throughout the charrette process. The broader stakeholder group’s feedback, input and participation, while important, is limited to public meetings.
|
Informing Tools | Stakeholder Engagement Strategy |
|
Additional Support |
NCI Charrette Handbook: 1.2 Stakeholder Research, Education and Involvement |
Establish key stakeholder memorandum of understanding
The sustainability coordinator initiates the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Its purpose is to create common understanding and agreement amongst the key stakeholders, articulating their expertise, roles and aspirations. It affords them the opportunity to communicate what they intend to contribute to the process, what they hope to achieve through their participation and any broader aspirations they may have. The MOU details the commitment of each key stakeholder to the project and the commitment of the project to meeting the goals and aspirations of each of the key players involved. It is a living document that can be expanded as additional key stakeholders are identified.
 |
EHUV Case Study |
