Use the IAP2 Australasia Methods Matrix tool to find the right tool for your community and stakeholder engagement project.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous people of Australia. They are not one group but comprise hundreds of groups that have their own distinct set of languages, histories and cultural traditions.
‘Ka whakaatu i ngā tikanga me ngā whakaaro Māori ki roto i ngā mahi a te Karauna me ngā tari Kawanatanga. An effective, efficient and inclusive engagement process should reflect Māori perspectives and cultural values.’ (Te Arawhiti)
The hui is a sophisticated New Zealand Māori tradition that involves bringing people together for a specific purpose or take (cause for gathering). (O’Sullivan and Mills, 2009)
Talanoa is a conversational process used daily by Pasifika peoples and involves sharing of stories and development of knowledge. Talanoa can be used to engage Pasifika participants in a community-based action research process to explore their lived experiences.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been using yarning circles for thousands of years to discuss issues in an inclusive and collaborative manner. A conversational process that involves the telling of stories as a way of passing on cultural knowledge.
Citizens working with organisations to contribute to scientific research with the aim to increase scientific knowledge.
A reflective process designed to examine the key events of the past along a timeline, highlights and lowlights and any learnings or insights.
Multi-criteria decision analysis aims to allow groups to determine and agree on a set of criteria and weightings to apply to their decision making on challenging issues. Complex problems would often have conflicting criteria, for example factors such as high costs, might be in conflict with environmental benefits. Working together to decide on how how […]
An interview technique to intercepts members of the public, often on the street’ and asking for their opinion on a topic.
A bundle of mini methods that support groups work towards long-term strategic thinking and problem solving.
Dotmocracy, also known as dot-voting or idea rating, is a method for group prioritisation to help progress ideas or action.
Voting on a series of options.
Storytelling helps people make sense of the world and engage with each other on a different level.
Similar to an opt-in e-panel except members are randomly-selected to avoid bias.
Community members opt in to be part of an online engagement panel.
Online forum where invited or self-selected participants contribute to an online discussion about a topic or project for a set period of time.
Can be designed to inform, seek feedback, to gather ideas, and to update the community on the engagement project and how community input/feedback has been taken into consideration.
Individualised letters sent to affected or interested community members and stakeholders.
Online software that engages the community in an interactive way.
Interactive computer application designed for smartphones, mobile devices and computer tablets.
Development of online or non-digital games which participants play to solve problems and accomplish tasks.
Deliberative democracy processes are methods where a representative sample of the population, usually chosen through random selection, meet and deliberate over a few days.
A forum where a representative sample of the community deliberates on a topic, issue or proposal. Forums last at least 2 days.
An exploratory, facilitated group method where participants are asked to close their eyes and visualise what their community looks like now and in the future. Uses visualisation and dialogue and may be extended to include creative arts activities.
Advertisements paid for in print, broadcast or online mediums. Can be used to promote projects, engagement activities or to meet legal obligations.
Research involving a community of practice trying to solve a problem through action. Communities act as “co-researchers”.
Deliberation and decision making is undertaken by decision makers in view of the public, such as in a public gallery or by video streaming, to enhance transparency and accountability.
Community engagement or project teams go door-to-door to liaise with affected residents.
Open, hosted conversations set in cafes or other places where community members would ordinarily gather.
A website where content is not owned by a specific person or organisation, but is created, deleted or modified by members of the public.
A structured process to host a conversation with community or stakeholder representatives. Includes a series of questions that are objective, then reflective, interpretive and decisional.
Social networking site based on users’ professional expertise.
A small group discussion hosted by a facilitator about a focussed topic.
Online interactive web-based seminar, presentation or workshop.
A structured process where participants discuss a question or series of questions at a group of small tables.
Can include dedicated websites for an engagement project, a central hub for all of an organisation’s engagement activities, or a specific page on an organisation’s corporate website.
Community and stakeholders are invited to tour a site to gain a deeper understanding or to gain first-hand experience.
A series of questions provided to a sample which may be a representative sample or a self-selected sample.
A structured process where randomly-selected participants explore and deliberate on a topic at a meeting over 2 to 3 days and then their opinions are polled. Results of the poll are shared with the group and publicly. Can include a pre-poll, as well as additional polling that occurs after the engagement activity.
A meeting organised by either the organisation or community with presentations and questions asked by the crowd.
Small groups of people (usually between 5 and 20) who meet multiple times to explore an issue.
A method for hosting a meeting, conference or summit which is focused on a particular purpose or topic, but which has no formal agenda set.
One-on-one discussions to explore and understand community or stakeholder needs, perspectives, insights and feedback, and to build relationships.
A fair or festival involving food and entertainment, as well as activities around an engagement topic, project or proposal. Designed to make engagement topic more appealing and to reach audiences who would not normally attend workshops.
A form of discussion where participants agree to suspend judgments to fully explore a question and seek shared meaning.
Widely publicised telephone or email hotline that and provides one-to-one responses to community questions or complaints.
A structured method to explore specific, complex issues, and where participants work in small groups.
Used for planning local areas, a design charette is a multi-disciplinary design workshop held over 3-4 days, involving stakeholders, the project team, planning and design professionals, technical experts and sometimes community members.
Gathering ideas, services and content, from online users, rather than from staff or suppliers. Crowdsourcing can including asking for solutions to a problem, seeking funding for a project such as a start-up (crowdfunding) developing creative content or graphics, or to gather information. Can include a competition or incentive.
Large numbers of people who are selected to be representative of the population and be a part of a panel that deliberates on a range of issues over a set period of time. Surveys are distributed during the time to understand community attitudes, feedback, issues and behaviour. Can track changes as well.
Presentations and discussions with community or stakeholder groups. Can vary widely from informing to gathering feedback, ideas or options.
Staffed or unstaffed displays of information, options, drafts or final decisions which are made available in a public place.
Process where the community works with an organisation through its budgeting process.
Media releases, pitches or briefings provided to journalists to publish free editorial on engagement projects or issues.
Community members gather and share photos that represent their ideas or preferences for the future. Can be incorporated into face-to-face engagement events, or collected and shared online.
Capturing participants ideas, expressions and discussions in real-time during an engagement activity, to create a visual representation of the discussions.
Citizens edit and shape documents and reports through a series of circulating documents.
Formal written submissions which must be made in line with government regulations.
A public information session incorporating a series of displays or stations staffed by technical experts, engagement professionals or the project team.
A future planning process where participants undertake a series of sessions on the past, present, future, common ground, and action planning. Designed to develop a shared vision for the future.
