Use the IAP2 Australasia Methods Matrix tool to find the right tool for your community and stakeholder engagement project.
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 […]
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.
Online forum where invited or self-selected participants contribute to an online discussion about a topic or project for a set period of time.
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.
An online series of posts about an engagement project or issues, which the community can share and comment on.
Research involving a community of practice trying to solve a problem through action. Communities act as “co-researchers”.
Open, hosted conversations set in cafes or other places where community members would ordinarily gather.
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 structured process where participants discuss a question or series of questions at a group of small tables.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A highly-structured method involving a representative jury or panel of non-expert citizens who deliberate during a chaired public hearing held over 2-4 days where they hear evidence from a range of different experts. Jury members decide who to call in as expert witnesses. Participants make recommendations or decisions.
A large-scale 2-3 day event where a large number of diverse people come together to consider information, engage in dialogue, participate in interactive activities and make recommendations.
A leaderless meeting where participants take a seat in a central circle to discuss a topic or question, that is controversial. Those watching follow a structured process to enter into the circle of discussion. Designed to voice multiple perspectives.
A representative sample of citizens are randomly selected to form a citizen’s jury which deliberates on a problem or opportunity. The jury hears evidence from witnesses, in front of a public gallery, before adjourning to deliberate and make a recommendation or decision.
Participants individually write their ideas, concerns, issues on cards. These are shared in small groups then categorised by the whole group.
A structured process for decision making that focuses on building on strengths (“what works well”), rather than focusing on problems and limitations.
A group activity to identify and then prioritise issues, concerns or ideas.
Consumers and users work works with designers to codesign products, services or processes