Consider these examples of different tools or approaches to determine the purpose and needs of the engagement of your intended participant group.
Inform
Objective
“Here are some things you need to understand”
Example Approach or Tool
- Posters
- Presentations
- Information sessions
Consult
Objective
“This is what we are thinking of doing, do you have any advice? We’ll come back to you later and tell you how and to what extent we used your advice.”
Example Approach or Tool
- Consultation meetings
- Structured and representative focus groups
- Surveys
- Advisory committees
Involve
Objective
“We will work with you to ensure your concerns and needs are directly reflected in the decisions made”
Example Approach or Tool
- Consultation meetings
- Structured and representative focus groups
- Surveys
- Advisory committees
- Online platforms such as Bang the Table or Slack
Collaborate
Objective
“The decision is jointly ours. We have an equal voice. We will implement what we jointly decide.”
Example Approach or Tool
- Collaborative workshops
- Shared governance or decision-making committees
Empower
Objective
“Let’s work together from the very beginning and we’ll incorporate your advice and recommendations to the maximum extent possible.”
Example Approach or Tool
- Referendum
- Panel made up of empowered stakeholder group(s) (e.g., physician panel)
While there are likely established ways of “doing things” in your setting, consider whether they will truly reach your objectives and intended participants.
For example, if email is the customary way in which a large group of individuals are generally informed, inbox overload may in fact make this approach less likely to reach the intended audience.
Consider
- Potential advantages, disadvantages and required resources of each level of engagement.
Example: A consideration of potential approaches at the consult level:
Consultation meetings
- Often conducted by anyone with some facilitation skills with a convenience group of available participants
- Gathers input from participants and also shares information.
Potential advantages
- Familiar format for many
- Opportunity to share own thoughts and input and also hear other thoughts and feedback
- Opportunity to ask questions
Potential disadvantages
- Time consuming to hear from a diversity of voices
- Scheduling can be challenging given work and life schedules
Required resources and skill set
- Strong facilitation skills
- Strong interpersonal skills among engagement leaders and participants
- Adequate space and time
Structured and representative focus groups
- More formal, generally facilitated by individuals with high skills/expertise
- Participants selected based on their representativeness – a full diversity of voices
- Objective and thorough
- Captures a wide variety of perspectives
Potential advantages
- Can achieve purposeful and intentional representativeness of voices
- Opportunity for high psychological safety
Potential disadvantages
- Only a small number of participants can be invited to participate
- Limited opportunities for participants to ask questions
- Limited opportunities to come to a common, shared understanding
Required resources and skill set
- Strong focus group moderator skills
- Focus group data analysis skills
- Understanding of limitations of methodology
- Usually administered by skilled third party or external consultant
Surveys
Potential advantages
- Relatively quick for participants
- Participants can complete on their own time
- Potential to reach a large number of participants
Potential disadvantages
- Rigidity of answering pre-existing, often close ended questions (multiple choice)
- Limited opportunities for participants to ask questions
- Limited opportunities to come to a common, shared understanding
- Limited participation due to survey fatigue
Required resources and skill set
- Survey development skills
- Survey deployment tools (e.g., survey platform that meets privacy requirements)
- Data analysis skill
- Understanding of limitations of survey methodology
Consider
Which approach or tool (or combination of approaches or tools) will:
- meet your engagement objectives?
- best reach the intended participants?
- pose potential barriers to success (e.g., scheduling, level of effort, time pressures)?
- require resources and skills to implement?
- contribute to long-term objectives? (e.g., build solid relationships with stakeholder groups; achieve greater understanding of overarching context)
- contribute to your commitments to cultural humility?
Resources
A number of resources are available providing information on various engagement methods and approaches.