Have you ever done a PechaKucha presentation? It’s a unique twist on the traditional PowerPoint. Presenters are limited to 20 slides and the slides advance automatically every 20 seconds, ready or not! The result is a 7-minute whirlwind. There are inevitable moments of humor and the pace is energizing. I did my first one recently at an evening hosted by the International Association for Public Participation...
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It was clear to the City of Toronto that engaging less confident cyclists that make up 60% of the population, yet seldom come to community meetings, might be the key to dramatic mode shifts in the city. Here's how it happened. One of my favorite tasks is interviewing clients to prepare a case study. It’s fun to hear their perspective, and sometimes a great story like...
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MetroQuest has earned its place as the most widely used community engagement software in large part because of the exceptional results that agencies and firms have been able to achieve – unprecedented levels of participation, informed public input and actionable results. Whether you are interested in trying MetroQuest for the first time or are already a power user, this session is the fastest way to...
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This year at the 2017 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting I had the honor of joining a panel of experts to speak on the topic of community engagement in the age of mobile technology. Apparently the topic caught people’s attention. Despite being one of the final session at the conference, the turnout was excellent and the Q&A was lively. The session was co-sponsored by the...
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What is the highest purpose of community engagement? Why do some planners go all out to hear from the public? This article dives into these questions based on nine interviews conducted at APA 2016. Community engagement is a required component of planning projects. Some planners take a "check the box" approach and others go out of their way to hear from the public. I was curious...
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