What is Public Engagement?


Who is your audience?

Before you decide what type(s) of public engagement to conduct, you should determine the audience you want to reach.

Spend some time thinking about key stakeholders, demographics, and others you would like to engage.

What's the geographic scope of your public engagement?

Now that you have determined your audience, it’s time to think about the scale of the public engagement you want to conduct

Will this be a local outreach effort, or will you focus on a larger region?

Where does your audience live?

At this point, you have determined your audience and the geographic scope of your public engagement. Now, let’s decide on the place-type(s) in which your audience is located.

Does your audience live in a rural, suburban, or urban area?

What type of tool will you use?

There are many types of tools available to conduct your public outreach. Some tools are more visual, while others are more hands-on.

Think of the method or tool you would like to use to engage your target community.

What is your timeframe?

Sometimes, public engagement must be done quickly, while other efforts allow more time.

Consider how long you have to conduct and complete your project