1 day
Duration
£295+VAT
Public · per delegate
POA
In-house
30 CPD
Credits
Fig. 01 · Planning the exercise
01Overview
Most consultations are won or lost before they launch.
A public consultation that stumbles usually did so at the planning stage: an unclear question, a rushed timeline, the wrong people asked. Good preparation is what turns a legal duty into an exercise people can meaningfully take part in.
This foundation course walks through everything you do before you go live: defining scope and objectives, mapping who to reach, choosing methods, drafting clear materials and building a realistic plan that anticipates challenge.
02Learning outcomes
What you'll take away
Delegates leave with a practical framework for planning a consultation from a blank page.
01Define clear objectives and scope for a consultation
02Map audiences and decide who must be reached
03Choose methods that fit your purpose and timeline
04Draft consultation materials that are clear and unbiased
05Build a realistic project plan and timeline
06Anticipate risks and design them out before launch
03The day
Four sessions
A full day taking you from blank page to launch-ready plan.
09:30Scope & objectivesGetting clear on what you are consulting on and why.
11:00Knowing your audienceMapping stakeholders and the seldom-heard.
13:30Methods & materialsChoosing channels and drafting clear, fair documents.
15:00The planTimelines, resources and risk: a plan that holds.
04Who it's for
New to running consultations?
For anyone about to plan a public consultation and wanting to start on solid ground.
Consultation & engagement officers
Project & programme managers
Policy officers
Communications teams
Anyone new to public consultation
Intermediate
Conducting a Public Consultation
Run the live exercise once the planning is done.
View course →
Intermediate
Applying Law of Consultation
The legal duties your plan must satisfy.
View course →
Intermediate
Making Community Engagement Meaningful
Reach beyond the usual respondents.
View course →
06Before you book
Common questions
Anything not covered here, ask us. We answer the same day.
01How many CPD points do I earn?Thirty tCI CPD points. Every virtual and face-to-face course carries 30, and points are logged against your record when you attend. Members can download a CPD statement from the membership portal at any time, and this course counts towards the taught element of a tCI qualification.
02Is it virtual or face-to-face?Open places run as a live virtual workshop, delivered in real time by a tCI trainer, never a recording. Groups stay small enough that everyone can speak, and you work in breakouts as well as listening. The same course runs face-to-face at your own offices as an in-house session.
03How long is the course?One full day, 09:30 to 16:30, in four sessions with breaks between each, opening with ‘Scope & objectives’ and closing with ‘The plan’. The day is built around practical exercises rather than presentation, so you leave having worked on preparing a consultation rather than only having heard about it.
04Can you run this in-house for our team?Yes, and it is the usual choice for teams of six or more. In-house delivery works from your sector and the consultations you have in front of you, so the preparing a consultation exercises use your own material. We can run it in person or virtually, and split it across two half-days where a full day is hard to protect. Ask us about bespoke for a quote.
05Do I need prior experience or other courses first?No prior course is required. It is pitched at intermediate level, so it suits people who have run or commissioned engagement already. Newer practitioners do well on it too. You will simply cover some foundational ground faster than others in the room.
06Who delivers the course?A tCI trainer who specialises in the consultation process and works in it, not only teaches it. The named trainer for each date is shown on the course calendar and confirmed in your joining instructions the week before. You can put live problems to them on the day and expect a straight answer.
Bring this workshop in-house for your whole team
The same course, reworked around the consultations your team is running.