A consultation adviser gesturing while discussing options

SP-203 Intermediate · Strategy & planning

Option development and appraisal.

Develop and appraise consultation options that are genuine, fair and legally sound, avoiding the predetermination that sinks a consultation.

1 day

Duration

£295 +VAT

Public · per delegate

POA

In-house

30 CPD

Credits

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01Overview

A consultation with no real options is no consultation at all.

Consultation must present genuine options at a formative stage. Offering a foregone conclusion invites legal challenge and public cynicism. Developing and appraising options well is central to a lawful, credible exercise.

This course covers how to generate genuine options, appraise them fairly against clear criteria, present them without bias, and avoid the appearance of predetermination that so often undermines consultation.

02What we cover

Generating options

Produce a genuine range of options at a formative stage, not a token alternative to a foregone conclusion.

Appraising fairly

Weigh options against clear, consistent criteria with honest, defensible scoring.

Presenting without bias

Put options to the public with no steer, so the responses you gather are meaningful.

Avoiding predetermination

Recognise and design out the predetermination, and its legal risks, that undermines consultation.

03The day

Four sessions

A full day on fair, defensible options.

09:30Generating optionsA genuine range, not a token one.

11:00AppraisalFair criteria and honest scoring.

13:30Presenting fairlyNo steer, no bias.

15:00Avoiding predeterminationStaying formative and lawful.

04Outcomes

What you take away

01Generate a genuine range of options

02Appraise options against clear, fair criteria

03Present options without bias or steer

04Avoid predetermination and its legal risks

05Consult at a formative stage

06Document appraisal so it is transparent

05Who it's for

For those shaping the choices.

For officers who develop the options a consultation puts forward.

Policy & strategy officers

Consultation managers

Project managers

Business-case authors

Anyone framing consultation options

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 ‘Generating options’ and closing with ‘Avoiding predetermination’. The day is built around practical exercises rather than presentation, so you leave having worked on option development 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 option development 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. If you want the groundwork first, Preparing for a public consultation is a good precursor.

06Who delivers the course?A tCI trainer who specialises in consultation strategy 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.

Book this course → Enquire about bespoke