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Engagement ‘domains’ – Different professions and different environments have cultures, values and behaviour patterns all of their own
The term ‘domain’ originally meant a piece of land – a territory. Today we use it in a very different sense. Not only do many of us have a ‘domain…
Read moreBallot-box participation – What are the implications of consultation through the ballot-box?
If the Localism Bill is taken at face-value, then local Councils are going to be busy organising a lot of Referendums. It represents a radically different approach to the last…
Read moreBeware re-organisations – They’re not all bad, but the consequences for public engagement can often be serious
Re-organisations have a bad name. It is easy to rail against them, and to criticise them for achieving few of their stated objectives. One of the most oft-quoted management sayings…
Read moreScrapping the ‘duty to involve’ – What difference would it make?
It only came into force in April 2009; no-one can say for definite whether it has made any difference. Yet there is quite an argument as to whether Mr Pickles’…
Read moreRisk Assessment – Six issues to bear in mind when organising consultations
For a process that essentially exists to minimise the risk of mistakes by public bodies or large organisations, the practice of consultation is itself prone to many errors. There are…
Read moreAre options optional? – Some consultations have options, but many don’t; what’s best?
The huge variety of consultations makes it difficult to prescribe hard and fast rules for all aspects of the process, and there is always a debate as to whether or…
Read moreDialogue by discussion – The growing popularity of ‘not-quite-Focus Groups’
Here’s a conversation we are having increasingly frequently. No doubt it’s partly prompted by the launch of our Registered Facilitator Scheme, but it’s been a consistent theme in recent months.…
Read moreComplaints and consultation – What’s the relationship between individual complaints and consultations?
When Ann Abraham, the Parliamentary & Health Ombudsman introduced her latest Report last week, the media gave it massive exposure. And rightly so; it detailed how ten older patients suffered…
Read moreInconclusive results – Contradictory messages are nothing new for Consultation specialists
As the media struggles to come to terms with the messy results offered by the British public, consultation professionals will reflect that data is frequently inconclusive and that interpreting what…
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