Regardless of the type of project you're running, implementing best practices can significantly improve its success.
Before Starting a Project
Define the goal of the project
Your project goal should be clear, attainable, and relevant, with well-defined objectives. This goal will guide the questions you ask and the information you provide.
Determine what data you need to collect
Identifying the data you need helps clarify the objectives of the project. It ensures that every question is designed to address specific goals and gather relevant information.
Define the target audience
Know who you are either sharing information with or gathering feedback from.
Where will the target audience find this project?
How will you promote the project to the target audience?
Know the target audience’s barriers to participation:
Language - does this audience need information in a language other than English?
Low/no internet access
Transportation/mobility
Childcare
Use the Equity Map page to:
Find Community-Based Organizations near your project.
See historical participation.
Add layers to see where certain groups of people are located
Collect any project resources
Images
Links
Documents
Question prompts and responses
Before Publishing a Project
Review the Project
Look at the project from your participants' point of view:
Call the voicemail
Email in
Try the text (if applicable)
View the project on your cellphone
Have a colleague review the project for a fresh perspective, as it’s easy to miss minor grammatical errors or clarity issues yourself.
After a Project is Closed
Reflect
Make sure you build reflection into your project timeline.
Did you reach everyone you needed to?
What went well?
What would you do differently next time?
Is there a feature on PublicInput you could use next time?
Go back to "Start Here."