NEED FOR AND LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT
HEV COURSE 102
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Tools We Will Explore Today
 Classifying the project
 Scanning the demographic context
 Designing an effective engagement plan
 Adjusting the plan as context changes
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Classifying the Project
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Classifying the Project
 Responsibility for public engagement typically
depends on the level of environmental review
(planning process) and stage in the process.
Responsiblity For Public Engagement
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Classifying the Project
 Level of Environmental Review Required
 Must do if project:
 Involves physical manipulation of environment,
directly or indirectly
 Involves at least one governmental approval or
financial assistance or be conducted by a
government unit
 Approval & construction must take place in the
future
 Level of complexity: High, Medium, or Low
http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/documents/Guide%20to%20MN%20ER%20RulesMay%202010.pdf
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Classifying the Project
 Level of Environmental Review Required
 High
 Must conduct Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
 Thorough study of project’s environmental impacts &
comparative analysis of economic and sociological
effects
 Medium
 Must conduct Environmental Assessment Worksheet
(EAW)
 Worksheet with standardized list of questions to screen
projects that may have potential for significant
environmental effects
http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/documents/Guide%20to%20MN%20ER%20RulesMay%202010.pdf
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Classifying the Project
 Level of Environmental Review Required
 Low
 Exempt, no environmental review is required during
project
http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/documents/Guide%20to%20MN%20ER%20RulesMay%202010.pdf
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Classifying the Project
 Stages in Planning Process
 MnGO- 50 year vision
 Provides direction
 Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan
establishes guidance & priorities for state decisions
 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
identifies priorities, opportunities, & challenges
 State Aviation System Plan
 State Highway Investment Plan
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/minnesotago/familyofplans.html
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Classifying the Project
 Stages in Planning Process
 MnSHIP- 20 year vision
 Multimodal Transportation Plan
 Years 1-4: State Transportation Improvement
Program; projects carried out in next four years
 Years 5-10: general plan for improvements, timing &
scope may change
 Years 11-20: projects not identified, broad
investment priorities & funding allocations
developed
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/statehighwayinvestmentplan/
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Classifying the Project
 Determining Responsibility for Public
Engagement
 Those affected by project have right to be included
 Public contribution will influence decision
 Communicate to participants how input will affect
the decision
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Classifying the Project
 Determining Responsibility for Public
Engagement
 Utilize:
 Public Affairs Coordinators (PAC’s)
 Project Managers
 Planners
No information lost, easy access for public,
helps determine where public input is needed
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Scanning the Demographic Context
 Demographics of Project Area
 Social class
 Language
 Age
 Ethnicity/culture/race
 Economic status
 Gender
 Stage-of-life issues
 Disability
 Education
 Communication style
 Learning style
 History
Refer to HEV Course 101 Orbits Worksheet
(Insert hyperlink here)
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How much engagement is needed?
 Preliminary Engagement Needs Scan is a tool to
help analyze how much engagement is needed
based on stakeholders in project
 Public engagement goal



Understand problem, alternatives
Feedback
Work together at each step
Defines who the final decision makers are (MnDOT)
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How much engagement is needed?
 Commitment to public Keep informed, or
 Listen to problems, provide feedback, or
 Engage in decision making choices, or
 Implement decisions
 Techniques Fact sheets, website, open house
 Focus groups, surveys, workshops
 Citizen advisory committees
S. Arnstein. "A Ladder of Citizen Participation"
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Sample
Preliminary
Engagement
Needs Scan
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How is need for engagement assessed?
 Using the Needs Scan, identify potential
participants likely to be interested/ potentially
affected by project







MnDOT
Local agencies
Affected public
Stakeholder organizations
Elected officials
General public
Business Community
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How is need for engagement assessed?
 Questions appear in far left column of Needs Scan
 Select response for each question and participant
category
 Total scores at bottom of each column
 Aggregate total of all columns
 Compare final scores with analysis chart
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How is need for engagement assessed?
 Consider any additional influences not represented
in the tool that could affect project
 Select the type of engagement plan indicated by
the Analysis Chart
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Sample
Analysis
Chart
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 How is a level of engagement selected?
 Based on aggregate total of all columns
 Basic Engagement Plan
 Strategic Engagement Plan
 Rigorous Engagement Plan
Engagement Plan descriptions and planning
tools are available on the MnDOT website.
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 What are the 5 Planning Steps?
1. Resource readiness
 Scope from organization’s perspective
 Who are & what is hierarchy of the decision makers?
 Assesses participation risk/need for engagement
2. Issues, interests & influences discovery
 Alignment between organization’s & stakeholders
perspective
 Potential participants? Issues?
 Results of interests/influence analysis
 Is a scope adjustment advised?
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 What are the 5 Planning Steps?
3. Selection of engagement level
 Expectation of participants & organization
 Level of engagement recommended
4. Integrate participation & decision making
process



Decision making process being applied
Objectives of engagement
How do the two fit together?
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 What are the 5 Planning Steps?
5. Design, implementation & evaluate
 Plan format
 Data populated into the plan
 Engagement techniques used? When?
 Logistical needs & resources
 Evaluation criteria & process
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 The outline
should be
filled out
accordingly
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 Sample engagement plan content
 Section 1: Baseline data
 Background, project overview, scope & timeline
 Summary of participants & issues, initiative phases
 Level of engagement & promise to participants
 Appendix: database reports including mailing list,
organizational contacts, sign-in sheets
 Section 2: Techniques (selection & logistics)
 Information required by participants at each phase
of project
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 Sample engagement plan content
 Section 3: Support elements
 Project schedule, comprehensive budget
 Personnel, roles & responsibilities
 Operational details (venues, catering, audio-visual
needs)
 Communication plan with media details (media
outlets, deadlines, formats required)
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 Sample engagement plan content
 Section 4: Evaluation report
 What happened?
 What worked?
 What didn’t work?
 What did you learn that’s new?
 What would you do differently next time?
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Designing an Effective Engagement Plan
 Public engagement sign-in sheets
 The following two sign-in sheets should be used
for public meetings
 Public Engagement Sign-In Sheet
 MnDOT Representatives Sign-In Sheet for
Public Engagement
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Adjusting the Plan
Photo by Minnesota Department of Transportation
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Adjusting the Plan
 Adjusting the plan as the context changes
 Formal process of documentation for handoff of
information
 Update database during each stage of project
 Keep public and stakeholders updated
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The Tools We Explored Today
 Classifying the project
 Scanning demographic context
 Designing an effective participation plan
 How need for participation is assessed and
selected
 The 5 Planning Steps
 Sample participation plan
 Adjusting the plan as context changes
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Sources and Resources
 Guide to MN Environmental Review Rules
 http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/documents/Guide%20to%20M%20E
R%20Rules-May%202010.pdf
 Minnesota Department of Transportation
 http://www.dot.state.mn.us/minnesotago/familyofplans.html
 http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/statehighwayinvestmentpla
n/
 Lindy Crawford for the Urban and Regional Studies Institute at
Minnesota State University, Mankato

http://www.sbs.mnsu.edu/ursi
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