Top 10 consultation mistakes and how to avoid them

consultationinstitute.org

Top 10

29 October 2014


Housekeeping!

@TCInews

• Fire exits & facilities…• Documentation etc• Phone etiquette • Twitter?


The Consultation Institute Not-for-profit; Best Practice organisation; founded 2003

Consultation & Public Engagement ‘Think Tank’

UK…& beyond

Centre of Excellence

CPD1,020+members

Quality Assurance

Advanced Practitioner

Certificate (APC)Centre for Communications &

Consultation Research

Consultation-related events

eg #TCI11 Conference 22 October 2014


10

Missing Mandatory Considerations

Equalities Impact Assessment


Missing Impact Assessment

Legal requirement

• Not complete• Done retrospectively


Secretary of State for Education

Versus

Luton BC, Nottingham CC, Waltham Forest LB, Newham LB, Kent CC, Sandwell MBC

Cancel “Building Schools for the Future”

• Ministers are not “above the law”

Birmingham City Council versus “R”

Changes to social care policy


9

Survey Error

Wrong questions/bad design


Survey Error

Can skew entire consultation

• No framing questions• No narrative / out of context• Too complex• Broken logic


8

No scope/scope creep

No clarity/focus shift


No scope/scope creep

Lack of clarity about what can and can’t be influenced

• Creates confusion• Helps focus evaluation• Clouds key issues• Less meaningful


7

Public meeting shambles

Wrong venues/badly managed


Public meeting shambles

Mismanagement

• Poor facilitation• Venue choice (parking?)• Format• Inequalities


6

Poor publicity

Wrong audience, no visibility


Poor publicity

Missing voices, poor participation rates

• Can create inequalities• Not reviewed• Not proactive


5

Disclosure

Closed facts


Save our Surgery Ltd

Versus

The Joint Committee of PCTs

Avoid closure of Cardiac Unit at Leeds Infirmary

• Did not reveal sub-scores from panel• Refused requests for information on scoring


Disclosure

Consultation does not allow for intelligent consideration

• Missing information• Two-way disclosure• Transient stages


4

Managing stakeholders

Social media


Managing stakeholders

Inform, feedback cycle

• Identification of key ones• Social listening & intelligence• Dealing with complaints• Missing voices


3

Fair interpretation

Conscientious consideration


Fair interpretation

Balanced & honest findings

• Perceived bias (credibility)• Presentation of results• Improper analysis tools


2

Data handling

Collecting & considering evidence


Data handling

Balanced & honest findings

• Dealing with qualitative data• Activity evidence• Coding


1

Predetermination

Burden of proof & transparency


Predetermination

Honest integrity

• Stepping back• Preferred options• Pre-consultation• Honey trap


Parting dale Lane Residents Association

Versus

London Borough of Barnet

Order to re-open previously closed road

• Elected member speeches and emails said it would happen

• Evidentiary value of emails etc. in establishing that decision maker had made up their mind


Top 10

29 October 2014

Top 10 consultation mistakes and how to avoid them

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Top 10 consultation mistakes and how to avoid them