A Comparison of Successful and Unsuccessful Public Involvement: A Practitioner’s Viewpoint

Abstract

This paper—based on a practitioner’s experience rather than empirical research—describes those attributes which make public involvement programs successful or unsuccessful. Among the attributes discussed are the character of the issue, the existing political climate in the affected community, the planning and timing of the public involvement activities, the credibility of the sponsoring entity, the certainty with which the consequences of the proposed actions can be predicted and the effects of the decision on various interests in the community. These points are illustrated with examples from both successful and unsuccessful public involvement programs. Examples are given of ways to overcome existing conditions not conducive to successful public involvement.