Purpose Checklist
What is the purpose of the process?
Establishing a clear purpose and getting agreement on it within the commissioning body is the single most important stage of any engagement process. Indeed, no participatory process should proceed without it. A bad purpose will be poorly defined, with unclear outcomes and open to many different interpretations. A measure of a good purpose is its ability to create a commonly shared understanding of the potential impact of the project.
What do you want to have achieved at the end of this process (outcomes)?
It is important that defining the purpose includes clarity about the desired outputs and outcomes. Outcomes are about what you ultimately want to achieve (for example, consensus on building incinerators. See also Outcomes
What tangible products do you want to have produced during and after the process (outputs)?
Outputs are how you will achieve the outcomes (for example, by providing information in leaflets or holding meetings). Making the distinction clear between outcomes and outputs will contribute to defining a robust and useful purpose. See also Outputs
Have external circumstances been considered?
External circumstances can also affect the purpose and this possibilty should be anticipated. For example, the result of forthcoming research or a decision taken by others can both influence the context and purpose of a participation process.
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