Stage 7

Key Points from Project Plan Checklist

1. Have you prepared an implementation plan for the exercise?
2. Have you referred to the standards of community engagement?
3. Have you produced a document that assigns tasks to resources and timescales?
4. Have you planned explanation to the target audience on how results will be used, into the exercise?

Implementation Plan

Having taken time to consider different elements to the exercise it is now important to prepare a plan about how you are to implement the exercise. Depending on the complexity of the exercise, and the extent to which it is engagement, you may wish to follow the Standards of Community Engagement. Even for the ‘simplest’ forms of consultation, they are a useful framework from which to ensure all avenues are covered:

• Involvement: write down all those parties with an interest in the subject – be more specific than ‘everyone in Shetland’.

• Planning: identify resources in order to implement. If elected members are to play a key role, their availability must be confirmed. If staff is to be involved, they must be consulted during the planning stage, especially if working in evenings or over weekends will be needed.
• Support: the skills and experience of all those to be involved in any methods will need to be assessed and deployed to best advantage. The training needs of those likely to be involved should be considered.
• Methods: having become acquainted with background information and the context in Shetland, establish what methods you will use.
• Working Together: if you’re working with other areas of the organisation/ other agencies, ensure you’re in agreement as to how you’re to proceed.
• Sharing Information: ensure that you’ve establish how you will present information to those who are to be involved/consulted with
• Working with Others: ensure that you’re keeping the wider community informed; that the process is open and accountable and inclusive.
• Improvement: at all times of the process, consider how you can assist in building up the skills, knowledge and confidence of those that you’re working with/consulting with.
• Feedback to Those Who Are Affected: establish how you intend to do this, and build these intentions into the process, so that those you’re engaging/consulting with will be aware at the outset.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: ensure you have in place methods for monitoring and evaluating the methods used.

(www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk)

At the end of this process you should have produced a document detailing the whole process, with specific tasks allocated time-scales and resources for successful implementation.