Two recent overlays to the RIBA 2020 plan of work explain how to embed inclusion and engagement in project development. Foregrounding a more holistic and dynamic understanding of the needs and roles of communities, users and stakeholders, each overlay identifies the need for dedicated project leadership in these areas.
At a celebration of the RIBA Engagement Overlay in Bristol (November 2024) hosted by the Association of Collaborative Design (ACD) and JTP a panel and audience discussion raised some key points:
- Effective engagement needs to be planned early on so it can be properly funded. This investment will be returned in the value generated in the project, building social value at the same time as making the design outcomes more accurate, preventing late changes to design or even reversal of implemented design.
- Careful stakeholder mapping should identify who is there and who is potentially missing and needs to be involved. There are tools for developing a visual map. AI tools for mapping social media networks are also evolving. People who may be hard to reach, can be engaged by going to where something is already happening or by engaging through trusted community leaders or organisations.
- Clients and design teams should consider creatively how to communicate as most people can’t read plans. Often site photographs are a good starting point to help people locate themselves. Social media is a parallel way of reaching many people quickly with one or two pertinent questions. Using VR goggles can enable young people to engage more fully in the design process.
- An engagement plan should structure engagement to suit the project. When there are multiple sites or projects having a common neighbourhood vision is important as is creating consistent ways to be informed and contribute. This could be facilitated by supporting an ongoing stakeholder group and/or social media page or by employing a paid worker to be a custodian of communications.
- Engagement grows the constituency of project and links forward to its stewardship giving people more meaningful long term ownership of shared spaces for example. In Cambridge the university is hosting The Cambridge Room a one stop shop for the city that is organised as a web page curating a series of temporary pop up events. Over time creating a virtual memory for the city.
Panellists:
- Charles Campion, JTP
- Freddie Palmer, Meeting Place
- Kinny Chinangwa, Disability Inc
- Sarah Jones-Morris, Landsmith Associates
- Sarah Lee, Stride Treglown & RIBA South West
- Tony Berongoy, PlaceUp
The RIBA Inclusive Design Overlay gives further direction in respnse to the question of who stakeholders could be. Highlighting how when considering who may be impacted by and participate in a project, client and design teams should think about the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act, 2010:
1) Age
2) Disability
3) Gender reassignment
4) Marriage or in a civil partnership
5) Pregnancy or on maternity leave
6) Race; including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.
7) Religion or belief
8) Sex
9) Sexual orientation
Socio economic status and cultural diversity may also be considered. Understanding who the constituency or community of a project informs what data to gather and who to consult and engage with. As above, it may identify the need for engagement activities dedicated to reaching those whose voices might otherwise not be equitably heard.
Some key actions from the RIBA Inclusive Design Overlay:
- Identify an inclusive design lead (or consultant for some projects).
- Develop an early user impact assessment to identify users likely to be impacted by the proposed design.
- Support the Client with identifying and defining the project inclusive design vision, outcomes, principles and applicable inclusive design legislation, standards and guidance, in the form of an Inclusive Design Strategy.
- Test designs with User Group, and ensuring the allocated budget supports the Inclusive Design Strategy.
- Support an Inclusive Design Stage Outcome Review in use to demonstrate meeting the Inclusive Design Strategy.
RIBA (2024) Engagement Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work
RIBA (2023) Inclusive Design Overlay to RIBA Plan of Work
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November, 2024