We have moved from just informing, to encouraging 2-way communication with residents to include them and to gain valuable insights. In a previous article, we explained what community dialogue is and why it is such a useful tool for stakeholder engagement.
You are expected to show the results of your efforts, but proving the value of a dialogue with the community is difficult. It is not a clearly defined subject, but rather a sentiment that you are trying to capture and present in the form of tangible results.
Just measuring volume is not enough here, you want to measure value in terms of progress, quality, and benefit for your organisation. The input-outcome-impact framework that we discuss here is not the only answer, but it provides you with a simple and strategic system to effectively measure the value of community dialogue.
For measuring the effect of your efforts, standard communication metrics are insufficient.
An effective way to measure community dialogue is therefore to separate what you do, what it changes, and what it ultimately achieves.
The framework we suggest here provides you with a system to measure community dialogue by setting up KPIs. You can use the results for learning, and to prove that your efforts are paying off. Simply saying that the community is happier, or that they responded well, is not enough. The framework consists of 3 sections, which we will discuss separately.
Measuring what you did proves effort, not success. Still, these KPIs show effort are useful, because they are the steps that set the wheels in motion. They help you decide whether an action is worthwhile repeating in the future.
Input KPIs are the easiest to measure, but they do not show if your dialogue with the community is working.
These are some examples of measurable input KPIs:
These are KPIs that you probably already use and that are also easily measured with the Publiq app. They give you an insight in how you encourage community dialogue, but not on how your residents feel. This sentiment within the community will be captured in the next section.
In order to measure whether community dialogue is functioning, you need to measure the effects of your efforts. The outcome needs to be meaningful for it to be successful.
These outcome KPIs are more difficult to define, so here are some examples:
Measure clarity by assessing the decline or increase in repeated questions
Measure the increase or decline of engagement from previously underrepresented groups (age, area, language, etc.)
Measure the ratio of meaningful responses versus one-word replies and simple likes
Measure a sentiment score (positive, neutral, negative) over time
Measure the time needed to correct misinformation after it appears
These KPIs provide you with valuable information on how your residents feel towards your project or presence. They tell you if you did your job well or if you need to change tactics. The next section will tell you what community dialogue actually gained your organisation.
By measuring impact, you can prove to your colleagues and leadership team how community dialogue improves results and reduces risk. They help you show the strategic value of your efforts.
These outcome KPIs are more difficult to define, so here are some examples:
Our examples provide ample ideas into how you can effectively measure community dialogue. Now, it is time to formulate the right KPIs for your purposes, and it is important not to overmeasure. Good KPIs focus on relevance and not quantity.
As every project is different, we cannot tell you which KPIs to use. What we can do is offer you some guidance.
Use the SMART method to make your KPIs even more valuable. Make sure that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
By doing that, they should look like this:
The framework suggested here is not the only way to use KPIs to measure community dialogue effectively. It does, however, help you to communicate your efforts internally and measure what they do and do not achieve.
It also lets you measure the success of community dialogue in complex projects, like the Military Road and Main Street & Plaza Upgrade in Adelaide. By segmenting such a diverse community as theirs and setting up KPIs to measure community dialogue within each group, you gain valuable insights into the sentiments and drives of more specific target audiences.
The outcomes of these KPIs show value to colleagues and leadership. They show how community dialogue prevented problems or highlight lessons learnt for future projects. You can use these data to support requests for budget or staffing. And they help you understand community expectations, through input from the residents themselves.
When KPIs show how community dialogue saves time, avoids conflict and improves decisions, communication takes on a strategic function rather than a supportive one.
We all know that measuring community dialogue has become more and more essential. With the right structure and KPIs, you will also add meaning to it. With this framework, you can measure effort (input), effectiveness (outcome), and value (impact).
Over time, they will help you and your teams work smarter and not harder. They will function as proof for your leadership team that you are doing the right thing. And they will greatly benefit you when applying for tender or defining your approach to projects in the future.