The Health Canada Policy Toolkit for Public Involvement in Decision
Making
Level 2 Technique:
Workbooks
What Is It?
A workbook is a publication, produced in print, electronic form,
or both, that provides contextual information and invites users
to suggest solutions to a set of problems or challenges. Workbooks
can also be used to impart skills related to public involvement
(or any other body of knowledge). Depending on the issues to be
addressed and the scope and depth of input required, a workbook
can be distributed as a stand-alone public involvement tool, or
as one part of a larger consultative or deliberative exercise.
How It Works
The publication is produced by an agency or panel responsible
for a specific issue, and distributed to any stakeholders whose
awareness, support or participation will be required to address
the issue. It should include any background data or information
that readers/users will need to give an informed opinion. Detailed
references should be summarized in plain language, so that there
is no requirement to search a library or the Internet for supplementary
content. Readers may be invited to fill out and return a questionnaire
or reply form within a specified time period, or to take part in
a face-to-face deliberative process after completing the workbook.
A workbook can be developed by public servants responsible for
a particular issue or consultative exercise, with or without the
help of outside writers, researchers or public participation specialists.
From a public involvement standpoint, it may be extremely useful
to involve key stakeholder groups in planning the workbook and
approving its final content and layout - both to build trust and
buy-in, and to ensure that the publication is suitable for the
intended target audience(s). The package should be focus-tested
before it is released, to ensure that it is useful and understandable
for all target audiences.
A solid distribution plan is essential to the success of any workbook.
If comments are required from a specific target audience, it may
be necessary to buy and/or assemble an up-to-date mailing list
- and to follow up by telephone with at least a selection of respondents.
This task may be particularly important and time consuming if a
workbook is expected to generate quantitative results. Mailing
lists are available from commercial brokers, but the costs may
be significant, and even the most current lists contain a proportion
of inaccurate addresses by the time they are published. At the
other end of the continuum, it may be possible simply to distribute
workbooks as unaddressed mail within a specific geographic area,
or to leave bulk copies at key gathering places in participating
communities. In one recent consultative exercise, for example,
Agriculture Canada found it useful to drop boxes of workbooks at
rural postal stations. The department was also able to control
printing and distribution costs by suggesting that respondents
get together in small groups, at community centres or farms, to
complete the workbook together. If a workbook is the first step
in a face-to-face process, participants' responses can be collected
when they arrive for the live session.
A clear, step-by-step plan for compiling workbook responses should
be put in place before the final draft of the publication is completed.
A particular process may require results that are quantitative,
qualitative, or a combination of both - but the choice may also
be dictated by logistics. Quantitative replies to questions that
require a yes-no answer, or a response on a scale of one to five,
are easier to compile, but a quantitative format may dictate a
more aggressive, costly and time-consuming distribution plan if
the workbook is intended to capture a representative sample of
the target audience. Qualitative responses to open-ended questions
will be more difficult to compile, but may provide greater insight
into respondents' underlying needs, concerns and motivations.
Workbooks can also be produced in electronic form and distributed
via the Internet, as long as a print edition is readily available
to respondents with limited online access. Project scheduling should
allow sufficient time to publicize an online workbook.
When Is It Most Useful?
A workbook can be distributed as a stand-alone resource or used
in the context of a facilitated process. It can be designed to:
- express a sponsoring agency's mandate, commitment or goals
- state a problem or challenge, particularly if different aspects
of the issue require careful consideration or specific knowledge
- pose a series of questions, as a means of gathering community
feedback on priorities or strategies, generating a sense of common
cause among citizens and stakeholders, or both
- foster discussion and community interaction
- establish a database of community opinions or needs (the database
can be segmented by age, gender, income level, geography or other
factors, if appropriate demographic questions are included in the
questionnaire)
- create or maintain momentum around a deliberative process or
an event
- assemble and disseminate the latest knowledge or experience
and encourage self-directed learning on a specific topic.
Logistics and Limits
A sustained effort may be required to ensure effective distribution
of a workbook, particularly if existing contact lists are old or
incomplete, or if the publication is intended to generate a statistically
valid response.
Cost Implications
Beyond the development of workbook content, cost elements include
printing and mailing for printed publications, long distance charges
for toll-free telephone lines and faxback services, and programming
costs for online forms.
Expectation for Feedback or Follow-up
If a workbook is one part of a larger deliberative process, participants'
responses can be captured in the final report of that exercise.
If a workbook is used as a stand-alone tool, all respondents should
receive a print or electronic copy of the final, tabulated results.
Either way, replies received by mail should be acknowledged by
return post card as quickly as possible. It may be desirable or
necessary to verify the summary report with participants before
it is released, and to consider including their comments as an
appendix.
Timelines
The time frame for developing and generating feedback from a workbook
depends on the complexity of the content and the time available
for the overall process.
Potential Pitfalls
A workbook may generate unanticipated responses from citizens
or stakeholders if it is distributed far and wide as a stand-alone
resource. This may or may not be a welcome result, depending on
the purpose and design of the overall discussion process.
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