City of San Diego logo Inclusive Public Engagement Guide

Home

About the Guide

Guide Topics

City of San Diego logo
Inclusive Public Engagement Guide

Site Menu

Provide feedback for this page

Provide feedback for this page

Inclusive Engagement Techniques and Approaches

Mobile Engagement

Four musicians play instruments in front of a New York City People's Bus. The bus is gray and displays a couch within the bus and stairs up to the bus.

New York City People's Bus. Courtesy of the People’s Creative Institute and artist Yazmany Arboleda.

What is it?

Mobile engagement refers to bringing public participation directly to residents through traveling engagement centers, mobile outreach vehicles and other roving engagement efforts. These activities create flexible opportunities for public participation by meeting people where they live, work and gather. Mobile engagement moves between neighborhoods and public spaces, increasing visibility and accessibility.

When to use it

Mobile engagement can be an effective way to reach people that may face barriers to attending traditional public meetings or formal participation events. It can also be used to engage community members in projects requiring outreach across multiple locations.

How to do it

Before

  • Decide on the method of mobile engagement, such as traveling information booths or buses.
  • Identify key locations to host mobile engagement.
    • Consider areas where intended audiences naturally congregate and high-traffic areas such as transit hubs, schools, libraries and workplaces.
  • Consider the amount of time the mobile engagement vehicle will be used. Costs will vary based on whether borrowing a vehicle for short-term use or investing long-term.
    • Short-term use may primarily involve staff time, fuel, outreach and engagement materials and temporary branding (e.g., banners or decals).
    • A long-term investment requires additional funding for vehicle purchase, registration, insurance, maintenance, storage and branding. Assess the intended use and operational needs to determine the most cost-effective approach.
  • Conduct outreach to invite and encourage participation, such as using email notifications, flyers or social media.
  • Check weather conditions in advance of mobile engagement.  
    • Remind team members to dress accordingly.  
    • If temperatures of 80°F or higher are anticipated, ensure water and shade are available and/or consider postponing the mobile engagement. 

During

  • Keep interactions brief while allowing deeper discussions for those interested.
  • Staff should wear similar attire, such as a City-branded T-shirt.
  • Collect feedback through techniques such as interviews, surveys and/or voice-recorded input options.
    • If applicable, provide tablets for digital participation.
    • Provide an option for people to share contact information for ongoing project updates.
    • Clearly explain how input will inform decision-making.
  • Note any next steps or future opportunities for engagement.

After

  • Digitize public input collected as needed to guide project decision-making. Upload any sign-ups for the project contact list.
  • Follow up with participants.

Resource considerations

Cost: Moderate to High

Costs will vary depending on the mode of transportation and materials required. Ongoing maintenance for a bus requires a larger budget.

Time: Moderate to High

Mobile engagement can require several months for planning and community outreach before launch.

Capacity: Moderate to High

Three or more staff may be needed for planning, setup, engagement and analyzing input.

How to make it more inclusive

  • Identify any language access needs in advance and consider providing participation support.
  • Consider hosting mobile engagements at different times of day/days of the week to accommodate different schedules.
  • Ensure mobile engagement is fully accessible (e.g. wheelchair-accessible vehicles).
  • Offer multiple ways for people to share their perspectives (verbally, in writing, etc.).
Enable