The six practice areas
The following practice areas are not mutually exclusive: for user engagement to be effective, each area needs to be considered and addressed alongside the others. For instance, being transparent about developments to the statistics (Promote) is vital for maintaining an ongoing dialogue (Listen).
Plan
- Be strategic in your approach to engagement
- Be open about your commitment to engagement
- Be flexible in ways of engaging
- Be proportionate in investing resources
Promote
- Encourage use of the statistics and raise awareness
- Be transparent and actively inform users about changes and developments
- Disseminate and present to interested networks
- Support use for a wide range of users
Listen
- Establish an ongoing dialogue to understand users’ needs
- Make yourself available to users
- Ask users for connections to other potential users
- Allow users to plan or volunteer for engagement opportunities
Understand
- Identify the types of users and potential users
- Know what users need the statistics for
- Learn about the wider social, economic and political context
- Be aware of gaps in data and insight identified by users
Act
- Proactively involve users in the production and development of the statistics
- Be transparent about development and action plans based on user views
- Explain where user needs cannot be met
- Review outcomes and effectiveness of engagement activities
Collaborate
- Identify and join up existing activities across analytical teams, departments and themes
- Partner with other professions and functions, including policy makers and communications teams
