Library: How-To Tips

These tips are excerpted from longer guides that can be found in the Library. They are used to provide more information in the custom Report on Success Factors and Organizing Tasks in response to requests for more information in Question 3.

Success Factors

• Communicate clear expectations.
• Start early.
• Involve a diverse, critical mass of people.
• Use large and small group meetings appropriately.
• Allow people sufficient time to talk.
• Present a range of possible views or options.
• Involve decision makers.
• Encourage action at a variety of levels.
• Include a plan for evaluation and feedback.
• Demonstrate better ways for citizens and government to interact.

Organizing Tasks

• Setting goals for your effort.
• Setting goals and expectations. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Predicting costs and staffing needs.
• Predicting costs and staffing needs. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Finding the right format(s).
• Choosing meeting formats. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Recruiting for numbers and diversity.
• Recruiting for numbers and diversity. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Being inclusive by building cultural competence.
• Being inclusive by building cultural competence.
• Providing written materials.
• Writing discussion materials. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Working with the media.
• Working with the media.
• Use the Internet to its full potential.
• Using the Internet: online basics.
• Supporting action efforts at a number of levels.
• Supporting action efforts at a number of levels. From "Changing the Way We Govern: Building Democratic Governance in Your Community," National League of Cities Democratic Governance Panel, 2006.
• Evaluating and reporting on the project.