#6: Diversity and Design: How can we shape more inclusive public engagement?
To listen to the article in Spanish:
Creating a truly inclusive public outreach campaign is an integral part of civic planning programs— and communicating that commitment has become more of a priority than ever before. We dove into new technologies to extract the best ways you can use digital tools to create concrete solutions that highlight the diversity of the human experience and make a compelling impact.
What digital tools benefit diversity and inclusion?
Creating an environment that is diverse and inclusive is key to connecting with all members of a community. There are plenty of tools and resources that help designers create effective diversity and inclusion campaigns.
Here's a few tools that we've hand-selected to make sure your materials create diversity and inclusion:
Stock images and videos. Improve the way your communications reflect the diversity of the communities served by your projects with resources like Stocksy United, which features diversity in stock images and videos, and PhotoAbility, which specializes in stock images of people with disabilities.
Translation software. Microsoft Translator and QTranslate use artificial intelligence to translate text, as well as speech and live conversation. They can exponentially increase the reach of your communication to more people in your community.
How will these digital tools help improve communication?
Reflect the community. First, make sure you understand your community and it’s needs. Then, use these digital tools to incorporate images, videos, and language that reflect the people who live there, making messaging more relevant and project participation more likely.
Communicate so everyone understands. These new digital translation tools can help you make information available to everyone, eliminating barriers that often exclude Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations.
Spark a dialogue. Members of a community who see themselves reflected in a project and can understand project information make everyone feel welcome and encourage greater participation in surveys, meetings, and other outreach activities. And the more people involved, the better the outcome.
Communicating a Community
Engaging with a community requires communicating in a way everyone can understand, ensuring audiences understand the relevance of the information and making sure everyone feels they have a seat at the table. That means expressing the ideas in a language audiences know, packaged in a way that resonates with them. Stock images and videos that illustrate the people who may be impacted by a campaign or project can be a big help in connecting with a community and encouraging active partners to further program goals. Adding a translation tool that turns live content into a language familiar to your audience can go a long way in making a connection. Be sure to come back next week when we discuss using livestreaming to craft in-person connections online.
Interested in seeing these trends in your outreach? Let’s get to work, give us a call and schedule a meeting today.
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