Public Involvement

Our belief is that communities and their residents have the best knowledge and ideas for their future. Our job is to provide the tools to help them express and implement their vision.

Community Workshops

Fregonese Associates specializes in creating interactive workshops that harness the "wisdom of crowds." Our workshops allow the participants to share their best ideas in a fun, creative and social setting. We custom design each workshop activity and work closely with staff and stakeholders to present opportunities and tradeoffs. Workshops have a lively atmosphere with tables of six to eight people gathered around a large map who experiment with different visions for the future of their neighborhood and city. Bringing many different people into the "crowd"—whether from different neighborhoods, ages, life experiences or outlooks—strengthens every plan.

Live Polling

This innovative tool uses handheld clickers at workshops and meetings to provide instant, real-time feedback for the participants. Each person answers the question on the screen anonymously using a clicker, and the results of the entire group are posted instantly on the screen. The answers help inform the process, as well as let participants know what their neighbors are thinking on community issues.

Documentaries

We regularly work with FW Focus, documentary filmmakers, to createdocumentaries that tell the story of a place and its possible future. These videos have been remarkably successful in focusing the debate on key issues and encouraging the public to get involved. The films often have lasting popularity and can be an effective companion to a final plan document. Public engagement documentaries can be any length, from 30 seconds to two hours.

Training

Because we believe great cities and communities can be achieved everywhere, Fregonese Associates enjoys sharing our tools and experience to help planners around the United States. For example, in partnership with the Southern California Association of Governments, Fregonese Associates initiated Toolbox Tuesdays, a training program for planners in Southern California. We provided training sessions for the creation of visualizations, and our Envision Tomorrow prototype builder and scenario builder tools.

Websites and publications

With expertise in design and publication, Fregonese Associates creates outreach materials and plans that are accessible to the general public. We specialize in translating technical language into material that a range of audiences can understand. Our publications and websites are created entirely in-house and feature compelling, visually appealing graphics and photographs. Our final plans include simple but effective codes, guidelines and policies that can easily be managed by city staff.