The Online Interactive Format allows designers to present a conceptual design idea to the client and get client feedback via online interaction. This format was born out of the necessity for facilitating an engagement session where the clients were unable to dedicate enough time for the meetings, and is useful when designers and clients cannot have face-to-face meetings or discussions. To learn more, click here. 

The Online-Hybrid Informative/Reactive Meeting Format follows common formats used in public meetings where one or more speakers provides unidirectional presentations on design proposals followed by reactive questions or comments from participants. Due to social distancing needs of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to adapt this traditional meeting format to include an online-hybrid component. This allows for providing presentations to an in-person audience simultaneously with an online audience attending via teleconference. This engagement method is useful for increasing accessibility to the meeting under many conditions, not only when social distancing is a concern. To learn more, click here. 

Successfully planning for a long-distance client relationship requires an in-depth understanding of the design process and the trade offs involved with each phase. When approached with care, a blend of in person and virtual formats can be used successfully. Your team should carefully evaluate the client's goals and ensure that you never trade the convenience of virtual interaction for relational equity. This requires assessing the intended purpose, ideal outcome, and potential trade-offs for each step of the process. To learn more, click here.

The collection of mixed methods data follows formats commonly used in the fields of social science and psychology. This approach integrates qualitative data with quantitative data, allowing for designers to understand stakeholder preferences and preference rationale with substantial depth. This serves as both an engagement method and a research method, encouraging participants to reflect on the design potential of a site while informing the designer about how to best move forward with concepts that adequately meet the stakeholder vision. To learn more, click here. 

The In-Person Interactions format allows designers and clients to meet, present, and brainstorm ideas for projects face-to-face. This format is a  timeless and useful way of interacting with clients. Over the years, a major decrease was seen in in-person interaction due to COVID-19.  However, moving forward we need to realize the benefits of returning this form of interaction. To learn more, click here. 

This method employs the use of a volunteer within the community to collect feedback from stakeholders when the design team cannot be present. The volunteer focuses the feedback on labeled items on the plan, giving the design team the power to highlight certain features of the designs. This method is really helpful in getting specific feedback about multiple different design concepts. To learn more, click here.