True community-based public involvement in local or national issues is made possible through NuStats’ Virtual Forum approach — deftly integrating market research with community involvement and communications planning. Virtual Forum offers a toolbox of technology-based research and outreach channels, both traditional and innovative, that achieve two-way communication and “Objective Inclusiveness.”

“Objective Inclusiveness” broadens the range and reach of community involvement.
In doing so, a community’s strengths are fully captured by:

• Seeking individuals that normally do not participate in public involvement activities through innovative and proactive research and community engagement venues.


• Sidestepping barriers that are inadvertently erected by “community gatekeepers” to ensure that the “voice of the market” is heard.


• Capturing the interest and input of “regular” citizens (the silent majority) rather than just listening to activists (the vocal minority).

• Properly tuning in to the important insights and knowledge base that advocates have accumulated.

The Virtual Forum Toolbox

NuStats formulates effective and unique public involvement strategies drawing from a toolbox of market research, multi-channel outreach, and communications approaches. A range of activities can be selected to allow citizens to engage in an interactive dialogue on any issue, regardless of socio-economic or technological background or their availability to participate, or their personal time or mobility constraints. The following figure outlines some of the approaches that are contained in the Virtual Forum toolbox.

The Virtual Forum in Practice

• Austin Area in Motion—A comprehensive project to assist Austin’s local transportation authority in taking an in-depth look at tangible options for the Austin area, and developing a long-range transportation plan. Virtual Forum approaches included a market study, focus groups, community meetings and workshops, technical committees, a website, hotline, self-completion questionnaires, feedback loops, program identity and communications materials.

• Car Care for Clean Air—A partnership project to achieve air quality improvements along Utah’s Wasatch Front by obtaining consensus on problems and building solution-oriented partnerships between the automotive industry, the educational community, state and local government and the public. Virtual Forum approaches included technical committees, information kiosks, project identity and fact sheets, a website and market research.