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Quick Poll

How confident are you with your current digital engagement?

Getting Confident with SPP

Let's Make a Page!

    Now, let's dive into Social Pinpoint. We will cover, in order, how to do each of the following. The recording of this session will be uploaded below for your reference at any later date. You will also find links here to pages on the Knowledge Center (the Social Pinpoint self-help desk!) for further details on how to accomplish each of these learning objectives and dive in further as you have time and interest.

    1. Log in
    2. Navigate the user interface (tool bar, dashboard, sitemap)
    3. Create a project page - project title "LAST NAME, ORGANIZATION Explore"
    4. Add an image and image management
    5. Add content and engagement tools:
    6. Use the clipboard (navigate to: "Copy and paste content tools" and "Copy and paste feedback tools" to learn more)
    7. Explore page settings, manage content (versions, mobile preview, etc.)
    8. Understand the differences between save, publish, and scheduled publish

Page Settings

Provide a succinct overview of the project. The language in the page settings description will be the preview that loads when the URL is shared or searched.


NOTE: once you launch a page, if you had originally put filler text in for the description, you'll need to update both in the header block AND page settings, it won't automatically update both when you change one of them.

You can decide among your organization how you want to categorize projects across these three status options.

  • Open
  • Active
  • Closed

For customers with portal landing pages, you are certainly not beholden to this wording externally. Feel free to update the block headers on your portal landing page to reflect different wording for each status, such as "looking for feedback" and "in progress" instead of "open" and "active". Up to you!

Public:

  • Once published, a public page is accessible to anyone.
  • If you wanted the page to stay quasi-hidden, you could check "do not include in project list" so that someone would not stumble upon it on the main landing page, but it would still be publicly accessible.

Private:

  • Won't appear on the public list or in any internet searches
  • Available to anyone with an account who is given access to the page
  • Considering using private pages for advisory committees, internal staff engagement, or even with Council members--maybe this can be there they ask questions or get project updates?
  • Right/Left Sidebar: the entire page is divided with a 2/3 section and a 1/3 sidebar. Probably 75% of Social Pinpoint sites utilize the right sidebar (will you be my hero and use a left sidebar?!), and for good reason--it's a great way to display different types of content at once for those on a computer. On left sidebar designs, the sidebar content goes FIRST. On right sidebar designs, all of the sidebar content gets bumped to the bottom of the page on smaller devices, so be sure not to put any super important information there unless you're okay with it being bumped if someone is viewing on their phone.
  • Right/Left Sidebar Feature: these design options have four alternating sections: two sidebar sections and two full page sections. This is such a dynamic layout, as you can keep the top of the page looking like a standard page with sidebar information, but then utilize full page spreads further down if you have large content or want an engagement activity to be fully expanded (such as the social map). The sidebar content only gets bumped down to the bottom of its specific section not all the way to the bottom of the page.
  • Full: Do you have one or two large pieces of content (site diagram, hotspot, etc.)that you want to be fully expanded? If you'll be doing a Social Map, having it as a full page activity is always nice.
  • Narrow: great mobile-friendly option for a subpage with just one engagement activity or a small amount of content. This is the default for project subpages.
  • Story: this format alternates between narrow and full page formats. Meant to encourage vertical scrolling as someone works through a story of a project. Great way to share a process and how input shaped decision-making.

NOTE: Be careful when changing page design layouts once you have built the page out--just be sure no content gets lost in the shuffle (it's just a matter of dragging things over if you'll be eliminating sidebars, etc.)

If your multi-project platform is using Locations to filter projects, you can tag the appropriate one for your project.

If your multi-project platform is utilizing categories (mobility, environmental, etc.) to filter projects, you can check as many as you think relate to the project.

Building out Teams within your site can help with a few things:

  • Managing workflow
  • Customizing access and permissions
  • Filtering reporting

If you plan to use a Project Map, the project pages will need to be geolocated. You can use points, lines, or polygons to mark the location of a project page.

This is available but we want folks to receive training first (which you are doing right now!) so it needs to be "turned on". Contact your CSM or Helpdesk to do so.

  • Enable Translation
    • If you have also procured Localize translation services, checking this will enable translation of page content.
  • Remove from Project List
    • Consider this for a project you're publishing but not quite promoting yet, or something like development application pages that you don't want clogging your landing page.
  • Enable Project Follow
    • For site admins, this will allow for people to "follow" a project if they create an account with the platform.

Engagement Tools

Form

Form Templates

Pop-Out StyleGrouped by SectionResponse Summary PageConsideration and Common Uses


Standard
All questions are displayed at the same time, so it only requires clicking "submit" once (versus clicking through sections). Considering using for surveys less than three or four questions such as singular open comment boxes, RSVP-type forms, singular ranking question, etc. Consider the length of a survey and how much space it takes on the page. If you have the survey by itself on a subpage, standard is a great option!




Paginated




X




X
When using this format, the first section will be shown in full on the page. This is great if you'll be using survey logic and future sections will depend on how they respond to questions, as it will be less obvious that it's adjusting to their answers. Consider using this if your survey has only a section or two, as it may be distracting to work through too long of a survey on a project page. If the survey is on a sub-page by itself, consider just using the standard format, since it matters less how much space it takes up.




Flex




X




X




X
This format keeps your page less cluttered by using a pop-out style that fills up the screen so participants can focus on the form. It can include multiple questions (by section) per "page", so it's good if you'll be grouping questions, as well as if you'd like to include content (images, concept plans, etc.) and then wanting to ask questions about them below. Also great if you're using survey logic, since the sections can be dynamic and appear depending on how they respond to questions.



Flow



X



X
This format is one question per "page", so it's great if you plan to walk visitors through various content pieces. Considering using it if you want people to ingest information while they take the survey, such as including a video about the project before you ask questions. We wouldn't recommend using this for longer surveys, as it can get quite long to keep clicking "next" for too many singular questions.

Social Map

When Should I Use the Social Map Tool?

Consider the factors below when deciding which engagement tool to use.

Level Up

Spectrum

IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation -- covers details of how to inform, consult, involve, collaborate and empower the public in participation strategies.

"Digital" Engagement

Graphic depicting the various types of digital engagement and their differences

Types of Digital Engagement by Sophia Robison (Social Pinpoint)

Page Design

Things to Consider

When designing the visitor navigational experience, think through some of the factors below.
  • Scrolling One Direction

    We typically advise that visitors can be expected to scroll horizontally OR vertically, but ideally not both.

  • How did they get here?

    When deciding if you want everything (engagement activities and content) to be organized on one page or if you want to use sub-pages, think about where the URL you're sharing in communications takes them and what actions are most obvious.

  • Where are they going?

    Ensure that if you're using site sub-pages that there's a way for people to find the main page again--navigational bar, buttons, call to actions, however you want to do it!

  • Is it obvious?

    Whatever the main goal is for the current phase of engagement--ingesting information, proving feedback, reviewing documents, etc. --make sure that it is the most prominent thing on the page and use other visual cues to ensure visitors don't miss the prompt.

Page Layout Ideas

Let's check out how a few different organizations are using content tools to manage a variety of communications and engagement goals.

Page Element Tools

screenshot of Fort Wayne, Indiana's Northwest 2035 Neighborhood Plan project page