Stakeholder engagement & communications at the centre of social infrastructure

22 June 2017 - According to Kylie Cochrane, Global Leader Communication and Stakeholder Engagement, the importance of using stakeholder engagement to inform the delivery of transport and social infrastructure cannot be understated.

“We should be delivering infrastructure that lives within communities, rather than infrastructure that communities need to put up with,” she said.

“We no longer have the choice as to whether or not to engage. Australian communities are demanding a role in shaping and creating the cities in which they live, work and play. Early community consultation not only helps to generate acceptance for new transport and social infrastructure, but it aids in shaping and designing the project to deliver quality, fit-for-purpose, human-centred infrastructure outcomes. Understanding where, when and how stakeholder engagement is most effective in the design process can elevate the efficacy of infrastructure and project delivery to new heights.”

“The reality is that poor engagement often results in time-consuming and costly delays to transport and social infrastructure projects. Delays, appeals and redesigns all add time and cost, and ultimately impact the project’s viability, not only as an investment, but also as an effective piece of infrastructure for our communities,” says Cochrane.

“If we can learn to truly harness the power of collective design to shape and inform our infrastructure decisions, we have everything to gain in delivering future-proofed transport and social infrastructure for the generations of tomorrow.”

Aurecon recently announced they are partnering with the University of Melbourne on their ground-breaking ‘Next Generation Engagement Project’ which will see leading Australian and international infrastructure experts evaluate and quantify the value of community and stakeholder engagement in the delivery of critical infrastructure for key decision-makers in Australia’s infrastructure industry.