The Value of Research and Consultation in Public Engagement

The Value of Research and Consultation in Public Engagement

Public opinion research and public consultation are both essential tools to help organizations understand the views of constituents and interest groups as part of a Public Engagement exercise.  While public opinion research and consultations can look similar on the surface, there are significant differences in both their purpose and findings.  This webinar will look at the strengths and limitations of both and highlight how they can be used together to ensure organizations have the information they need to make the best decisions.  It will also explain why CRIC standards require that open link public consultation data never be combined with public opinion research.  The webinar will include case studies that highlight how public opinion research and consultation complement each other as part of an effective public consultation process.  The webinar will be led by CRIC members Jihad Melhem, President of Pivotal Research, Pallavi Goel, City of Edmonton and Margaret Brigley, CEO & Partner of Narrative Research. 

Margaret Brigley
CEO
Narrative Research

Margaret is CEO & Partner of Narrative Research, a national, full-service marketing research firm headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Margaret offers clients more than 30 years of communications, marketing, and research experience in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. Her research expertise includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. She is a professionally trained focus group moderator and has worked with a wide range of private and public sector organizations across Canada and internationally.

Margaret is actively involved in the industry as Chair of CRIC, Chair of CRIC’s Standards Committee, and Chair of CRIC’s communications committee. She is a member of ESOMAR, and a Certified Analytics and Insight Professional (CAIP).

Pallavi Goel, PMP, CAIP
Senior Research Advisor
City of Edmonton

Pallavi is a Senior Research Advisor with the municipal government, recognized for her ethical and data-driven approach to decision-making. With a Master’s degree in Social Psychology from Harvard University and over a decade of experience in market research, she is committed to ensuring inclusivity and diversity in research practices to enhance public initiatives and promote equity in government strategies. Her day-to-day work involves bridging decision-makers with community voices to ensure public opinion shapes policies on critical issues like urban mobility and safety. As an advocate for continuous professional development, she consistently mentors emerging talent, promoting high standards of excellence in the field. 

Pallavi is a Certified Analytics and Insights Professional (CAIP) and serves as a member of the CAIP Board of Directors.

Jihad Melhem, CAIP
President
Pivotal Research

Jihad is the president and principal consultant at Pivotal Research. For over 20 years, he has served as a trusted resource for senior leaders in the public and private sectors on how research can support service delivery initiatives and help meet growth objectives. He is an expert at designing creative and effective research methodologies that leverage the latest technology tools. He also excels at translating data into actionable insights that enable policy change and positive business outcomes. Throughout his career, he has led high-impact strategic projects for clients in the healthcare, financial services, transportation, not-for-profit and private sectors.

Jihad holds a bachelor’s degree majoring in Statistics from the University of Alberta, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He has also completed advanced market research certificates from the University of Notre Dame (South bend, Indiana) and the University of Georgia’s Coca Cola Center for Marketing Studies (Athens, GA). Jihad also holds the Canadian Analytics and Insights Professional (CAIP) designation.