Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub

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Audience Assessment Resources

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When performing outreach, it's important to have a target audience in mind and know their background and motivations. The resources below are different techniques to help you refine the audiences you are planning to engage and better understand them.

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Focus groups

Focus Group Interviewing

Link to Richard Krueger's website

This site has a number of focus group references, including a quick handout, Focus Group Research Methods, that users can download and quickly use on their own.

Designing and Conducting Focus Groups

Link to University of Minnesota class

These two-day courses on designing and conducting focus groups are useful prior to, during and after programs, events or experiences. They are helpful in assessing needs, generating information, developing plans, testing new programs and ideas, improving existing programs and evaluating outcomes.

Surveys

Introduction to Survey Design and Delivery

Link to NOAA guidebook

This guide from NOAA reviews best practices for surveying and constructing survey questions. It also goes over different survey types, delivery mechanisms, and sampling techniques.

Tips on Writing Surveys for Youth

Link to University of Minnesota article

This article briefly goes over research and best practices for evaluating youth programs.