Most projects include a public hearing or town hall phase in which you gather community feedback. Where many projects fail is in taking that feedback into account and demonstrating that you have heard it. After you have heard all complaints, questions, and opinions — without shutting down or minimizing conversation — make a strategy to incorporate this feedback into your project approach.
Remember that not everyone sees things through your lens, and the solutions you see may not be the same as those stakeholders see. For best results, be specific in your requests for feedback from your community. If you don’t ask for what you want, you’ll get something that you don’t want. This goes for both project managers and stakeholders.
Use a visioning session to facilitate discussion among stakeholders to gain a variety of perspectives. What does success look like? What needs to be present or happen? Ask these questions to help the project stay in tune with feedback.