Create a New Engagement Activity

Start new community engagement initiatives by creating engagement activities from the Activities listing screen. The activity creation process guides you through selecting the activity type, configuring project settings, and setting up the basic activity structure before moving to the Questionnaire Builder for content development.

Quick Steps

1. Navigate to Ask > Surveys > Build select your survey
   
   
2. Select "Create New Survey" in the top right corner
   
   
    
3. Select either an "Online Engagement" or a "Live Engagement"
   
   
4. Configure project assignment, template options, and activity title
   
   
    
5. Click "Create" to generate the activity and access the Questionnaire Builder

In-Depth Guide

Step 1: Select Activity Type

Access the Creation Process From the Activities listing screen, click the "Create New Activity" button to open the activity creation modal. This launches a three-step process to configure your new engagement initiative.

Choose Activity Type The first step presents two activity type options:

Engagement

• Purpose: Creates a traditional engagement questionnaire with structured questions and responses
• Best For: Surveys, feedback collection, policy input, service evaluation, demographic research
• Features: Question-based format, structured data collection, analytical reporting

Live Engagement

• Purpose: Creates a real-time, interactive engagement experience
• Best For: Real-time polling, interactive sessions, live feedback, community meetings
• Features: Live interaction capabilities, real-time response collection, immediate feedback display

Make Your Selection Click on your preferred activity type to highlight it, then click "Next" to proceed to the configuration step.

Step 2: Configure Activity Settings

Project Assignment (Required) Select the project that will contain this activity from the "Project" dropdown menu. Projects help organize related activities and provide context for your engagement initiative.

• Required Field: Every activity must be assigned to a project
• Organization: Projects group related activities for better management and reporting
• Selection: Choose from existing projects in your organization

Copy from Template (Optional) Use the "Copy from template?" dropdown to base your new activity on an existing template or previous activity.

• Template Benefits: Saves time by reusing proven question structures, content, and formatting
• Customization: Templates provide a starting point that can be fully customized
• Selection: Choose from available templates or leave blank to start from scratch

Activity Title Enter a descriptive title for your activity in the "Activity Title" field.

• Naming Best Practices: Use clear, descriptive titles that indicate the purpose and scope
• Examples: "Downtown Development Feedback Survey," "Parks and Recreation Planning Input," "Budget Priority Assessment"
• Organization: Good titles help with activity management and participant understanding

Step 3: Create and Launch

Review Configuration Before finalizing, review your selections:

• Confirm the correct activity type is selected
• Verify project assignment is appropriate
• Check that template selection (if any) matches your needs
• Ensure the activity title is clear and descriptive

Create the Activity Click the "Create" button to generate your new activity. This action:

• Creates the activity structure based on your selections
• Assigns it to the specified project
• Applies any selected template content
• Generates an unpublished activity ready for content development

Next Steps After Creation Once created, the system will:

• Redirect you to the Questionnaire Builder for content development
• Add the new activity to your Activities listing with "Unpublished" status
• Make the activity available for editing, preview, and configuration

Best Practices for Activity Creation

Activity Type Selection

• Choose Engagement for structured data collection, formal feedback, and analytical reporting needs
• Choose Live Engagement for real-time interaction, dynamic discussions, and immediate response scenarios

Project Organization

• Assign activities to projects that reflect their true organizational context
• Use consistent project naming and organization strategies

Template Strategy

• Use templates to maintain consistency across similar engagement types
• Create templates from successful activities for future reuse
• Customize templates to match specific audience needs and objectives

Title Conventions

• Include key identifying information like topic, audience, or timeline
• Use consistent naming patterns across your organization
• Ensure titles are meaningful both internally and to participants

Common Considerations

Activity Type Impact

• Activity type selection affects available features, question types, and interaction modes
• Consider your engagement goals and audience preferences when choosing
• Live Engagement may require additional technical considerations for real-time functionality

Project Requirements

• All activities must be assigned to projects; new projects need to be created first

Template Usage

• Templates can significantly speed up activity creation but may need customization
• Not all templates may be suitable for all activity types
• Template selection affects the initial content structure and question types available

Planning Ahead

• Consider how the new activity fits into your broader engagement timeline
• Plan for content development time after creation
• Think about launch timing and participant communication strategies