Abstract
Introduction: Traditionally, stakeholder engagement initiatives were performed face-to-face. However, an increasing number is conducted via virtual platforms, due to restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic where mass gatherings were not allowed. For a community engagement aimed to gather insights from stakeholders on the challenges and strategies in strengthening health policy and systems research (HPSR) capacity in Malaysia, digital technology/virtual workspaces were leveraged upon. This paper describes the experience of conducting a virtual stakeholder engagement.
The virtual engagement: A virtual engagement session, was held on 27th May 2021. 30 stakeholders from various healthcare backgrounds were identified and invitations to the event were sent through emails. A Zoom meeting was set up, and the meeting link was made available to those who agreed to participate in the session. Google Jamboard, an interactive whiteboard was utilised as it allows participants to drop images and add notes while collaborating with other participants from anywhere. To further aid the discussion, the ""Rose, Bud and Thorn Framework"" was used to set the landscape as it helps to identify successes (rose), opportunities (bud), and challenges (thorn) to strengthen HPSR capacity in Malaysia. Templates of the framework were incorporated onto the Google Jamboard. Small group discussions were held using separate Zoom breakout rooms feature; with a corresponding Google Jamboard to work on. A practice meeting and test run with the moderators and facilitators were held prior to the event to address any potential connectivity and/or technological issues. The session begins with a welcome speech from the moderator, who set the stage for the ensuing discussion. Ground rules were quickly established and stakeholders were divided into 5 groups for discussion, ensuring a good mix of stakeholders from varying backgrounds. Apart from live audio communication, moderators and participants also utilized the Zoom Chat Box to communicate questions, suggestions, and challenges throughout the engagement session. Use of the Google Jamboard allowed participants to directly post their thoughts and suggestions related to the topic, and to arrange and rearrange them accordingly within the Framework as the session progressed. The breakout room sessions were time-limited, as set by the event's host, resulting in some group's discussions to be prematurely terminated when they were automatically redirected back into the main Zoom room. Throughout the engagement session, only a few of the participants experienced issues with accessing the session, poor audio and video quality, delays and lags during screen sharing, and missing parts of the meeting (due to being kicked out by the software or from freezes).
Implications for policy and practice: Use of virtual platform, with digital discussion aids is a feasible option during a pandemic. Technology allows participants to submit questions/suggestions in real time and to brainstorm ideas; capturing and directing the energy, spontaneity, and free-flowing creativity as it happens, much like an in-person meeting. Use of interactive whiteboard allows for brainstorming and collaboration on a dynamic, expandable, digital canvas. It was also easier to capture memories and notes for future references through this digitalisation method.
Links
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-20.pdf
- https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-2-ballroom-B/
BibTeX (Download)
@proceedings{APCPH2022-O-20,
title = {Engaging stakeholders virtually: digitalising HPSR collaboration},
author = {Nur Hidayati Abdul Halim and Kalvina Chelladorai and Nur Azmiah Zainuddin and Nurul Iman Jamalul-lail and Tan Yui Ping and Inin Roslyza Rusli and Kartikasari Syahidda Mohammad Zubairi and Devi Shantini Rata Mohan and Ainul Nadziha Mohd Hanafiah and Masrol Hafizal Ismail and Zulkarnain},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-20.pdf
https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-2-ballroom-B/},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-08-01},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {Introduction: Traditionally, stakeholder engagement initiatives were performed face-to-face. However, an increasing number is conducted via virtual platforms, due to restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic where mass gatherings were not allowed. For a community engagement aimed to gather insights from stakeholders on the challenges and strategies in strengthening health policy and systems research (HPSR) capacity in Malaysia, digital technology/virtual workspaces were leveraged upon. This paper describes the experience of conducting a virtual stakeholder engagement.
The virtual engagement: A virtual engagement session, was held on 27th May 2021. 30 stakeholders from various healthcare backgrounds were identified and invitations to the event were sent through emails. A Zoom meeting was set up, and the meeting link was made available to those who agreed to participate in the session. Google Jamboard, an interactive whiteboard was utilised as it allows participants to drop images and add notes while collaborating with other participants from anywhere. To further aid the discussion, the ""Rose, Bud and Thorn Framework"" was used to set the landscape as it helps to identify successes (rose), opportunities (bud), and challenges (thorn) to strengthen HPSR capacity in Malaysia. Templates of the framework were incorporated onto the Google Jamboard. Small group discussions were held using separate Zoom breakout rooms feature; with a corresponding Google Jamboard to work on. A practice meeting and test run with the moderators and facilitators were held prior to the event to address any potential connectivity and/or technological issues. The session begins with a welcome speech from the moderator, who set the stage for the ensuing discussion. Ground rules were quickly established and stakeholders were divided into 5 groups for discussion, ensuring a good mix of stakeholders from varying backgrounds. Apart from live audio communication, moderators and participants also utilized the Zoom Chat Box to communicate questions, suggestions, and challenges throughout the engagement session. Use of the Google Jamboard allowed participants to directly post their thoughts and suggestions related to the topic, and to arrange and rearrange them accordingly within the Framework as the session progressed. The breakout room sessions were time-limited, as set by the event's host, resulting in some group's discussions to be prematurely terminated when they were automatically redirected back into the main Zoom room. Throughout the engagement session, only a few of the participants experienced issues with accessing the session, poor audio and video quality, delays and lags during screen sharing, and missing parts of the meeting (due to being kicked out by the software or from freezes).
Implications for policy and practice: Use of virtual platform, with digital discussion aids is a feasible option during a pandemic. Technology allows participants to submit questions/suggestions in real time and to brainstorm ideas; capturing and directing the energy, spontaneity, and free-flowing creativity as it happens, much like an in-person meeting. Use of interactive whiteboard allows for brainstorming and collaboration on a dynamic, expandable, digital canvas. It was also easier to capture memories and notes for future references through this digitalisation method.},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: ORAL PRESENTATION; Organisation: Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes for Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia},
keywords = {digitalisation, HPSR, stakeholder engagement},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}