Improving project outcomes by minimising community opposition
The best way to contain public outrage on infrastructure projects is to prevent it
But you can only do that if you understand the factors likely to cause community opposition on your project.
That's why I've developed a new innovation known as Public Outrage Predictive Modelling (POPM), delivering powerful insights that can be used to prevent and reduce community opposition.
Drawing on the experiences of other projects, the predictive modelling allows project risks to be viewed through the lens of public perception to better understand which ones will trigger outrage and which reduce it.
Combined with proven communication and engagement techniques, I can provide you with a holistic strategy that ensures your project remains on track and on budget, keeping both the community and funders onside.
Community opposition has cost Australia more than $20 billion on project cancellations and delays since 2009
We have to do better, and we can, let me show you how...
Explore my service offerings
Public Outrage Predictive Modelling
I’ve developed a series of predictive modelling innovations, designed to increase social licence and minimise community concerns, thereby preventing public outrage. This new approach to quantifying and managing stakeholder risks is based on understanding the impacts of community opposition on a range projects. Infrastructure Australia estimates community opposition has cost taxpayers more than $20 billion in cancellation fees and project delays since 2009. What's worse, these costs were largely preventable with better management of stakeholder risks and community interests. If you don't want your project derailed by community opposition, Public Outrage Predictive Modelling (POPM) may be the solution you've been looking for. Using advanced forecast modelling to identify the probability and intensity of community concerns, POPM seamlessly combines the most effective Communication and Stakeholder Engagement strategies with advanced Risk Management techniques, all within the framework of a project planning environment. The result is a roadmap of strategies and recommendations designed to contain and dissipate public outrage. The recommended actions can seamlessly be incorporated into your Communication and Engagement Strategies, Project Management plans and Work Breakdown Structures, allowing progress to easily be tracked using existing processes. In this day and age, with the knowledge and skills we have around the delivery of infrastructure projects, there’s no reason we should ever get caught out by unexpected or unpredicted public outrage. The fact it keeps happening demonstrates the need for a new approach. Maybe it's time you tried Public Outrage Predictive Modelling to streamline project planning and delivery.
Engaging Communications
Along with Public Outrage Predictive Modelling, I offer a suite of proven high-end communication and engagement solutions – honed through experience on multiple projects, in various jurisdictions. I can work independently, or in partnership with existing communications teams, to ensure your approach increases trust, wins support and ultimately delivers better project outcomes. I may be a sole trader but I don't often work alone - I have a network of vetted suppliers, including creative services like graphic design, video production, flythrough, animation and virtual reality development. With over two decades of experience providing comprehensive Communication and Engagement solutions, I've worked for some of the largest government agencies in Australia and across more than $37 billion worth of infrastructure projects. Some of the Engaging Communications skills I bring include: • Public Relations, Journalism & Media Management • Communication Strategy development and implementation • Marketing – from mass media advertising campaigns to social media • Facilitation and complex negotiations • Stakeholder Engagement and Community Consultation • Public Outrage Predictive Modelling • Perception strategy and management • Government communications and Ministerial liaison • Professional writing and editing • Website content development and social media strategy • Video production, including scriptwriting, storyboarding and narrations • Risk management and mitigations Let's have a chat about what you need and, if I can't deliver it personally, I probably know the best people to recommend.
Verification and Assurance
Independent, third-party verification of Communication and Stakeholder Engagement strategies, ensuring these are fit-for-purpose, meeting both project requirements and community expectations. In an era where public opinion can make or break projects, my independent assurance process provides a fresh perspective, identifying issues before they escalate. My approach is informed by what's proven effective for similar projects, and what's gone wrong, allowing me to tailor recommendations for project success. With a focus on ensuring your strategy meets project requirements and budgets, my insights offer peace of mind, ensuring your project stays on track. When coupled with Public Outrage Predictive Modelling, you're assured to attain the highest levels of community endorsement possible, under the circumstances. My expertise supports a range of project requirements, including reviewing existing or draft Communications and Engagement Strategies and 'what we heard' community feedback reports to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. I critically analyse the logic used to characterise and quantify stakeholder feedback, ensuring all nuances and perspectives are considered. I also provide writing and editing services, crafting compelling narratives for final reports, media statements, business cases, tender proposals and project deliverables, ensuring your materials are clear, impactful and aligned with the stated objectives. I can also prepare cost-effective, short videos to accompany written material or replace it. Project verification and assurance processes are a trusted 'must have' for most projects, it's time to pay the same level of attention to the communications and engagement services that accompany project planning and delivery.
About Yolanda Vos
With 20+ years’ experience in top-tier management roles across public and private sectors in SA and WA, I have led communications and engagement on major infrastructure projects totalling more than $46 billion. I've learnt a lot along the way, particularly about the impacts community opposition can have on project schedules, cost and reputation. In 2023, I decided it was time to do something about it, investing time and money into solid research and development. The result is a new innovation I call Public Outrage Predictive Modelling, which I believe is a real game changer in an area of project delivery that hasn't shifted much in the past 15 years. Drawing on the experiences of other projects, my new predictive modelling helps to identify and minimise community concerns, before these escalate into public outrage – one of the most expensive and problematic project risks. Combined with my communication and engagement skills, I can deliver public perception solutions that skilfully mitigate community concerns and secure social licence for my clients and their projects. Beyond that, I have a talent for fostering collaboration at all levels. With expertise in bridging gaps, facilitating discussions, and driving consensus among diverse stakeholders, I bring people together to achieve collective goals. A former journalist, I also know how to make the media work for me, looking for clever ways to gain cut through to enhance reputation, build brand identity and deliver tangible outcomes. With video production skills and a knack for storytelling, my communications solutions are both cost-effective and top quality. Whether you're looking for broad project public perception risk analysis or something more targeted, I offer a different way to look at the issues and to manage community concerns.