Bureau Engagement

In 2018, project staff worked collaboratively with stakeholder Bureau staff to develop the 311 Implementation Plan's vision and strategy. To support this work, project staff also examined best practices in municipal customer service from across the United States and gathered information on existing customer service methods throughout the City.

Project staff relied heavily on the expertise and knowledge of staff in partner bureaus to develop the Plan’s recommendations related to the in-person, virtual, and phone customer experience, necessary 311 Program functions and services, needed technology and staff supports, and how to equitably and effectively operate, govern and fund an enterprise-wide program.

Community Engagement

To ensure this Plan addresses community needs and preferences, the project team undertook two community survey efforts:

1. The City contracted with DHM Research to conduct a statistically representative phone survey of Portland residents. The survey was designed to assess residents’ experiences and priorities when it comes to contacting the City.
2. Since the phone survey was conducted in English, the City contracted with the Community Engagement Liaison Program to reach out to community members who primarily speak Spanish, Vietnamese, and traditional Chinese. These languages have the greatest number of speakers in Portland who do not also speak English very well. Contacted residents were asked to complete a translated version of the phone survey and could respond in English or their primary language.

Results of these surveys not only support the need for a 311 Program but also provided key insights into how to shape the program to best meet community needs.