INDIANAPOLIS (August 1, 2014) – Plan 2020, the Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis, will start using MindMixer, an online engagement tool that provides an opportunity for Indianapolis residents to have meaningful conversation with their leaders and peers. Plan 2020 will use MindMixer to generate ideas, gather valuable feedback and measure the impact of a community’s contributions in a productive, two-way dialogue.

MindMixer provides opportunities for government and citizens to work together by connecting civic challenges to community problem-solvers. It allows members of the community to contribute ideas on their own schedules and at their own pace, allowing for a broader audience to participate.

The questions posed by the Plan 2020 team will evolve and change to reflect the conversations taking place throughout the planning process. Indianapolis residents can add their own ideas, photos or videos. Participants can see, step-by-step, where their ideas stand in the Plan 2020 drafting process, and they will know who on the Plan 2020 team is listening to their feedback and implementing their ideas.

Members of the Plan 2020 project team are able to check the progress of the site and find out how many people are engaging. “Plan 2020 is an opportunity to update and upgrade public engagement for the 21st century. While MindMixer will not replace more traditional engagement methods, the 24-7 accessibility exponentially increases our ability to engage with the community in an accessible, transparent and user-friendly manner,” said Brad Beaubien, Planning Administrator for Plan 2020.

MindMixer is directly accessible to anyone with internet access and is one of the ways Plan 2020 and the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) hope to redefine public engagement in Indianapolis. “GIPC’s approach to community engagement is to build on-going, enduring commitments from every sector of the community and, as we have done so many times before, advance the City of Indianapolis,” said Brooke Thomas, Deputy Director for the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee. “The feedback we receive through MindMixer will affirm whether Plan 2020 is addressing values that the Indianapolis community cares about.”

The Indianapolis community can explore Plan 2020’s MindMixer page by visiting www.plan2020.com/mix

The community can also engage with Plan 2020 in the following ways:

  • Take the Plan 2020 Survey – This survey asks important framing questions that will help the Plan 2020 team understand what the community wants Indianapolis to become in 2020 and beyond. The questions will also inform the development of the City of Indianapolis’ Consolidated Plan, which stipulates how community development investments are made. Take the survey here – http://plan2020.questionpro.com/
  • Visit The Hall – The Hall (old City Hall) is the planning hub for Plan 2020. The Hall hosts non-traditional public meetings, forums, events and activities to spur innovative thinking about the future of Indianapolis.
  • Volunteer for the Plan 2020 Street Team – The Plan 2020 Street Team helps engage the Indianapolis community in discussions about the future of the Circle City. For more information on joining the team, email Alex Miser at miser@indy.gov.

About Plan 2020
Plan 2020, the Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis, defines a new approach to planning in Indianapolis. Plan 2020 meshes community vision, values and strategy with an unprecedented, coordinated update to core city government plans. The plan is a collaboration between the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Department of Metropolitan Development and community leaders to make Indianapolis a better place to live, work and visit.