The outcome of the first charrette public meeting can greatly affect the success of a charrette and should therefore be well planned and facilitated. The overall goal of this first meeting is for participants to gain a complete understanding of the project and how they can be involved throughout the charrette. They should leave with a sense of excitement and feel compelled to bring their friends to future meetings. Gathering stakeholder input in the form of notes and drawings is another important goal.

Another primary outcome of the meeting is the establishment of a standard for how people are treated. It is in this first meeting that the charrette team establishes its credibility as a professional group whose primary interest is developing the best solution for all parties. The way the charrette team conducts itself in this meeting will in large part determine the manner in which all participants conduct themselves.

If participants believe that the charrette team members are working collaboratively with the community’s input, they will be more likely to participate and less likely to challenge the charrette process. General stakeholders will be more apt to accept their end user role by providing information and reviewing and validating the work in progress.