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Communication Strategies
RIMC Research Capacity Enhancement
Workshops Series : “Achieving Research Impact”
• Foster social awareness
• Facilitate public dialogue
Better
• Contribute to evidence-based
communication.
policy formulation
Why?
• Build a shared understanding
that can lead to social change
• Create space for voices of the
poor to be heard
• More communication does
not automatically mean more
impact
I’ll pause for a
moment to
let this
information
sink in.
1. Improve communication of
research to policy-makers
Communication
of Research for
Poverty
Reduction:
Recommendations
in the current
literature*
*Communication of Research for
Poverty Reduction: A Literature
Review
Overseas Development Institute
London
Working Paper 227
– Strengthen researchers’
communication skills to get the
right:
• target group
• format
• timing
– Close collaboration between
researchers and policy-makers.
– Communication platforms for
broad engagement (e.g. a public
campaign)
– Strengthen govt’s institutional
policy capacity for uptake
Communication
of Research for
Poverty
Reduction:
Recommendations
in the current
literature*
*Communication of Research for
Poverty Reduction: A Literature
Review
Overseas Development Institute
London
Working Paper 227
2. Improve communication
of research to (other)
researchers
– Strengthen Southern
research capacity in order to
enable Southern researchers
to access Northernproduced research.
– Support research networks,
especially electronic and/or
regional networks.
Communication
of Research for
Poverty
Reduction:
Recommendations
in the current
literature*
*Communication of Research for
Poverty Reduction: A Literature
Review
Overseas Development Institute
London
Working Paper 227
3. Improve communication of
research to end users - the
poor and organisations
working with them
– Incorporate communication
activities into project design,
using ICTs.
– Encourage user engagement
– Create an enabling
environment; suitable
resources and a favourable
political environment.
Communication
strategies
Survey Results
• Academic institutions are required to
engage with the public and demonstrate
the impact of their research
• Increases the need for communications
and marketing skills
• Challenge is in evidencing and explaining
impact, making research accessible;
–
–
–
–
Relationship-building
Event-management
Policy debates
Parliamentary briefings
• Many opportunities for digital
communications and various media
channels
• Works best with a coherent and
integrated communication strategy
Tools for Communication
Planning Tools
1. Stakeholder Analysis
2. Social Network Analysis
3. Problem Tree Analysis
4. Force Field Analysis
5. National Systems of Innovation
6. Writing a Communications
Strategy
Packaging Tools
1. Visioning Scenarios: Show the
Future
2. Tell a Story
3. Provide a Solution
4. Use Surprise
5. Be Persuasive
Targeting Tools
1. Writing Policy Papers
2. Building a Community of
Practice
3. Lobbying
4. The Gilbert Email Manifesto
5. Websites
6. Blogging
7. Media Engagement
8. Radio
Monitoring Tools
1. Most Significant Change
2. Outcome Mapping
3. Researcher Checklist
4. Communication for Social
Change Integrated Model
Media Engagement - Media ready checklist
• Organisational:
Tips on becoming
a resource for
journalists
• Be available. Give reporters
mobiles numbers and tell them it’s
OK to call
• Seek out journalists and give them
your card
• Be ready to be quoted
• Know the issues
• Avoid rhetoric and ideological
arguments; most journalists have
heard all this before
• Know your facts; never pass on
information unless you know it’s
true
• Know where to find information or
contacts fast and therefore gain a
reputation as a good source.
– Media strategy
– Media plan part of the influencing plan
– Revise the media plan as the influence campaign
evolves
•
Infrastructure:
– Person responsible for the media plan and
coordinating media efforts
– Planning calendar of key political events
– Primary, formal spokespersons
– Clear chain of decision-making for media statements
– Budget for media component
•
Media Systems:
–
–
–
–
•
Up-to-date media lists
Clipping file for all relevant media coverage
Record of coverage of your work
Regular contact with editors and reporters
Media information:
– Accurate, concise, interesting information about your
organisation; mission, history, programmes and
services
– Clear message and talking points for your policy
issues
– Meetings with the press who’ll cover your
organisation and issues
– Information base that’s a valuable resource to the
press
• Vital communication functions for
academic practice;
Conferences
–
–
–
–
–
Knowledge sharing
Validation
Networking
Recognition
Socializing
• But things are changing;
– Remote participation, webinars,
video streaming, online slide archives
– The backchannel, Twitter hashtags,
Facebook
– Increased socialization through
parallel events
– Alternative session formats;
unconferences, e.g., eBKF
Smart Chart
1.
A structured
approach to
communicating
a. Broad Goal
b. Objective
c. Decision Maker
2.
Context
a. Internal and External Scans and Position
3.
Strategic Choices
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Smart Chart 3.0
(The ‘Logical
Framework’ for
communications)
4.
The “general public” is not
a target audience
Program Decisions
Communications Activities
a.
b.
c.
d.
5.
6.
Audience
Readiness
Core Concerns
Theme
Message
Messenger
Tactics
Timeline
Assignments
Budget
Measurements of Success
Final Reality Check
Stakeholder analysis
Interest
Keep Satisfied
High
Bring around as patrons
or supporters for the
proposed policy
change.
Engage Closely and
Influence Actively
• Decision-makers;
government.
• Opinion leaders
Influence
Low
Monitor
Keep Informed
(minimum effort)
Could form an interest
group or coalition to
lobby for change.
High
Writing Policy
Papers
Policy Paper Template:
 Title
 Table of contents
 Executive summary
 Introduction
 Problem description
 Argumentation
 Policy options
 Conclusions
 Recommendations.
Two factors differentiate policy
science from academia:
1. Designing solutions for realworld problems
– Provide recommendations and a
framework for their application
– Analyses are driven by the search
for an implementable and
comprehensive outcome
2. Presenting value-driven
arguments
– Use of data as evidence to support
your position