sidney b. westley east-west center let’s talk about reaching wider audiences with our research...
TRANSCRIPT
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Sidney B. WestleyEast-West Center
Let’s Talk about Reaching Wider Audiences with our Research Results
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ContextS.M.A.R.T. objective
Message
Coalition partners
Channels and
formatsMessenger/s
Elements of a communication strategy
Policy audience
Monitoring and evaluation
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1. What are your S.M.A.R.T. objectives? 2. Who is your policy audience?3. What is your context—the current policy
debate?4. Who should be your coalition partners?5. What is your persuasive message?6. Who would be the best messenger(s)?7. What should be your communication
actions?8. M&E: How will you measure success?
Suggested plan of action
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What are your S.M.A.R.T.
objectives?
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Communication objective(s)
What do you want to do?
These actions are outputs that you monitor
Program objectives(s)
What do you want the policymakers to do?
These actions are outcomes that you evaluate
Two types of objectives
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Are your objectives…
S pecific M easurable A chievable R elevant T ime-based
Let’s write down an objective
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Who is your policy
audience?
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1. Who can make the decisions you want?
2. Whose support would be helpful?
3. Who might block the decisions you want made?
We’re talking about three types of audience
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Government officialsElected representativesJournalistsLeaders of nonprofit organizationsCompany executivesStaff of donor organizationsEven your own boss
They could be all sorts of people
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How much do they know?What do they care about?What are their sources of information:
How can you reach them?
For all these individuals…
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Let’s look at their heads What is the policymakers’ level of knowledge about your
issue?How much technical information can they handle?
The only thing worse than
talking down to them is
talking over their heads
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Next, let’s look at their hearts
What are their key values and core concerns? Is there a “we” message?
What beliefs, values, or concerns will you have to overcome?
How might the policymakers themselves benefit from supporting your issue?
Let’s describe some policymakers
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What is your
policy context?
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You have already filled out a policy context questionnaireThis was designed to help you think about: What individuals and groups are involved in policymaking
on your issue? Do these policymakers use research evidence as a basis
for decision-making? Is your policy issue currently “on the agenda”?
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Do you need to…
Jump into an existing debate? Introduce a new issue that no one is thinking about?Counter the arguments of your opponents? “Reposition” your issue into a new discussion that you are
more likely to win?
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Who would be your best coalition
partners?
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Communication beyond “us” and “them”
Coalition partnersAudience
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Who has access to policymakers?Who has convincing research
results?Who can advocate for a policy
change?
We all bring something to the table
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Establish an advisory board that includes the policymakers themselves plus researchers, advocacy leaders, media, and others
Better, more relevant research Better ownership of results
Give your coalition partners an active role throughout the research process
They present the research results They develop the policy response
Make and maintain contacts from the beginning
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Who do you need as coalition partners?
Media
Advocacy groups
Government policy
makers
Influential researchers
International donors
UN agencies
Business community
NTA research
team
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What do they know?What do they care about?How will you reach them?
Who do you need as coalition partners?
Media
Advocacy groups
Government policy
makers
Influential researchers
International donors
UN agencies
Business community
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Developing a message: What do you have to
say?
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25-page scientific paper or report4-page policy brief1-page take-home message
Problem ― solution ― action: Each 35 words
The 25 : 4 : 1 formula
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You must be able to answer three questions: Why should they care? Importance of
your research What should they do? Policy
recommendation How much will it cost? The bottom line
Before you approach a policy audience…
Your coalition can help with this
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We’re tired of problems with no solutions
Along with benefits, give us a realistic estimate of political and financial costs
Show us a human faceOr better yet, let the human face
do some of the talking Beneficiaries Policy champions
Show the social and economic benefits of your research
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Three message tests: Your mother, teenage children, breakfast cereal
Memorable indicators: 1–3 numbers, simple graphics
How do we “frame” our message? Serious problem…practical solution Fits well into political context Does not conflict with institutional pressures Consistent with ruling ideology
Clear messages, memorable indicators, sensitively framed
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Identify an NTA or CWW research finding
Describe the policy context for this finding
Create a message based on your finding and a policy implication: 2–3 sentences, possibly a number
Write a policy message
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Who are you and why should this person listen to you?
What is NTA or CWW?Why is NTA or CWW important to this
person? Examples of some useful findings
What do you want this person to do?How can this person get in touch with
you?
Exercise: The one-minute elevator speech
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How do you best deliver
your message?
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WHO delivers the message is just as important as what you say
Which messenger(s) are most likely to convince you policy audience of the importance of your findings and the need to take action?
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Choose an effective messenger
You?Your boss?Collaborating organization?Policy champion?Third-party validator?Potential beneficiary?
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1. Informal policy briefings
2. Mass media: Interviews, opinion pieces by experts, news articles
3. Policy briefs
4. Scientific papers or reports with related nontechnical summaries and policy recommendations
5. Formal presentations at meetings
Channels and formats (roughly in order of importance)
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New leaders want new ideas If it costs money, it must be presented at
the right point in the budget cycle Use focusing events or help create your
own Be ready (“lurking”) when the time is
right
Good communication links established Clear, compelling messages formulated
Tips on timing
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M&E: How will you know if
you are successful?
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Did you complete each activity that you planned and produce each written communication? On time? Within budget?
What did you learn that will help you do better?
Monitor your outputs
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Did knowledge, behavior, or policy change as a result of your activities?
Evaluate the outcomes
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Measurements of outputs and outcomes need to be:DefinedReviewed, andPossibly redefined
Throughout the communication process
M&E is a continous process
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1. Set S.M.A.R.T. objectives2. Think clearly about your policy audience3. Join or start up a coalition that maintains
continuous dialogue with policymakers and other key groups
4. Provide clear, simple messages with memorable indicators
5. Use credible messengers and a variety of channels and formats
6. Pay attention to timing7. Monitor and evaluate your activities and
learn how to do better
Key components of successful policy communication