| Planning
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Stakeholder analysis is a method used to identify all parties
engaged in conducting the research, those who make or implement
policy, and the intermediaries between them. It can help define
a way to engage stakeholders so that the impact of research
on policy can be maximised.
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Social network analysis is the mapping and measuring of relationships
and links between people, groups and organisations.
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Problem tree analysis helps to find
solutions by mapping out the anatomy of cause and effect around
an issue in a similar way to a Mind map, but with more structure.
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Force field analysis is a powerful
method for gaining a comprehensive overview of the different
forces acting on a potential policy issue, and for assessing
their source and strength. |
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NSI analysis is a tool used to determine the potential impact
of communication activities, assessing enabling and disabling
factors that effect the impact of research as determined by
National Systems of Innovation (NSI).
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Guidance on writing a communications strategy which should
establish the following factors: objectives; audiences; messages;
tools and activities; resources; timescales; evaluation and
amendment.
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| Packaging Tools |
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Scenarios are a way of developing alternative futures based
on different combinations of assumptions, facts and trends,
and areas where more understanding is needed; the objective
of visioning is to make the problem and solution visual.
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A compelling story can provide the
ideal vehicle for ideas, learning and good practice; simple,
familiar and immediately understandable, it can also accommodate
many points of view, strong emotion and difficult truths. |
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When communicating research it is
crucial to make clear what the problem is, what the possible
solutions are and which one you would recommend. |
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Communication works through getting someone's attention and
then holding it. One way to provoke interest is to use an
element of surprise.
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The Harvard Program on Negotiation has developed guidelines
for those wishing to reach agreement with others without giving
in - such as the principle of positional bargaining.
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| Targeting Tools |
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The purpose of the policy paper is to provide a comprehensive
and persuasive argument justifying the policy recommendations
presented in the paper, and therefore to act as a decision-making
tool and a call to action for the target audience.
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Communities of practice are informal groups or networks who
share common problems, interests or knowledge, and who communicate
with each other. They are a way in which tacit knowledge is
managed within organisations and knowledge fields.
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Lobbying activities are undertaken to persuade public bodies
of the reasons why certain issues, policies or laws should
be supported or rejected. It is a means to further objectives
by influencing the direction and content of government policy
decisions.
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Recommendations of 'Three Rules of
Email' by Michael Gilbert to help non-profit organisations develop
a genuine Internet strategy and avoid being seduced by their
own web presence. |
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The web aims to make information available, freely and in
forms that are easily accessible. The capacity of the web
as a publicity tool, information source and forum for public
input or electronic democracy is expanding, increasing the
application of this participatory tool.
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Blogging is a growing trend, and
an easy and informal way to communicate with a wide range of
people. It requires some input but can also provide useful and
encouraging feedback. |
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The Wilder Manual summarises the steps necessary to have
gone through to be 'camera ready', or simply to engage more
actively with the media.
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Radio has enormous potential to communicate to a wide audience
and has the advantage of being able to 'bring to life' development
issues, events and activities, thus often transmitting messages
in an interesting and effective way.
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| Monitoring Tools |
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The MSC technique is a form of participatory monitoring and
evaluation, involving the collection of significant change
stories emanating from the field level, and the systematic
selection of the most significant of these stories by panels
of designated stakeholders or staff.
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Outcome Mapping is a planning, monitoring and learning methodology
developed by IDRC. The process considers a new understanding
of the development process, focusing its efforts on the agents
of the process and the changes in their behaviours.
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A checklist of questions, generated by an RURU report assessing
the non-academic impact of research, exploring reasons to
examine the difference that research can make, different ways
of approaching this problem, outlining core issues and choices
that arise when seeking to assess research impact.
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The integrated monitoring model of
Communication for Social Change (CFSC) describes an iterative
process where 'community dialogue' and 'collective action' work
together to produce social change in a community that improves
the health and welfare of all of its members. |
