Strategic Communication Planning Helping scientists manage change for better impact Valérie Poiré & John Colmey, COE

Why strategic communication planning? Facilitate uptake and adoption of research outputs by 1st users Support your Theory of Change Leverage communication to foster changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Design and package outputs to overcome barriers to adoption, e.g. lack of awareness (K), of motivation (A) or know-how (P) Embed communication in research agendas Engage with and get user feedback Generate buy-in Strategic planning from inception, not trailing behind

Why strategic communication planning? Program success goes further than delivery of quality research outputs, number of citations and website visitors Achieving development outcomes and impact, means ensuring uptake of research outputs by 1st users: NGOs Policy/decision makers Development organizations Governments Research institutions Extension agents Value chain actors Farmers associations Private sector Forests communities Civil society actors

CIFOR Outreach Pathway Research outputs contribute to outcomes and impacts… …only if they are adopted and used by others Missing link? Communication

CGIAR MELIA Framework It’s all about change! MELIA: Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Impact Assessment STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Sphere of interest Sphere of influence Research use & effectiveness It’s all about change! SDGs Sphere of control Quality of research Inputs Foresight, initial stakeholder engagement Research, innovations and services, engagement, capacity building Changes in capacity (KAP*) Changes in practices, policies and institutions Direct and indirect benefits Improved wellbeing and ecosystem health Development effectiveness * Changes in Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP)

Change management communication Communication strategies facilitate change and adoption KAP levels of users Communication strategies Knowledge: Are users aware of, and do they understand what the output is? Information: Raising awareness and increasing knowledge Attitude: Do users see how they will benefit from it? How it meets theirs needs? Persuasion: Explaining needs for, and benefits of adopting new ideas, policies and technologies Practice: Do users know how to use the output? What should they do with it? Training: Teaching proper use of recommended tools, technologies and solutions

Strategic communication planning Key research outputs 2018 1st and end users Expected outcome Change required Uptake of research outputs and barriers to adoption Current and desired levels of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Communication objectives, strategies and tactics Action plan

Worksheet – Part 1 First users: who should adopt and use the research output in our sphere of influence? End users: who will benefit from the research output in our sphere of interest? Expected outcome: what’s the objective of the research project and this output? Change required: what needs to change to fill the gap between the current situation and the desired outcome situation?

Worksheet – Part 2 Use: What should first and end users do with the research output? Barriers: What could prevent first and end users from adopting and using the output? Do you anticipate any form of resistance by these users?

Worksheet – Part 3 Channel emphasis: see the Characteristics of communication channels one-pager

Worksheet – Part 4

Worksheet – Part 5

Conclusion You know how to use strategic communication to facilitate change and overcome constraints to adoption Co-ownership of communication plan Deliverables are planned, budgeted and prepared before research outputs are ready for dissemination Users are involved in the research process, which gives them opportunities to provide feedback and generates buy in Outputs are communicated in a more strategic and targeted way that leads to increased adoption and uptake by users How outputs contribute to development outcomes and impact is articulated and easy to communicate

Thank you!