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

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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?

9. 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?

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

11. Worksheet – Part 4

12. Worksheet – Part 5

13. 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

14. Thank you!