Transcript Convincing Links and Communication

(5) Convincing links/
communication
Training in Policy Relevant Solutions Oriented
Research
Bridging research, policy and politics
The RAPID+ framework – Convincing links
What you need to know to What you need to do
communicate effectively
 How to reach the key
stakeholders?
 How and when to present
the messages?
 What is role of media,
informal networks and who
are the gatekeepers and
what is their influence?
 Whose side are they on?
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How to do it
Have a communication
 Partnerships between
plan
researchers, policy makers,
and communities
Effective messaging
 Make a communication
Build on reputation and
product and events –
credibility
different strategies for
Build coalitions and
different stakeholders
partnerships
Become present in existing  Communicate together
with/ through direct
networks and use infromal
affectees (farmers, women,
opportunities
environmental refugees)
Use media wisely
 Use diversity of
communication channels
Stakeholder list
Stakeholder
Political party
members
Leaders (sheikhs,
majors, big
farmers, security)
Top bureaucrats
Midlevel
bureaucrats
Farmers/ direct
stakeholders
General audience
NGOs/ Private
Sector
Position/interest
Resources/influe Trigger
nce
Communication plan
Stakeholder
Political party
members
Leaders (sheikhs,
majors, big
farmers, security)
Top officials
Midlevel
bureaucrats
Farmers/ direct
stakeholders
General audience
NGOs/ Private
Sector
How to reach
What message
Action to do:
Communicating with politicians,
leaders and top officials
Effective messaging (1)
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Use direct stakeholders to communicate (farmer, women, ..)
Avoid conflicting contradictory viewpoints, as this reduces the confidence of
decision makers
Use confident and optimistic (not pessimistic) messages about solutions
and ways forward – decision makers needs to know what to do and what to
not to do – even if it works 75%
Use costs and benefits – avoid that things look unpredictable and uncertain
Present recommendations as yes/no decision points or as ‘options’ - making
the decision maker responsible for taking decisions
Avoid too many recommendations: maximum 3
Be conscious of time factor – if a plan is presented break down the plans in
manageable steps/ portions
Try to give
Confidence
Source: http://www.glenknight.com/wp-content/uploads/cartoon-02fortune-teller.gif
Effective messaging (2)
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Engage end-users and main stakeholders in the communication – for
instance through involving water user communities in the analysis or
through workshop face-to-face workshops between officials/ politicians and
community members.
Relate to the real world – use the human touch such as ‘As my grandfather
used to say..’
Make use of trusted sources and partly build up this credibility within the
research team
Means
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Elevator pitch
Informal discussion
2 slide presentations
Policy briefs – visual attractive
Use of numbers
Supported by communication to mid level,
direct stakeholders and NGOs etc
Exercise ‘The Elevator Pitch’
• You have 1 minute to convince the key
person of the main points and
recommendation of your research
Briefs: Yemen Water Factsheets
(also in Arabic)
! Page:
Issues
Research finding (map, figure)
Recommendation (max 2)
Communicating with farmers/
NGOs/ civil society and mid level
bureaucrats
Effective messaging
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Build on engagement in research
Use different channels (create buzz)
Visuals (that are spread by key persons)
Figures (they carry themselves)
Presentations and one-to-one briefings
Events
Presentations: what is its
importance?
• Is to impress the audience with your
knowledge?
• Is it to make sure the message you want
communicate gets across?
Examples: organizing events
Umgeni Water (South
Africa) organizes a
marathon as part of their
water festival. The
starting point is a dam
and the marathon is run
around a lake
Examples: using visual (posters)
Educational posters:
 Often have a lot of information
and interesting details
 Meant to have a closer look
Examples: using posters (2)
Promotional posters:
 Clear at a glance
 Usually one large slogan and
few details
Exercise
• Make poster/ or policy brief of the research
activity