1. Planning the Effort May 22, 2011 RISK COMMUNICATION

2. Bookkeeping Matters Looking ahead at what is left Discussion Board Make-up Seminars for any you missed Final Project due Tuesday, May 24, 2001 Last day of Class – May 31, 2011

3. INTRODUCTION During this seminar we will discuss how to plan for your risk communication effort using the following steps: Determine your purpose and objectives Analyze your audience Message development Pick a communication method Determine your schedule

4. Determine your Purpose Two variables you must consider –Why are you communicating the risk? (purpose) –What do you hope to gain? (objective) When determining purpose you have a number of factors to consider –Legal –Organizational requirements –The risk itself –Audience requirements

5. Determine your Purpose Legal factors –Laws or regulations may dictate your communication efforts –Agency policies may come into play –If your efforts are different than what is required you may have to get a variance Organizational Requirements –There may be policies on communication, audience interaction, development of materials, etc. –Check with PR personnel

6. Determine your Purpose The risk itself –Care communication – the dangers are usually known so your effort will emphasize behavior changes to limit risks –Consensus communication – you will want to build consensus on the risk as a basis for making a decision –Crisis communication – purpose would be to alert your audience and provide alternatives to minimize the risk –If the risk is new, spend time building awareness Audience requirements –Know the needs of your audience –This will depend on the type of communication (care, consensus, or crisis)

7. Analyze your Audience You need to have a knowledge of who you will be talking to –A good start is to build on your objectives and purpose –You need to analyze your audience Baseline – ability to comprehend communication (crisis) Midline – include socioeconomic info (care) Comprehensive – include motivational and mental models (care and consensus) Best to go out and actually talk to your audience but… –Audience dispersed or too large numbers –Cost and time issues –Hostility –Communicator is afraid

8. Analyze your Audience Key characteristics for a baseline analysis include –Experience with risk –Experience with specific organization communicating risk –Scientific understanding –Reading level –People who they trust –Where do they get information –Group size –Expectations –Hot buttons

9. Analyze your Audience Key characteristics for a midline analysis include all of baseline, plus… –Age, culture, gender –Turnover in community –Preferred social institutions –Occupation –Geographic location to risk Key characteristics for a comprehensive analysis include all of above, plus… –Concerns and experience about risks –Their exposure to the media related to the risk –The perceived effects and their perceived control

10. Analyze your Audience Use the information to tailor your message –Audience unaware – use graphic method –Audience well informed – build on past information –Education – message must be suitable to level –Trust – use a person with trust to deliver message –Concerns – acknowledge and provide facts –Audience make-up – ensure message reaches everyone –Where to they feel comfortable – hold meeting there

11. Develop your Message Developing you message is not the same as developing an advertising campaign Not manipulative and not a substitute for audience analysis or public participation Common pitfalls include –Framing –Be careful claiming “no risk” as there is always uncertainty –Some risks have benefits Know your audience The organization you represent can affect your use of benefits

12. Develop your Message In general people want to know… –Description of risk –Consequences of risk –Level of control and its consequences –Exposure information Higher education level may desire technical info on the risk assessment Can use models to develop your message –Mental models Extensive time involved Goal not to turn people into scientists but to make sure people have the right information to make decisions

13. Develop your Message Use message mapping –A message map is a template for displaying detailed, hierarchically organized responses to anticipated questions or concerns. –Develop a list of anticipated questions to identify concerns –Develop key messages in response to those concerns When you develop your message, ensure… –The purpose of the message has been identified –The appropriate approach has been chosen –Audiences have been analyzed –Special attention has been paid to misconceptions –Content and delivery based on audience analysis –Evaluation methods are in place

14. Choose a Method Now that you know the what, why, and to whom…now you need the how. Methods of communication include: –Information materials –Visual representation of risk –Face-to face communication –Working with the media –Stakeholder participation –Technology assisted communication In most instances you will use several methods

15. Choose a Method Information materials –Materials that your audience will need to read Newsletters, fact sheets, brochures, booklets, pamphlets Displays, posters, trade journal articles, popular press articles Technical reports, advertisements –Know your audience Visual representation of risk –Communication that has little text –Can be memorable but have little technical info –Can be time consuming and you must know what you are doing

16. Choose a Method Face-to-face communication –Speak directly to audience –Speaker must be credible so use your audience analysis –May get off topic and be overwhelmed Working with news media –TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, internet –Can reach large audiences but lack depth –Media will control content –Involves planning and usually high costs

17. Choose a Method Stakeholder participation –Involved the audience in some way in the discussion, analysis, and management of risk –If they participate the decision more likely to “work” –Advisory committees, focus groups, formal hearings, etc –Usually a long term process –Technical staff must attend, but you can organize Technology assisted communication –Can use computer programs to evaluate acceptable techniques for addressing the risk –Can create credibility if done correctly –Computer use still not universal…know your audience

18. Set a Schedule Considerations when setting a schedule for your communication plan include… –Legal requirements associated with the effort –Number and timing or organizational reviews –Purpose of risk communication effort –Objectives of risk communication effort –Schedule of the risk assessment –Activities within the organization, community, and nation –Audience’s point in the decision process

19. Set a Schedule If the purpose of the risk communication is to increase awareness, schedule should be short as possible If the purpose is to inform or change behavior –Schedule should allow for the introduction of risk –Should allow for additional information to be given over time If the purpose is to build consensus, the schedule should allow for this to be done –Before the activities –During the activities –After the activities

20. Summary Developing your risk communication plan involved several important steps: Determine your purpose and objectives Analyze your audience Message development Pick a communication method Determine your schedule Put it in writing and evaluate for improvement