1. 1: Playing to your audience
Getting a message across and achieving more
03 October 2008

2. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Two way communication
Who is your audience – how do you define that?
Usually know audience partially – this may need extending with input from funder
What is the question/message?
Who do you actually want to listen?
Communication plan
Early engagement of stakeholders– help scope work (it’s often too late)
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

3. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Does that audience want to listen?
What are their interests/motivations? – engage their interest
Don’t make assumptions (they may know more than you!)
Speak their language (e.g. scientists to policy makers/funders)
Do you need a go-between if you can’t speak their language?
Develop relationships - trust
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

4. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Disseminate an output or communicate an outcome?
What will this research lead to? - context
Trust is built on being reliable, giving updates, understanding expectations, listening to feedback and acting on it
Is the mechanism in place to enable stakeholders to be engaged with you?
First understand before being understood
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

5. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Do they need to understand the science or just how it will affect them?
They will have a need – a problem that needs to be solved, an improved vision, etc.
Context - What are their working methods, systems, processes, tools, etc?
How will the research fit into the above?
How do people like to be communicated to?
Present in a creative and attention grabbing way (sales technique)
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

6. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Intelligently pick your medium
Multiple audiences for outputs – different outputs are often needed
Review process – trust in the outputs
Audiences can change (even within the same organisation)
Availability of researchers for the transition period to generate outcomes from the outputs – funders need to recognise this need, as do the researchers in scoping work
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

7. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
Relationship with the audience extends beyond the end of the R&D – where is the true project end?
Funders need to see the whole picture
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

8. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 1
What are the 6 golden rules?
Build trust/relationships
Tailor communication to your audience
Early and full planning
Maximise engagement
Understand the context
Clarity of outcomes/vision
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

9. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Recognition by R&D community
Acknowledgement of results from the R&D
Should we be learning for the sake of learning?
Shouldn’t we be wanting solve problems?
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

10. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Stakeholder analysis – who are the major players, etc?
Get to know people
What is their baseline of understanding?
Get to understand their lives more fully
Establishing trust
Understand their missions
What is important for them to solve their problems?
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

11. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Creating and win-win outcome
Communicating with them
What will make them pay attention?
How will they learn?
How to get the message across effectively
Face to face communication
Learn how they communicate and taylor it accordingly
Link with other activities and organisations to maximise interest (take advantage)
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

12. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Finding common ground
Set up steering group, but this can sometimes be a bit late and formal
Sometimes need more informal activities
Finding time and resources to do it
Start early
Motivation can be low if too early, but also if too late
Potentially address different people at different stages
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

13. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Need to start even before the project starts
Planned, pro-active process
Honesty - Do what you say you’re going to do
People appreciate you paying attention to them
Cultural differences can exist and must be taken into consideration (e.g. organisations vs individuals)
Adapt to recipients’ or clients’ culture
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

14. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Motivation/interests – context of message
Dissemination is a social process
Chink in the armour – not being what was expected
Timing of radical solutions needs to be sensitive – you need to show you care
Understanding the bigger picture
How can we motivate?
Should we motivate?
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

15. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
Ask for their help – there is often goodwill towards researchers
Sometimes understanding and trust is enough – input might be limited
Using champions within the community
Ownership of the solution
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously

16. Taking Dissemination Seriously
Workshop session 2
What are the 6 golden rules?
Trust
Ownership
Planning and resources
Listening and understanding
Connecting and tailoring
Look for the win-win
03 October 2008
Taking Dissemination Seriously