Communication & Research

in an age of Style1in an age of Style

Exploring how KM and

Communication can support your RIU

project get more interest from

donors and partners

1 hat tip to Hastings Chikoko

Don’t be such a scientist

‘Don’t be such a scientist: talking substance in an age of style’(Island Press 2009), Randy Olsen, marine biologist and film maker :

Scientists should pay more attention to how they communicate their work. They should focus not only on substance or content, but much more on the style of communication: “….communication is not just

one element in the struggle to make science relevant. It is the central element. Because if you gather scientific knowledge but are unable to element. Because if you gather scientific knowledge but are unable to

convey it to others in a correct and compelling form, you might as well not even have bothered to gather the information”

What are the triggers?

The tipping point for creating a revolution is

10%!

Scientists...

Ignorant Target groups...

...possess all expert knowledge and scientific wisdom

... will gladly change their attitudes and behaviour accordingly

Difference between conventional research

communication & Communication for R4D

Area Conventional Research Comms Communication for R4d

Objectives Contribute to bodies of

knowledge

Inform and provide information

Change perceptions and behavior, contribute

to development processes

Targets Researchers, scientists,

academics

Multiple actors (farmers, planner, policy

makers, private sector, NGOs, etc) academics makers, private sector, NGOs, etc)

Methodology One way, mechanistic

Passive

Two way, iterative process – multiple actors

involved, participatory

Strategies Publish in journals

Attend scientific meetings

Message focused

Hand over information to

media/Public Information

Facilitation, interaction and engagement

Use multiple channels, products – what works

for the audience we are trying to focus on

Focused on use rather than production

When At end of research process Continuous process where communication is

seen as a process for deriving shared meaning

Why communication is important

• Research and development institutions are being challenged to demonstrate a poverty orientation (pro-poor), show impact and ensure results are cost-effective.

• Research generation is not more important than • Research generation is not more important than research utilization: both are equally important.

• Knowledge management and communicationmake the big difference.

We are here

7Dr. Peter Ashton, CSIR

Networks & Partnerships: like a value

chain

Leverage networks and partnerships

Maximize opportunities within these networks to

establish relationships

Looks at impact pathways, who we want to

ResearchResearchNext usersNext users

End users End

users

Looks at impact pathways, who we want to

influence, what we want to change

Elements to CPWF KM

M&E

Process and Outcomes

M&E

Process and Outcomes

Information Management

Data collection

Information bits

Information Management

Data collection

Information bits

Communication

(supporting changes identified in impact

pathways)

Communication

(supporting changes identified in impact

pathways)

Approach to KM

Processes Packaging

Power: information

= power

Partnerships

What we have to offer you• Information management and knowledge sharing systems:

– Yammer & e-letter

– Youtube/slideshare/etc

– Document Repository: CG-Space linking all your documents to the CG

repository

Resources and support for

external communications• Support from the Basin

communicators

• Media/Journalist work

• Linkages to global events, i.e. COP17, WWW, WWF

I can’t reach it

still. I need

something

longer

i.e. COP17, WWW, WWF

• Visual identity guidelines

• Planning on Com dev or policy communication processes

Vehicles to publish your materials

• Working papers

• Field stories

• Briefing notes

• Blogs• Blogs

• CPWF E-letter

What we would expect from you

• Each project should try to set aside 10% of budget for communication (materials, partner workshops, etc)

• Contribute to the information management systems:

– Flickr, Youtube, slideshare, Cgspace

• Contribute to the our different communication vehicles• Contribute to the our different communication vehicles

– Contributions to e-letter

– Contribution to different CPWF series: working papers, briefing notes, outcome and field stories series

Linking communication plans to OLMs

and Milestone plans

Theories of change

Theories of change

•What we want to change

Impact pathways

Impact pathways

•How we will go about the change pathwayspathways change

Communication plans linked to

milestones

Communication plans linked to

milestones

•How to support research to achieve impact

Research strategies Research strategies

• Whatresearch we will carry out

Discussion

• What are your own communication needs?

What support would you like?

• How should RIU engage with BDCs and/or

global level – what communication linkages

should be in placeshould be in place

• How can we use communication to enhance

linkages to partners/donors to continue the

RIU work or become part of it?