GFAR Communications Webinargfar-secretariat@fao.org

Challenging Development and Research Communications – Part II:

Internal Communications

Presenters

Simone Staiger (CIAT)Cavin Mugarura (Blue Node Media)Carina Carrasco (Fontagro)Peter Casier (GFAR)

Q&A

Moderators: Charles Plummer/Peter Casier (GFAR)

Challenging Development and Research CommunicationsInternal communications

Simone Staiger-Rivass.staiger@cgiar.org

28 March 2017GFAR Webinar

“The quality of results produced by any system depends on the quality of awareness from which people in the system operate.” Otto Scharmer

“Organizational communication is much more than media and tools. An organizational culture in which there is communication is much more powerful and sustainable. Organizational and individual learning accelerates with internal communication. Aligning decisions towards organizational strategy requires internal communication.” Diego Naranjo, PENTA

Essentials I – Cool Quotes

Some desirable characteristics of external communications, Michael mentioned:

Networked approachMultiple dialoguesParticipatory approachesRecognizing everybody's knowledgeInclusive decision making and social learningCreate products as a social processUnderstand local contextAll types of communications are valid, level of participation depends on objectives, sometimes linear comms works Our job is: Linking and connectingDo M&E to show how comms contribute to outcomes

Michael Victor, speaker of GFAR Webinar “Participatory communications and uptake communications“

Essentials II – Characteristics of internal communicationsAll of this is also true and essential for internal communications

Blurred Boundaries External – Internal Communications

http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2014/09/15/blurred-boundaries/

“… today’s technological advancements translates into a new type of private and public. Disconnection from society, the internet, and media have become the

new private. Therefore, […] we can create a different kind of architecture that is less

physical and more informational—whether visual, digital, or otherwise.”

Think about:TechnologyThe benefit of the messy stuffThe Friends of your organizationWhat is it that really cannot be shared outside ?

• Make affordable, high-quality food readily available to the rural and urban poor• Promote rural income growth• Provide the means to make a more intensive and competitive agriculture both

environmentally sustainable and climate smart

CIAT Culture980 staff, 200 scientistsDiversity in nationalities (57 countries)Generational shift 42% < 40 yearsLess then 40% women, 24% in ResearchSpanish and EnglishScientists under pressure to leverage funding

On a good day, at CIAT we see us as - Young- Dynamic- Pioneering new Research- Disruptive- Having a broad, unique research

agenda

On a bad day, at CIAT we see us as- Working in silos - Resistant to change- Re-inventing the wheel- Lacking leadership- Unable to unite administration and

research

Theory of Change: Internal Communications

StrategyToC and

Annual Work Plans

M&EThe innovation of Theory of Change lies (1) in making the distinction between desired and actual outcomes, and (2) in requiring stakeholders to model their desired outcomes before they decide on forms of intervention to achieve those outcomes.  (Wikipedia)

• Research and administrative staff share the organization’s values• Researchers integrate between different research disciplines and areas• The communication and knowledge management team optimizes

communication channels• All CIAT personnel understand the ‘sustainable food future’ principle

and know how to apply it in their work• Collaborative networks are inclusive

Strategy: Desired Outcomes of CIAT internal communications

Create new spaces for dialogueFoster team work and learning in teamsCommunicate to create among all staff a better understanding of key developments in CIAT’s work and institutional environment

Annual Work Plans – Example 2016

Interventions– Three Examples

Team profiles

Campaigns

Screens

Team Profiles

CIATnet

CIATtalks

CIATscreens

1. Determine our indicators

2. Invite to focal group discussions1. Use of live surveys (Mentimeter.com) 2. Conversation – feedback loops3. Consult statistics (CIATnet)

3. Decide on adjustments and changes in work plan

Monitoring and Evaluation

Output Impact Narrative What to measure

How to measure it

CIATtalks CIATtalk participants express their opinions openly and provide input to desirable organizational changes. They suggest new issues to discuss.

• Number of participants• Perception of participants

about the usefulness of CIATtalks

• CIATnet stats• Number of new issues

suggested.

• Survey• Documentation of

debates• Focal groups

Annual Work Plans – 2017 just fyi

• Teamwork – looooong conversations • Internal network – internal communications focal points• Regional integration with Asia and Africa• Well connected with leaders and decision makers• Real interest in colleagues• Working with same methods and principles than research does, i.e

Theory of Change

• Attention to people and process

What makes our / YOUR internal communications thrive

Our TeamSylvia Pineda

EnthusiastA natural connectorCurious

José AranaThoughtfulA natural planner Perfectionist

Simone Staiger-Rivas

Carlos PoloA cool, always busy designer

Plus: Carlos Saa, Madelline Romero, Georgina Smith, the comms network, Esteban

Open Atrium – a collaboration space Prepared by : Cavin Mugarura (Prof.)Email: mugarurac@gmail.com Founder: Blue Node Mediawww.bluenodemedia.com

What is Open Atrium Open Atrium is a free/ open source

platform that helps organization s communicate and collaborate better

It’s Drupal distribution, one of the most popular and powerful Content Management Systems after WordPress

Features : Spaces

Groups / Permissions

Messaging / Notifications

Task Management / Case Tracker

Custom Features Due to the open source nature of open

atrium, you can have any custom feature developed by engaging a software development firm with expertise on the drupal platform

Planning your intranet The key to a successful intranet lies in

how best you prepare the ground work. Organizing and planning your content

for a rich user experience contributes a lot to a successful intranet application

Information mining An Intranet can easily grow big, making

it hard to find information One of the best examples of how e

commerce giant – Amazon solved this problem was by introducing faceted search, which helps narrow down the information into sizeable chunks

Faceted search

Cross-Border Collaboration in

LAC for Innovation in

Family Agriculture

The case of FONTAGRO

GFARMarch 28, 2017

www.fontagro.org

CARINA CARRASCOKnowledge Mangement and Communications AdviserFONTAGRO

Twitter: @FONTAGROdigital

Agricultural Cooperation Mechanisms in LAC

PROCITROPICOS

PROCISUR

PROCINORTE

PROMECAFE

R&D agencies from developed

countries

CGIAR CentersCIAT, CIP,

CIMMYT, IFPRI, Bioversity

CAC Technical Group on Innovation

CATIECARDI

FONTAGRO

FONTAGRO IN BRIEF

UNIQUE COOPERATION MECHANISM FOR AGRICULTURAL

INNOVATION IN LAC Sustainable financing for

agricultural research and innovation

15 member countries

Capital: + US$ 100 million

100 projects approved

US$ 88.6 million approved

Leverages US$ 1 to US$ 5 from others

25 countries benefited

› Annual calls for proposals › Agreed-upon projects› Competitions› Small Grant› Strategic studies › Capacity building

Results of external evaluation (Sain et al 2014):

› Finances projects to institutions of 2 member countries or more

› Cross-border collaboration in LAC

› A network of researchers, scientists and professionals

OPERATIONS

77 %results

incorporated by national systems

Substantial impact on capacity

building

KM AND COMM STRATEGY

FONTAGRO brings together different organizations to work on innovation of family agriculture

Strategy defined and approved based on survey of 170 FONTAGRO key users

To strengthen dissemination and visibility of research results, we should strengthen KM & COMM capacities of researchers first.

› Which are your preferred communication channels to receive or access FONTAGRO’s information?

65%

KM AND COMM SURVEY

FONTAGRO’S AUDIENCES

FONTAGRO

SPONSORS

DONORS

PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS AND

DONORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTING AGENCIES

RESEARCHERS

OTHER MULTILATERAL

ORG

PRIVATE SECTOR

MEDIA AND PUBLIC OPINION

COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY

PROJECTS

EXTERNAL AUDIENCIES

INTERNAL AUDIENCIES

› Contributing towards Knowledge Sharing & COMM capacity-building for researchers who participate in FONTAGRO projects

› Systematizing of knowledge generated by projects

› Collaborative activities

› Incentive programs

› Training activities : In-person and online—training activities

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

MAIN INTERNALAUDIENCIE:

RESEARCHERS

Strategic Plan

› Intranet for project leaders

› Project sites hosted in FONTAGRO’s website

› Systematizing the collection and documentation of project results and progress

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

• Annual technical workshops to share progress on innovation projects

• Daily reporting and monitoring of 60 project and its activities

WEBSITE AS A INTERNAL COMM

TOOL

WEBSITE AS A

REPOSITORY OF

KNOWLEDGE

PLATFORMS

CAPACITY BUILDING

3ON-LINE

COURSESLED BY SME

2IN-PERSON TRAININGSVenezuelaHonduras

1COMM IN PERSON

AND ONLINE COURSE

Preparation of competitive proposals for Agricultural Innovation Projects

Regional Agricultural Communications network: Central American and Southern Cone

Projects migrated to new website. Project results uploaded to project sites.

Web-based report on progress of FONTAGROs’ projects knowledge management.

IN PROGRESS

Online teams and communities.

Peter Casier

The difference: a group and a team

•Purpose

•Structure

How to create a “Purpose”?

•Define your objectives•Define your process•Define measurable goals•Define who can be part

How to create a “Structure”?

•Committed facilitation/leadership•Define roles

Tips and tricks• What’s in it for them?• The common challenge• (Friendly) competition• Positive spirit• Honesty• Openness• Momentum

Questions/Remarks