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Elevators, Airbags & FM Radio

Communication PlanningInnovation and Next Practice Division (DEECD)

Design Teams Professional Development WorkshopFebruary 2008

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Today

Communication & Promotional Planning

The Biggest Message of All

Stakeholders

Challenges

Communication Deliverables, Timelines and Feedback

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Going Up

The Elevator Pitch

Communication = Message & Mode & Feedback

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Communication PlanningA Communication and Promotional Plan provides the framework to effectively;

• craft our message• identify our audience(s)• set out the most appropriate mode(s)• schedule activities• define resource requirements• establish and activate feedback loopsObjective: connection, co-ordinated, concise, consistent

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Building a Communications Plan1) Mapping the overall success measures for the project

2) Determining the key messages and supporting proof points3) Understanding the key project milestones, deliverables

and timing4) Identifying the universe of stakeholders and assessing their

individual communication needs5) Developing a schedule of communication and promotional

activities and an overall calendar 6) Establishing resourcing requirements and monitoring /

evaluation options

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Process

Individual Pre-Work - “Guided Independent Thinking”

Collective Dialogue – “Collaborative Agreement”

Synthesis – “Distilling and Structuring”

Feedback – “Review & Refine”

Finalisation – “Issue & Execute”

Listening – “Learn & Leverage”

Thinking

Crafting

Doing

(T) Thinking – (C) Creating – (D) Doing

When working in teams a collaborative development process using a model such as T-C-D is recommended:

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BMOA - The Biggest Message of All

Is the synthesis of the most important thing we want to communicate….Forms the basis and touch point for all messaging…Every communication needs to reference and re-enforce the biggest message…

Should be based on our identified key success factors…

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What does success look like ?

For your project;

What is a successful outcome ?

What is the vision for the project ?

What is the mission for the project ?

What is the biggest message of all ?

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The OutputsBiggest Message:Innovation is a creative and collaborative process with an objective to increase the responsiveness of teaching and learning to the needs of individuals, impact positively on specified learning outcomes and build community engagementSuccess:A proven model to support the development of school and network based innovationVision: Practitioner led innovation creates next practice in education

Mission: Teams of teachers work with experts to design and share innovative ways of learning and teaching

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Tips for Messaging

Keep it simple and short…

Avoid jargon…

Build a set of supporting ‘proof points’ that support the biggest message…

Focus on benefits not features…

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The thing about Airbags

Feature

8 airbags

Benefit

Improved collision safety

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Team Exercise

Brainstorm and capture….

What is a successful outcome for the project?

What is the vision for the project?

What is the mission for the project?

What are the key messages and the biggest message of all?

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When framing a response remember

Keep it simple and short…

Avoid jargon…

Build a set of supporting ‘proof points’ that support the biggest message…

Focus on benefits not features…

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Stakeholders

Stakeholder (audience) identification is a key task in ensuring that communication is effective…

Who are the stakeholders for your project?

Understanding the differences (in terms of their needs & expectations) between stakeholder groups is very important to deliver the correct messaging and the most appropriate mode of communication…

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The Importance of Duality

WII FM WII FE

What is in it for me

What is in it for everyone

Seek to personalise the context - each stakeholder group will have a different balance…

Try to craft a ‘story’ that is relevant and meaningful…

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ModesThe mode in which you choose to provide your communication can make all the difference to effectively connecting…

Individual stakeholder group(s) may respond better to certain methods…

Multiple approaches are typically required for any audience…

WebEmail

PodcastForums

BrochuresPresentations

Open DaysLocal press

DemonstrationsCase Studies

What are the most appropriate modes for your stakeholder(s)?

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Challenging AudiencesSome stakeholders present unique challenges in terms of connection…

Must closely understand what their issues are…

Need to ‘build bridges’ into these groups…

May need to enlist ‘advocates’ and ‘champions’ to work for you…

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When little things make a big difference

Gladwell asserts that finding ‘connectors’ – individuals who are respected, networked and have the power to influence within specific groups is a key to spreading ‘idea viruses’…

Who are the connectors that you may need to enlist to assist connecting to your stakeholder(s)?

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Team Exercise

Brainstorm and capture….

Who are your key stakeholder?

Identify any challenging audiences?

Who are the connectors, champions and advocates within your project frame?

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ResourcesOnce the elements of the plan are established it is vital to understand what resources will be required to deliver the communication…

Who is going to do it?What external assistance may be required?What production/technology requirements are there?Key Issues• Can we do it? & do we have the time / $ budget?

• Must be realistic & achievable…

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Feedback & Refinement

Effective communication is underpinned by taking a continuous improvement approach…

Should build in opportunities for formal and informal feedback to gauge effectiveness…

Also forms the basis of input of refinement of message and mode…

What are our options for receiving feedback ?

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Pulling it all together

Documenting the communication plan consolidates thinking and provides the blueprint for future activities…

Should include all key elements and a timeline / calendar of events…

The timings of communication often coincide with ‘new news’ – therefore need to consider key project milestones…

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This year is a Leap Year

September 2007 October 2007 November 2007

Project Deliverable / Milestone

19 teams functioning

New Zealand trip 1

Professional Learning plan

New Zealand trip 2

Release of evaluationreporting template to teams

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Communications FocusTeam Focus / Outcomes /

Outputs

Project Update

Communication Method EmailWeb update Web update

Digital Newsletter 1Regional Briefing

Web update

The timeline summary provides a ready reckoner on key milestones, communications focus and modes…

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The Biggest Messages of All

A communication plan underpins effective messaging…

Spend time on synthesising your success factors and biggest message…

You BMOA is the foundation for all communication – every message should support and re-enforce…

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The Biggest Messages of All

Keep it simple

Focus on the benefits

Identify your stakeholders and their unique needs

Understand the correct mode for each audience

Leverage connectors, advocates and champions

Avoid jargon

Consider duality

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