Digital Green

[Administrator]

Good day! How are you doing today?

We have read your needs assessment and we thought that your group did a very good job in gathering data. Please take note that it is not yet a packaged “Needs Assessment Report” but we believe that you have enough data which can be your basis in developing the ComDev strategy and action plan for Digital Green.

Can you share some of your experiences in conducting the needs assessment? What challenges did you encounter in gathering data? Based on the data that you have collected, can you identify 1-3 priority topics for ComDev strategy development?

[Edmund Centeno]

Discussion Topic No. 2: Identifying key issues and priority topics

Greetings from ComDev Asia!

This is Edmund and Louise, your coaching facilitators for the ComDev strategy plan of Digital Green.

We shall now focus on the first step of the ComDev Strategy Design process. Step 1 is where we will identify key development issues and priority topics to be addressed in Digital Green’s ComDev plan. Before we start, let us review briefly Step 1.

Step 1: Identifying the Key Issue or Problem

Kindly take note of the following key messages about identifying the key issue or problem.
• The identified problem must be a “real” issue or problem.
• The problem should have been expressed by concerned stakeholders or members of your organization.
• The problem must be prioritized because the ComDev plan should address one specific issue at a time for ease of planning
and implementation.
• The problem should be anchored on an existing or a new program or project of your organization.
• A plan that is generic is not strategic.
• Comdev planning is an evidence-based process; the decision to take is always defined by data obtained from the ground.

Setting the Context and Topic for your ComDev Plan
• Choose one existing development program or project of your organization, especially one that does not have a strategic communication plan. You may also opt to select a new development program or project which needs a ComDev plan.
• Read and review the project document.
• From the project document (as source of secondary data), get the list of development issues or needs being addressed or solved through the project.
• Given the list, discuss among your concerned colleagues which of the three problems or issues is priority 1.
• Based on the identified problem, think of a tentative title or topic for your ComDev Plan.

Here are examples of topics or titles of your plan:
a. ComDev Plan in Support of the Coastal Climate Resilient Infrastructure Project
b. Strategic ComDev Plan for Resilient and Sustainable Aquaculture
c. ComDev Strategy Plan for to Enhance Youth Involvement in Agriculture Cooperatives for Sustainable Development

• Fill up the topic and column 1 on Main Issue of your ComDev Strategy Matrix (see attached file).

To prepare you in identifying the priority issue and topic of your ComDev plan, post your brief answers to the questions below. Once you have posted them, we (your facilitators) will respond to your answer.

Guide Questions:
• What are the main development needs, opportunities, and possible solutions existing as perceived by local stakeholders?
• Which of these can be addressed best by communication?
• Identify one key development issue that you intend to address in your ComDev strategy.

We are excited to read your answers and to assist you develop the priority issue and topic of your ComDev Plan. Let’s engage in Topic 2 Discussion! Your output will be the statement of your priority topic and main issue.

Attachments:

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[ritesh]

Hi

Thank you for appreciating our need assessment draft. I would like to share few of my experiences here while contributing to/developing the document.

1. It was exciting to discuss within team and work on some document of this kind.
2. Team members in this group belong to different regions in India, implementing different programs with different partners in respective regions, so our discussions went interesting, probably because of some contextual differences.

We, as a team would be identifying the priority topics for the ComDev strategy development and get back asap.

Thanks

[Edmund Centeno]

It’s nice to hear from yu, Ritesh!

For your ComDev strategy, the group can work on ONE priority topic and identify the key development problems that you would like to address through communication.

Susan scheduled a Zoom meeting on December 11, 1-2:30pm PST. See you there!

[Edmund Centeno]

Discussion Topic No. 3: Identifying the Intended Stakeholders

In Step 1 of the ComDev strategy design, you identified and prioritized the issue or problem encountered in your development project. Now, you proceed to Step 2. This is where you get to know the specific group of audience involved in your ComDev strategy.

The stakeholder groups consist of the primary audience and the secondary audience. The priority or primary audience includes the groups directly affected by the issue or problem. This group also directly benefits from your organization’s development project and from your ComDev strategy. The priority audience groups include farmers, fisher folk, pastoralists, vegetable growers, forest food gatherers, etc. The secondary audience are the potential partners that can support your ComDev strategy. It includes specific local government units, educational institutions, research institutions, local community media, mass media, funding agencies, etc.

Step 2 Review

When you identify and prioritize the audience, keep in mind the following key ideas:

• “Know your audience” is an important principle that guides your ComDev strategy planning.
• The issue or problem, objective, content or message, and media or channel of your strategy should suit the characteristics of your identified audience group.
• Audience characteristics include their socio-demographic profile (e.g., age, gender, education, occupation, income, religion, membership in organization, etc).
• The audience’s knowledge, skills, attitude, practice, and experiences related to the issue or content/message should be described, too.
• The knowledge or skills about the content, message, or technology can be categorized into low, moderate, or high.
• The attitude toward the message or technology can be favorable, neutral, or unfavorable; positive or negative.
• The audience’s practice of the technology can be low, moderate, high, or not practicing at all.

Identifying and Prioritizing the Audience
• Review the project document for which your ComDev strategy is being designed.
• Refer to the section of the project document on audience or beneficiaries.
• Identify the audiences or beneficiaries of the project.
• Decide who should be the priority audience of your strategy.
• Enter the identified priority audience in the ComDev Strategy Matrix.
• Describe the socio-demographic characteristics, KSAP, and experiences of the priority audience.
• Write these characteristics under Column 2 – Audience of the strategy matrix.

Guide Questions:
1. Who are the priority stakeholders of the ComDev strategy?
2. What are the characteristics of the priority or primary audience?

Kindly start the discussion with your answers to the guide questions. You can contribute to the current or the previous discussions at any time. You and your facilitators can go through the topics iteratively until you come up with a draft of you ComDev Strategy Design Matrix (please see attached matrix).

[Edmund Centeno]

Discussion Topic No. 4: Formulating the communication objectives

You have reached Step 3 of the ComDev strategy design! This is good progress!

Are you ready to develop the objectives of your ComDev strategy? The objectives should be able to address the issue in Step 1. The issue is tied up to the factors identified as the causes of the issue. The objectives are also linked to the audience, the content or message, and media or channels of the strategy.

The objective is what the audience should be able to do as a result of the communication intervention or activity in the ComDev strategy. Hence, it states an action or behavior that the audience should perform. The action or behavior should be visible and measurable.

Some examples of the action or behavior are for the audience to be able to identify, state, list, enumerate, describe, determine, discuss, explain, compare, select, choose, organize, operate, apply, practice, use, adopt, etc. a message or technology promoted in the ComDev strategy.

You should frame the objectives as stated in the example below:
• After one-year communication work, 70% of the rice farmers should be able to describe the distinct features of four climate resilient agricultural technologies such as saline tolerant rice variety (STRV), biofertilizer, integrated pest management (IPM), and floating agriculture.

Step 3 Review

When you write the objectives of the ComDev strategy, follow these tips or techniques.
• State only one action or behavior that the audience should perform per objective.
• Use the SBCD guide when you develop the objectives.

S – stakeholder or audience
B – behavior or action of audience
C – condition under which the behavior is performed
D – degree of change in the audience’s behavior

Applying the SBCD guide to the example stated above, we can say that:
S = rice farmers
B = describe the features of climate resilient technologies
C = after one-year communication work
D = 70% of rice farmers were able to describe the features of the technologies

Formulating the Objectives
• Review the issue or problem. Then, formulate the objectives to address the issue.
• State the condition under which the action or behavior will be performed.
• Specify the priority audience and the secondary audience.
• Identify the action or behavior the audience will perform using action verbs.
• Indicate the degree of change in the behavior of the audience.
• Enter the objectives in the ComDev Strategy Matrix.

Guide Question:
1. What should the stakeholders be able to do or achieve after participating in the communication activity?

For the discussion, please post your answer to the guide question for Step 4. You can go back and forth to contribute and enrich the current or the previous discussion with your learnings or experiences. You and your facilitators can go through the topics iteratively until you come up with a draft of you ComDev Strategy Design Matrix.

[Edmund Centeno]

Discussion Topic No. 5: Identifying the Core Content or Key Messages

You are now in Step 4 of the ComDev Strategy Design. This step deals with the core content or key messages of your strategy. When you have completed this step, you are almost done with your ComDev Strategy!

The core content or key message is developed based on the identified issue and objectives of your strategy. The content should address the issue and meet the objectives. It should be specific and concise. To properly identify the content or message, take a close look at the issue and objectives because these suggest the possible content or message.

Step 4 Review

In crafting the specific content or message that will be carried in the selected media or channels of the ComDev strategy, apply the following principles of effective communication:

• Credible –The message factually accurate; provides information to back up certain claims or assertions; is delivered by a trusted source
• Concise – The message is clear and simple; easily understood and remembered; short and crisp
• Relevant – The message relates to the issue or interest of the audience; starts with what the audience already knows and thinks; then builds up to where the audience wants to be be
• Compelling – The message attracts attention and touches the audience’s heart and mind; inspires the audience to act
• Communicates a benefit or value – The message communicates a benefit to the audience (e.g., higher income; increased production or yield; better livelihood; cheaper technology; etc.); reflects the audience’s core values (e.g., fairness; equality; freedom; honesty; industry; etc)

Identifying the Core Content or Key Messages
• Review the priority issue and the objectives set for the strategy.
• Make sure that the content will address the issue and meet the objectives of the strat
• Develop content that corresponds to each objective.
• Enter the content or message per objective per row under column Core Content or Message in the ComDev Strategy Matrix.

Guide Question:
1. What is the core content or message of the ComDev strategy?

To stimulate the discussion, kindly post your answer to the guide question for Step 4. You can go back and forth to contribute and enrich the current or the previous discussion with your learnings or experiences. You and your facilitators can go through the discussion topics iteratively until you come up with a draft of your ComDev Strategy Design Matrix.

[Edmund Centeno]

Discussion Topic No. 6: Selecting the Appropriate Channel and Media

This discussion focuses on Step 5 or the last step in the ComDev strategy design. The comdev strategy should support the selected development project of your organization. Step 5 is where you choose the channels or media to be used to deliver the content of message.

The media or channel contains the content or message of the ComDev strategy. You can choose from a broad range of channels and tools to communicate your message or content. To choose the appropriate media or channel, consider these factors: a) access and availability; b) objectives; c) content or message; d) audience characteristics; e) production cost; f) time constraints; g) logistics; h) channel or media reach; and i) frequency and impact of exposure.

Step 5 Review

Here are some principles to guide your selection of channels and media:
• A combination of channels or the multi-channel approach can have a synergetic impact.
• Mass media create awareness.
• Group activities stimulate approval.
• Interpersonal communication can influence behavior.
• Choose media or channels that stakeholders already use, are familiar with or prefer.
• Choose those that can be locally developed, produced, operationally supported.
• Choose channels that complement one another or support messages.

Identifying the Channel or Media
• Review the priority issue, audience, objectives, and content or message of your strategy.
• Based on the media selection factors and principles, select the appropriate channel or media for each identified objective.
• Enter the content or message per objective under the last column on Media and Channels in the ComDev Strategy Matrix.

Guide Questions:
1. What communication channels and media facilities are available?
2. What are the audiences’ preferred and most trusted sources of information?
3. What are the methods and channels that will be used in the ComDev project?

For the discussion, please post your answer to the guide question for Step 5. You can go back and forth to contribute and enrich the current or the previous discussion with your learnings or experiences. You and your facilitators can go through the topics iteratively until you come up with a draft of your ComDev Strategy Design Matrix.

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