Capturing Attention How To Use The Research Translation Toolkit’s Communication Products Section
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The document outlines a webinar focused on utilizing the research translation toolkit's communication products section, aimed at bridging the gap between research production and utilization. It provides guidance on crafting communication strategies that effectively convey research insights to stakeholders, including identifying objectives, audiences, and messages. Key steps include using accessible language and planning for product development and dissemination to ensure impactful engagement with targeted audiences.
Capturing Attention How To Use The Research Translation Toolkit’s Communication Products Section
- 1. Capturing Attention How To Use The Research Translation Toolkit’s Communication Products Section March 2, 2023 While we wait for others to join, please introduce yourself in the chat by entering your name, affiliation, country of residence, and why you joined this webinar. RESEARCH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
- 2. ONE TOOLKIT, THREE SECTIONS The Research Translation Toolkit is a comprehensive, standalone resource that can be used by anyone who wants to bridge the gap between research production and research utilization. It is divided into three sections: • Stakeholder Analysis. • Communication Products. • Research-to-Action (R2A) Plan. When used together, these three sections can help you craft strategies and messages to influence decisions and achieve development impact more effectively throughout the research process. 2
- 3. TODAY’S OBJECTIVES • Review the contents of the Communication Products section. • Learn why, when, and how to use it. • Hear from a guest speaker about designing communication products. • Answer your questions. 3
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- 5. COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS SECTION WHAT, WHY, WHEN & HOW
- 6. WHAT IS IT? The Communication Products section helps you choose the right format and craft main messages to share your research insights or technical innovations with stakeholders in a way that motivates them to use evidence to inform policies, programs, or practices. 6
- 7. WHY SHOULD YOU USE IT? Use the Communication Products section when you want to: • Tell a story using your data and information. • Tailor your main messages to your audience’s interests. • Package your research results in the format that is most likely to capture your stakeholders’ attention so the results will be used. 7
- 8. Clearly explain research findings. Inform budgeting decisions, policies, and/or program design. Share evidence-based recommendations. Help practitioners improve their work. WHAT CAN MY COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS DO? 8
- 9. WHEN SHOULD YOU USE IT IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS? 01 02 03 04 05 It is best to use this section when you have sufficient data to support your claims; clear results; and actionable, evidence-based recommendations. COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS SECTION Research question Concept and Study Analysis and Dissemination development proposal write-up implementation write-up and follow-up 9
- 10. CREATING YOUR PRODUCT STEP BY STEP Step 1: Identify Communication Objectives. Step 2: Identify Audiences. Step 3: Identify Main Messages. Step 4: Use Accessible Language. Step 5: Identify Resources and Develop the Product. 10
- 11. STEP 1 IDENTIFY COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES Communication objectives describe your goal(s) for sharing your evidence. A good objective: • Is specific. • Flows from the evidence/research results. • Is directly linked to the intended audience. Example: Share evidence with national leaders about why adolescent reproductive health is important to help achieve Kenya Vision 2030 development goals. 11
- 12. STEP 1 | WORKSHEET COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES AND AUDIENCES Helps map out your main communication objectives. 12
- 13. STEP 2 IDENTIFY AUDIENCE(S) • Your target audience is the intended recipient of your communication product—who your product is directed toward. • Identifying a specific audience helps shape your product’s content, language, and format, making it more effective. FOR MORE INFORMATION See the Stakeholder Analysis section for guidance on identifying primary and secondary audiences. 13
- 14. STEP 2 | WORKSHEET COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES AND AUDIENCES Helps make sure your communication objectives are directly linked to your audiences. 14
- 15. STEP 3 IDENTIFY MAIN MESSAGES • Main messages signal to the reader exactly what they are supposed to learn or take away from your communication product. • They should be clear and simple and capture the essential points you want to make. 15
- 16. STEP 3 THREE PARTS OF A MAIN MESSAGE FINDINGS What are the relevant data or evidence? IMPLICATIONS What does it matter? RECOMMENDATIONS What should be done? Your audience should be able to easily understand the story you are telling by reading the three parts of your main message. 16
- 17. FINDINGS In Morocco, the unemployment rate among young people ages 15 to 25 is 28%. Employment providers and education institutions are not communicating about job market needs. University courses are not well tailored to prepare students for the workforce. IMPLICATIONS If educational programs are not adapted to suit the needs of the job market: • Universities will not fulfill their aim to prepare students for the real world. • Graduates may perform poorly in the job market or not even be employable. RECOMMENDATIONS The heads of leading universities, post-secondary training institutions, and major employment agencies in Morocco should convene a workshop by the end of this academic year to facilitate discussion and collaborative design of new academic coursework curriculum that aligns with the technical, language, and soft skills young people need to succeed in the workplace. STEP 3 EXAMPLE OF A MAIN MESSAGE 17
- 18. STEP 3 | WORKSHEET HOW TO CRAFT MAIN MESSAGES Helps you identify and refine your main messages for each element of your story. 18
- 19. STEP 4 USE ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE • Accessible language ensures that your messages are clearly communicated, compelling, and credible to your audience. • Accessible language depends on your audience. • One approach is to use a conversational writing style, which can be understood by everyone, even those who aren’t technical experts. Conversational writing is easy to read and remember. 19
- 20. STEP 4 | TIP SHEET TIPS AND TRICKS FOR WRITING ACCESSIBLY 20
- 21. STEP 5 IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND DEVELOP THE PRODUCT • This step outlines how to plan for the actual product development, including decisions related to time and resources. • Essential steps are: • Develop a timeline and budget. • Choose a format. • Draft an outline. • Draft the content. 21
- 22. STEP 5 IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND DEVELOP THE PRODUCT • Consider working with communications professionals to develop and disseminate your product. Communications professionals include: • Developmental editors. • Copy editors. • Graphic designers. • Communications specialists. • Communications professionals may use templates or custom design the product. Working with a template will usually be less expensive. 22
- 23. STEP 5 TIP SHEETS AND WORKSHEETS 23
- 24. STEP 5 EXAMPLES AND TEMPLATES 24
- 25. GETTING THE WORD OUT DISSEMINATION AND TRACKING Plan: A dissemination strategy is a plan for how to share information or specific communication products. Track: Following up after you disseminate your communication product is important for learning how your target audience used it and whether they took any of your recommended actions. FOR MORE INFORMATION See the Research-to-Action Plan section for a step- by-step guide to reaching audiences of interest, including tips for creating a dissemination strategy. 25
- 26. GUEST SPEAKER ANNEKA VAN SCOYOC
- 27. DESIGN & RTAC 27
- 28. GATHERING PROJECT INFORMATION KICKOFF MEETING DISCUSSIONS • What is your communication objective for this product? • As a result of the communication, what will the audience know? What will they believe? What will they do? • Who are your primary and secondary audiences? • What product format would you like to use? 28
- 29. GATHERING PROJECT INFORMATION KICKOFF MEETING DISCUSSIONS 29
- 30. GATHERING DESIGN INFORMATION KICKOFF MEETING DISCUSSIONS Basics • Number of pages • Page size • Professional printed (Y/N) • Languages Look & feel • Style Guide • Tone • Academic • Informative • Approachable • Innovative • Bold • Modern • Bright • Trusted • Confident • Fun Assets • Imagery • Graphics • Logos 30
- 31. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 1: WIREFRAMING Photo placeholders Length of acknowledgments, references, logos, etc. Word count limit Data visualization idea Final product after wireframing 31
- 32. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 2: FIRST DRAFT • Text layout – Figuring out how all the text provided will fit together on the page. • Custom graphics – Includes identifying, creating, and/or downloading small design accents to creating icons for a data visualization. • Photo selection and editing – Often need to sort through photos to see what will work best with the layout of the document, includes editing photos in Photoshop and searching for photos on Stock websites like Getty and Alamy. • Data visualizations – Help a reader visualize the content and can act as a complement to the text or even replace text. Can range from pulling out big statistics with descriptions to tables to line charts to even more custom visualizations. • Choosing and applying style/tone – Includes font and color selection, photo editing, styling, pulling quotes, identifying what text needs to be more important. 32
- 33. Graphic treatment Custom graphics DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 2: FIRST DRAFT 33
- 34. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 2: FIRST DRAFT Graphic treatment Custom graphics 34
- 35. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 3: REVISIONS ROUND1 REVIEW Designed draft is ready! Designer revises ROUND 2 REVIEW ROUND 3 REVIEW Designer revises Designer finalizes FINAL
- 36. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 3: REVISIONS • Have a designated manager of feedback. • Be clear and concise! • Try to avoid making unnecessary requests where possible (especially towards the end of the process).
- 37. DESIGNING THE PRODUCT STEP 4: FINAL PRODUCT
- 38. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A DESIGNER • Use a designer when you can. • Bring them into the process as early as possible. • Share information with them that they might not know. • Background on target audiences • Symbology/graphics to use or avoid (and why) • Imagery to use or avoid (and why) • Don’t feel like you have to know what you want. • But if you do, tell us why 38
- 39. A FEW MORE LESSONS LEARNED FROM DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS • People don’t read - they skim. • Put the bottom line up front (“BLUF”). • Ensure main messages stand out (bold text, bullets, etc.). • Share your products where your audience is already consuming information. • Ensure your audience knows how to follow up / whom to contact. • Translation into different languages can be challenging! (But is important). 39
- 41. AUDIENCE ACTIVITY RESULTS HOW WILL YOU USE THIS SECTION IN YOUR OWN WORK? • Follow the process enumerated in the toolkit and apply it practically, expecting feedback from our stakeholders and even our colleagues. Make the outcome of our study is easy to understand. • Get primary feedback on communication products. • Involve all stakeholders early. • More focused communication • Help researchers clarify the who, what, why questions about their work/research. • Train more folks on how to use Canva, in case our one designer is busy! • Ask our audiences about which format is most accessible for them. • Ask my grandma or kid to read communication products :) • Look into ways to track use/application of evidence products. • Share some of this information with the technical team so everyone is aware of the communications needs to deliver great products! • Figure out where policy-makers get their information to begin with. • Help researchers clarify up front who they think can use their evidence. • Use a team to create communication products. • Involve designer early in the process. • Start the product design process earlier.
- 42. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Share your story about how using the Research Translation Toolkit has influenced uptake of your research by emailing us at itr.researchfeedback@usaid.gov. 42
- 43. UPCOMING WEBINAR ● March 9: Transforming Research Into Programs and Policies: How to Use the Research-to-Action Section 9:30 - 11:00 am (Eastern Time) 43
- 44. THANK YOU! Register for the last webinar and access post-event resources via the webinar website: https://www.rtachesn.org/stories-and-news/research-translation-toolkit-webinars/
- 45. Acknowledgements This presentation was produced by Population Reference Bureau under the Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) project. RTAC is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of contract no. 7200AA18C00057. The contents are the sole responsibility of RTAC and NORC at the University of Chicago and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States government. 45