Successful Communication: A Toolkit for Researchers and Civil Society Organisations

The author argues that, within the international development field, it is not more communication of evidence that is needed, but rather better communication of evidence. This handbook aims to help development actors communicate better. It presents 23 tools, divided into the following categories: 'Planning', 'Packaging', 'Targeting' and 'Monitoring.'

It is written for researchers and practitioners who wish to communicate to policymakers. The tools are therefore geared towards the needs of researchers and practitioners in civil society organisations (CSOs), including development non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research institutes, think tanks, universities and networks. The toolkit addresses how researchers and CSOs can best communicate evidence in order to inform or influence policy, to achieve their own stated development objectives, or simply to make their own knowledge accessible and understandable to a wider audience.

The tools included are:

• Planning Tools - stakeholder analysis, social network analysis, problem tree analysis, force field analysis, national systems of innovation (NSI), how to write a communications strategy
• Targeting Tools - writing policy papers, building a community of practice, lobbying, websites, blogging, media engagement, radio
• Packaging Tools - visioning scenarios: show the future, tell a story, provide a solution , use surprise, be persuasive
• Monitoring Tools - most significant change (MSC), outcome mapping, researcher checklist