UNIT IV
Communication Planning for National Development
INTRODUCTION
Equipped with the basic foundations of communication policy and planning, we now come to the highlight of this course. We will proceed with translating communication policy into plan. Related articles are included for your added readings (See Appendices).
OBJECTIVES
After studying this Unit, you should be able to:
1. Elaborate communication plan and communication planning,
2. Discuss an overview of a classic communication plan; and
3. Prepare a communication plan in matrix form for a specific development project of your choice.
COMMUNICATION PLAN AND COMMUNICATION PLANNING
• Communication plan – refers to the framework that describes how communication strategies will be implemented so that objectives are met on time, with maximum effectiveness and efficiency.
• Communication planning – refers to the process of deciding in advance what courses of action to take to solve a communication problem or need of a specific audience and to achieve certain goals and objectives.
In planning, we ask the following (PCARRD, 1996):
• Where do we want to go? – set goals and objectives based on problem or needs
• Why do we want to be there? – rationale or purpose for achieving a desired condition
• Where are we now? – situational analysis, problems and needs
• How do we get there? – strategies and activities for accomplishing goals and objectives
• How do we know we have arrived? – evaluation scheme is needed
• Who will be responsible for what result? – doer as well as outputs or results
Levels of communication planning:
§ Meta plan (national level)
§ Macro plan (agency level)
§ Micro plan (program or project level)
At the national level (meta plan), communication strategies help achieve national goals set by the National Development Plan and the policy statements of the national government. These are usually contained in an Integrated National Communication Plan (PCARRD, 1996). In the Philippines for example, we have the so-called IT21 or the National Information Technology Plan for the 21st Century.
The agency communication plan on the other hand, includes communication strategies at the macro level and reinforces the agency’s organizational units such as its central and regional offices.
At the micro level, communication strategies support an agency’s programs or projects. Source, message, audience and feedback strategies are part of the project plan.
Please note that a good communication plan regardless of level should include:
§ Situation analysis
§ Audience analysis
§ Communication goals and objectives
§ Planning premises
§ Implementation strategies
§ Evaluation scheme
§ Organizational set-up
§ Operational plan
§ Budget
STEPS IN COMMUNICATION PLANNING
Communication planning although varies, is a logical process guided by a systematic and rational framework. This framework could be developed through situation-specific data and information gathered through participatory research techniques. Please remember that communication planning should be linked to a communication policy, hence the plan is actually a course of future action in pursuance of a policy.
If the plan is national, the vision-oriented approach is adopted considering the larger societal communication conditions and specific program steps that will improve them. If at the program or project level, the iterative model of communication planning is used. Here, the planning proceeds in a building block manner, with each step becoming meaningful only in the light of the previous steps. The first step becomes valid because of the need or rational for the communication plan.
In the iterative model, we have the following sequence:
1. Environmental scanning
2. Audience analysis
3. Goal specification
4. Objective setting
5. Strategy formulation
6. Implementation
7. Evaluation
Now, let us briefly discuss each step.
1. Environmental Scanning
§ involves examination of the organization’s external and internal environments
§ target audiences (local government units and the general public).
Factors that should be considered in scanning the environment consist of:
o environmental analysis (communication opportunities, mobilization of extension workers, setting up of government radio station, etc.);
o policy analysis (agency’s policies about tapping of opportunities; responding to threats; strengths and weaknesses of the policies);
o value analysis (What do top officials want to happen about the program? about the agency? visions for the program? What norms of conduct or work ethics do they want their subordinate to observe in carrying the activities?);
o role analysis (What is the role of the government information officer in the context of the agency’s communication plan? or in the context of the program goals and objectives? What is the role of the communication or information unit or group? Are these roles a strength or a weakness of the agency?); and finally,
o resource analysis (What communication resources are at the information officer’s disposal? Can resource be committed to a communication project before its plan is prepared?).
2. Audience Analysis
§ The cardinal rule of effective communication is to know your audience. Audience analysis is “listening” to what potential users of information need. Collecting information about them is an essential preliminary step towards developing a communication strategy (Velasco, 2006).
§ Starts with audience identification and segmentation. When there is no audience segmentation, the target audience would simply be the audience; while the segmented audience may be identified as primary, secondary and tertiary. We have to know the characteristics and type of our audience because different audiences respond to different messages, channels and information sources
§ Audience communication problems or information needs are determined in order for us to develop a plan that can appropriately reach them
§ With the identification of communication problems or information needs, audience analysis can be focused
3. Goal specification
§ Communication goals are formulated in consideration of the specific audience to be targeted by the activity.
§ Goals can be directed towards any of the following :
o creating a positive image for the organization
o creating a market for the improved technology
o increasing productivity and profitability
o establishing private sector relations
4. Objective Setting
§ These are specific goals that we aim to achieve within a time limit through the use of strategies and resources
§ A good objective must be SMART (Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound).
§ Your objective should identify the audience of the communication and the type and amount of change expected in the audience. It maybe source-oriented objective (states the behavior required by the communicator/s) or audience-oriented objective (describes the desired outcome to be achieved in the audience).
5. Strategy Formulation
§ Communication strategy is the combination of methods, messages and approaches by which you, the planner, seeks to accomplish your objectives
§ Each strategy requires a conscious choice on the part of the planner between alternatives. Your choice should be balanced with practical considerations
§ The strategy usually composes four basic components as follows:
o Source strategy refers to the initiator of the communication process; use of credible sources as “endorser” of the technology or idea.
o Message strategy may refer to the content theme of the communication process or the approach in the delivery of the message. The approach may be educational (how to’s), informational (did you know?), entertaining or inspirational.
o Channel strategy. This should provide you with the best media mix that would provide the greatest impact on the audiences. There are three major criteria in choosing the appropriate media channel: urgency and speed required in disseminating information; your available budget; and the theme of your message.
o Audience strategy. A good communication plan must be able to clearly define the people and institutions it wants to reach, hence you should know who are they, their socio-demographic information, cultural norms and practices, psychological characteristics particularly their attitudes toward the subject or planned activities and their access to facilities and media.
6. Implementation
§ Management of the organization carrying out the communication program and networking are the most important activities in this phase;
§ Entails organizing and training people for their respective tasks as you put into practice your communication plan;
§ Forging linkages with key organizations engaged in the same area of development work facilitates resource sharing for a cost-effective implementation of the communication plan;
§ This process involves a combination of one or more considerations – from sending feedback, problem solving and decision-making and conflict management to ensure a successful project implementation.
7. Evaluation
This phase would not be complete without monitoring. These twin concepts are important components of implementing the communication plan. It is thus important that the management or the agency concerned should lay out a monitoring and evaluation scheme as well as indicators that would help gauge how the program is working and the impact that it has on the audience or the different stakeholders. This also contributes to program sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Now let’s get to work!
REFERENCES
Patron, J.S., M.V.Agoncillo and Belina SB.Capul. 1992. A Communication Manual for ASEAN Field Information Officers. The ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information. Quezon City Philippines
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development. 1996. Strategic Communication Planning and Management: A Package of Training Modules. Los Banos, Laguna Philippines
Velasco, MT. H. 2006. Information and Communication for Natural Resource Management (NRM): An Overview. Information and Communication for NRM in Agriculture: A Training Sourcebook. College of Development Communication, University of the Philippines at Los Banos and the Sustainable Development Department. Food and Agriculture Organization. ISBN 92-5-105482-7. Available at http://www.fao.org/docrep
Supplemental Readings:
Communications planning in www.impacs.org
Unit IV – Communication Planning for National Development 38