GFAR Communications [email protected]
Challenging Development and Research Communications – Part II:
Internal Communications
Presenters
Simone Staiger (CIAT)Cavin Mugarura (Blue Node Media)Carina Carrasco (Fontagro)Peter Casier (GFAR)
Q&A
Moderators: Charles Plummer/Peter Casier (GFAR)
Challenging Development and Research CommunicationsInternal communications
Simone [email protected]
28 March 2017GFAR Webinar
“The quality of results produced by any system depends on the quality of awareness from which people in the system operate.” Otto Scharmer
“Organizational communication is much more than media and tools. An organizational culture in which there is communication is much more powerful and sustainable. Organizational and individual learning accelerates with internal communication. Aligning decisions towards organizational strategy requires internal communication.” Diego Naranjo, PENTA
Essentials I – Cool Quotes
Some desirable characteristics of external communications, Michael mentioned:
Networked approachMultiple dialoguesParticipatory approachesRecognizing everybody's knowledgeInclusive decision making and social learningCreate products as a social processUnderstand local contextAll types of communications are valid, level of participation depends on objectives, sometimes linear comms works Our job is: Linking and connectingDo M&E to show how comms contribute to outcomes
Michael Victor, speaker of GFAR Webinar “Participatory communications and uptake communications“
Essentials II – Characteristics of internal communicationsAll of this is also true and essential for internal communications
Blurred Boundaries External – Internal Communications
http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2014/09/15/blurred-boundaries/
“… today’s technological advancements translates into a new type of private and public. Disconnection from society, the internet, and media have become the
new private. Therefore, […] we can create a different kind of architecture that is less
physical and more informational—whether visual, digital, or otherwise.”
Think about:TechnologyThe benefit of the messy stuffThe Friends of your organizationWhat is it that really cannot be shared outside ?
• Make affordable, high-quality food readily available to the rural and urban poor• Promote rural income growth• Provide the means to make a more intensive and competitive agriculture both
environmentally sustainable and climate smart
CIAT Culture980 staff, 200 scientistsDiversity in nationalities (57 countries)Generational shift 42% < 40 yearsLess then 40% women, 24% in ResearchSpanish and EnglishScientists under pressure to leverage funding
On a good day, at CIAT we see us as - Young- Dynamic- Pioneering new Research- Disruptive- Having a broad, unique research
agenda
On a bad day, at CIAT we see us as- Working in silos - Resistant to change- Re-inventing the wheel- Lacking leadership- Unable to unite administration and
research
Theory of Change: Internal Communications
StrategyToC and
Annual Work Plans
M&EThe innovation of Theory of Change lies (1) in making the distinction between desired and actual outcomes, and (2) in requiring stakeholders to model their desired outcomes before they decide on forms of intervention to achieve those outcomes. (Wikipedia)
• Research and administrative staff share the organization’s values• Researchers integrate between different research disciplines and areas• The communication and knowledge management team optimizes
communication channels• All CIAT personnel understand the ‘sustainable food future’ principle
and know how to apply it in their work• Collaborative networks are inclusive
Strategy: Desired Outcomes of CIAT internal communications
Create new spaces for dialogueFoster team work and learning in teamsCommunicate to create among all staff a better understanding of key developments in CIAT’s work and institutional environment
Annual Work Plans – Example 2016
Interventions– Three Examples
Team profiles
Campaigns
Screens
Team Profiles
CIATnet
CIATtalks
CIATscreens
1. Determine our indicators
2. Invite to focal group discussions1. Use of live surveys (Mentimeter.com) 2. Conversation – feedback loops3. Consult statistics (CIATnet)
3. Decide on adjustments and changes in work plan
Monitoring and Evaluation
Output Impact Narrative What to measure
How to measure it
CIATtalks CIATtalk participants express their opinions openly and provide input to desirable organizational changes. They suggest new issues to discuss.
• Number of participants• Perception of participants
about the usefulness of CIATtalks
• CIATnet stats• Number of new issues
suggested.
• Survey• Documentation of
debates• Focal groups
Annual Work Plans – 2017 just fyi
• Teamwork – looooong conversations • Internal network – internal communications focal points• Regional integration with Asia and Africa• Well connected with leaders and decision makers• Real interest in colleagues• Working with same methods and principles than research does, i.e
Theory of Change
• Attention to people and process
What makes our / YOUR internal communications thrive
Our TeamSylvia Pineda
EnthusiastA natural connectorCurious
José AranaThoughtfulA natural planner Perfectionist
Simone Staiger-Rivas
Carlos PoloA cool, always busy designer
Plus: Carlos Saa, Madelline Romero, Georgina Smith, the comms network, Esteban
Open Atrium – a collaboration space Prepared by : Cavin Mugarura (Prof.)Email: [email protected] Founder: Blue Node Mediawww.bluenodemedia.com
What is Open Atrium Open Atrium is a free/ open source
platform that helps organization s communicate and collaborate better
It’s Drupal distribution, one of the most popular and powerful Content Management Systems after WordPress
Features : Spaces
Groups / Permissions
Messaging / Notifications
Task Management / Case Tracker
Custom Features Due to the open source nature of open
atrium, you can have any custom feature developed by engaging a software development firm with expertise on the drupal platform
Planning your intranet The key to a successful intranet lies in
how best you prepare the ground work. Organizing and planning your content
for a rich user experience contributes a lot to a successful intranet application
Information mining An Intranet can easily grow big, making
it hard to find information One of the best examples of how e
commerce giant – Amazon solved this problem was by introducing faceted search, which helps narrow down the information into sizeable chunks
Faceted search
Cross-Border Collaboration in
LAC for Innovation in
Family Agriculture
The case of FONTAGRO
GFARMarch 28, 2017
www.fontagro.org
CARINA CARRASCOKnowledge Mangement and Communications AdviserFONTAGRO
Twitter: @FONTAGROdigital
Agricultural Cooperation Mechanisms in LAC
PROCITROPICOS
PROCISUR
PROCINORTE
PROMECAFE
R&D agencies from developed
countries
CGIAR CentersCIAT, CIP,
CIMMYT, IFPRI, Bioversity
CAC Technical Group on Innovation
CATIECARDI
FONTAGRO
FONTAGRO IN BRIEF
UNIQUE COOPERATION MECHANISM FOR AGRICULTURAL
INNOVATION IN LAC Sustainable financing for
agricultural research and innovation
15 member countries
Capital: + US$ 100 million
100 projects approved
US$ 88.6 million approved
Leverages US$ 1 to US$ 5 from others
25 countries benefited
› Annual calls for proposals › Agreed-upon projects› Competitions› Small Grant› Strategic studies › Capacity building
Results of external evaluation (Sain et al 2014):
› Finances projects to institutions of 2 member countries or more
› Cross-border collaboration in LAC
› A network of researchers, scientists and professionals
OPERATIONS
77 %results
incorporated by national systems
Substantial impact on capacity
building
KM AND COMM STRATEGY
FONTAGRO brings together different organizations to work on innovation of family agriculture
Strategy defined and approved based on survey of 170 FONTAGRO key users
To strengthen dissemination and visibility of research results, we should strengthen KM & COMM capacities of researchers first.
› Which are your preferred communication channels to receive or access FONTAGRO’s information?
65%
KM AND COMM SURVEY
FONTAGRO’S AUDIENCES
FONTAGRO
SPONSORS
DONORS
PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS AND
DONORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTING AGENCIES
RESEARCHERS
OTHER MULTILATERAL
ORG
PRIVATE SECTOR
MEDIA AND PUBLIC OPINION
COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY
PROJECTS
EXTERNAL AUDIENCIES
INTERNAL AUDIENCIES
› Contributing towards Knowledge Sharing & COMM capacity-building for researchers who participate in FONTAGRO projects
› Systematizing of knowledge generated by projects
› Collaborative activities
› Incentive programs
› Training activities : In-person and online—training activities
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
MAIN INTERNALAUDIENCIE:
RESEARCHERS
Strategic Plan
› Intranet for project leaders
› Project sites hosted in FONTAGRO’s website
› Systematizing the collection and documentation of project results and progress
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
• Annual technical workshops to share progress on innovation projects
• Daily reporting and monitoring of 60 project and its activities
WEBSITE AS A INTERNAL COMM
TOOL
WEBSITE AS A
REPOSITORY OF
KNOWLEDGE
PLATFORMS
CAPACITY BUILDING
3ON-LINE
COURSESLED BY SME
2IN-PERSON TRAININGSVenezuelaHonduras
1COMM IN PERSON
AND ONLINE COURSE
Preparation of competitive proposals for Agricultural Innovation Projects
Regional Agricultural Communications network: Central American and Southern Cone
Projects migrated to new website. Project results uploaded to project sites.
Web-based report on progress of FONTAGROs’ projects knowledge management.
IN PROGRESS
Online teams and communities.
Peter Casier
The difference: a group and a team
•Purpose
•Structure
How to create a “Purpose”?
•Define your objectives•Define your process•Define measurable goals•Define who can be part
How to create a “Structure”?
•Committed facilitation/leadership•Define roles
Tips and tricks• What’s in it for them?• The common challenge• (Friendly) competition• Positive spirit• Honesty• Openness• Momentum
Questions/Remarks