Plan
Plan
Consider exactly what you aim to achieve with your communication, how it will happen, and why you think it will work.
Top tips:
- Set a goal that defines the change you want to achieve
- Set objectives that help reach your goal, defining how that change will happen, based on evidence-based insights
- Make your goal and objectives SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
- Identify audience(s) through demographics, psychographics, knowledge, experience, mental models, influence, and more.
- Prepare 'talking points' (or messages) that encourage sharing knowledge, informed discussion, debate, and decision-making.
Contents of Disaster Risk Communication Hub
Based on insights gained through the UNDERSTAND process, risk communicators need to define a specific goal you intend to achieve through disaster risk communication.
Risk communications should consider targeting their communication to specific audiences with common characteristics.
Strengths and limitations of key communication channels and formats.
Discussion is often a precursor to action, so risk communicators should consider how to generate informed discussions among your target audience around disaster risks.
Scenario: Planning to communicate with fisherfolk in Pacha-Pacha
Based on the research described in the scenario above, you and peers in other sectors have agreed on the following goal and objectives:
Goal: To increase the number of fisherfolk in Pacha-Pacha who report they received early warnings that helped them make decisions and take actions to stay safe.
- Objective 1: Organisations and collaboration - To improve the connections among practitioners from different sectors, including government (Met Services and Emergency Management), media (public and private), and civil society (fisher associations) to identify ways of improving communication and early warning with fisherfolk.
- Objective 2: Organisations and skills – To improve practitioners’ ability to communicate more effectively about hazards, eg How to convey complicated terms, how to deliver these on broadcast media with clarity, and how to reach fisherfolk face-to-face.
- Objective 3: Organisations and reach – To increase the number of radio stations with large broadcast footprints that include weather forecasting tailored to fisherfolk. (Facilitated by greater access to forecasts that are appealing to their audiences – from Objective 2).
- Objective 4: Individuals – Fisherfolk – To increase the number of fisherfolk who prioritise having good quality radios when they go to sea. Eg They have purchased, or are saving to purchase, or expect boats to have them before boarding.
- Objective 5: Interpersonal – To increase the exchange of knowledge between older and younger fisherfolk about weather forecasts, early warning, and risk reduction.
You will reach these aims by connecting with target groups on the following topics:
| Target Groups | Connector | Talking Points |
|---|---|---|
| Practitioners – Government, Media, Civil Society | Face-to-Face: workshops, job-swaps, roundtable discussions | What makes it difficult for you to communicate early warnings for fisherfolk? What would make it easier? How can you work better together? |
| Met and Media practitioners | On-the-job mentoring | How will you present forecasts and other information that appeals to fisherfolk? How will this bring in audience figures? |
| Fisherfolk | Radio: Daily programme Social media: To comment, share and expand on radio content Face-to-face: Discussions in bars and cafes, facilitated by local leaders, to build on radio discussions Radio: alerts and early warnings Mobile phones in range | How are fishing practices changing? How sustainable is it? What new technology is available? How does that help us earn more, protect the sea, stay safe, etc? How much do you spend on a good radio? Would you buy your partner a cheaper anniversary gift to afford a better radio? Why? What knowledge do older fisherfolk have from generations past? What about tsunami? Impact-based forecasts and what actions should be taken in response |
Resources
- IFRC,
- IFRC and Save the Children,
- UN National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2018), A practical guide for natural hazard risk communication
- National University of Singapore (n.d.),
- GSMA Mobile for Development (2024), Enhancing inclusion in mobile-enabled risk communications: Lessons from South Africa
- Compass (n.d.),
- Nesta (n.d.),
- Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (n.d.),
- Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ (2023),
- UCL Warning Research Centre, Anticipation Hub, Global Disaster Preparedness Center,