comms_13may2013

=ILRI comms meeting= =Addis Ababa= =13 May 2013=


 * Participants**

Shirley Tarawali Susan Macmillan Peter Ballantyne Sisay Webshet Apollo Habtamu Muthoni Nijuri Abenet yabowork Simret Yesabu Ewen Leborgne Mekonnen Feyisa Jane Gitau Evelyn Katingi Paul karaimu Meron Mulatu Albert Mwangi Fanos mekonnen Tsehay Gashaw Daniel Hailemichael Tezira Lore Abeba Desta Tesfaye Jemaneh Emaelaf kebede

more ..


 * Resources**

Report from the comms staff survey



Report from the comms 'demand' survey




 * Agenda**

1330 Welcome and objectives (Shirley)

Our comms expertise areas and focus of effort: Review of the survey feedback from comms staff

Demand for comms expertise Review of the survey feedback from scientific staff

1700 Close

**Full discussion notes**
Group 1:
 * Feedback from groups on comms survey:**
 * The survey didn’t portray what we are doing (a lot of stuff that’s not presented here)
 * The survey didn’t capture each and every output
 * Much time is also spent for non-KMIS tasks that are not reflected in the survey
 * The survey should have been simplified
 * There are lots of work going on / staff are not aware of all of this – ILRI Comms got talent
 * What we do most is reactive and not proactive
 * Good if we specialize on specific primary tasks

Group 2:
 * Have more coverage in the regions through having dedicated staff
 * The question ‘we’re good at’ is not well captured in the survey
 * We need more content creators in the pipeline
 * We need to raise awareness on accountability viz. CRPs
 * We need to re-organise communication for more coherent comms approach
 * Focus on the demand side in a more coordinated way
 * We need to understand how our activities meet our overall comms objectives

<span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group 3:
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Little time for innovating
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Little time to focus – too many things to do
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Closing the gaps to communicate (how to make sure we get the right stories to the right channels etc.)
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Get assistants (each of us)
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Raise salary
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Expectations from researchers that “comms people do that”
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Too many technologies


 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group feedback about researchers' survey: **
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Some questions are not focused enough
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">They may not know what they don't know and formulate needs which may be felt but not be actual

<span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">What we need to think about: <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">- A theory of change on comms would help. <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">- A better understanding on personal/ team productivity/ efficiency/ effectiveness <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">- Work on programs, regions, CRPs etc. <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">==> what could be 1-2 concrete activities that ILRI could take.

**<span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group work on what we need to think about next **

 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group 1: Addressing gaps in programs, regions, CRPs **
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Who maps the gaps (what do you need in the regions etc.)?
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Identify the focal points (different programs might have different interests and needs)?
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Educate people about comms stuff: What we do; Be strategic (not use all the tools for anything)
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Assess the gaps  shape the KK to help programs feel their comms needs
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Assess comms plans of regions and CRPs
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Develop a comms plan for ourselves


 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group 2: theory of change (ToC) **
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">We need to collect feedback from our staff about what the comms team is doing as well as feedback (positive and negative) and interest from target audiences
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">We can develop and collect individual theories of change which can feed into a collective ToC
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Identify what we are good at and where we fall short
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">We need indicators and collect data about important areas of change
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">After all that we can fulfill the goals on our communication plan and we can inform the overall ILRI ToC


 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">Group 3: Personal / team effectiveness **
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Develop work plans (based on KRA indicators)
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Discuss with team members and have monthly goals to get advice from your supervisor to identify what you’ll be working on
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Researchers need to be told that yes we do want to help but we need a plan so we can ensure full support is given (time, equipment, logistics)
 * <span style="background-color: #f5f5f5; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">Create a menu of actual’s impact