©: Evelyn Daniel,
Page revised Sept. 24, 2001.

ANCHASL GRANTS WORKSHOP

TELLING THE STORY

Notes on Dissemination

Donald Schon says the hallmark of any professional is the ability to "name and frame a problem." Here when we are discussing dissemination it is the ability to name and frame the results of the project and its evaluation.

"Telling the story" includes commenting on:

The Audience

Determine who your various audiences are -- who wants to know, who needs to know. Think broadly about all your audiences. Internally may be the easiest. This is other staff in the organization, even if not involved in the project. They want to know:

Externally, they are several categories of audiences, for example:

When considering what format to use, try to match the format to your audience' interests and needs. Communicate to fit the user's point of view. Use clear, expository prose and focus on RESULTS, DECISIONS, IMPACTS. Use graphs, charts and other visuals if possible.

When considering who needs to know, a good rule to follow is that the more changes you are advocating and the most complex the project is, the less most people want to know.

Tailor the message to the individual or group ("different strokes for different folks"). Use your imagination to understand what your audience or listener wants/needs to know. Some examples:

In other words,

SING THEIR SONG!