Over the past three months we have enjoyed a series of blogs introducing us to the subject of knowledge translation. Now we shall spend some time to understand the different ways through which we can communicate our research findings. As a researcher, you are constantly faced with the challenge of effectively communicating your findings to your target audience. Here are 6 key considerations that can help you make a good choice out of the numerous communication channels;

1.Your audience How does your key audience(s) prefer to obtain information about the subject matter, how literate are they? Where do they spend their time? At what times can they be reached in different locations and via different channels?

2.What are your communication objectives?  Are you trying to change the behavior of your audience or the behavior of those who may be in a position to influence their behavior? How simple or complex are the issues you are addressing?

3.What stage of the research are you at? Are you at an early stage where raising awareness and increasing knowledge about your research is important? Or are you at a later stage where you may be trying to build and cement certain relationships, behavior or changes?

2.What communication materials exist on the same or related topics? Could you leverage other materials to communicate and engage with your audience about concurrency and related issues? How accessible and reliable are these channels? What kind of information (subject, complexity) is communicated through them and do they have ‘space’ to address concurrency effectively?

3.What are other stakeholders doing? What channels does each stakeholder or partner have at its disposal? Who could help you expand reach and or increase dose? What would it cost to pursue this help?  

4.How much is your budget? What is the cost per person reached of the channels you want to use, and what resources do you have at your disposal?

Now let’s get a deeper understanding of the different communication channels.

1. Formal communication channels: These channels carry relational kind of information across different research stakeholders. They detail policies and procedures of the relationship. Examples include; memorandum of understanding and standard operating procedures for a given research project.

2. Informal communication channels: These channels are used mainly to build networks that could facilitate the translation of research findings into practice or policy. An example is a lunchtime date with a key stakeholder. Here, discussions among stakeholders are encouraged to arouse interest in the research findings and to keep stakeholders updated.

3. Unofficial Communication Channels: Researchers need to pay attention to such channels of discussions, as their rate of diffusion is usually high. Taking advantage of a “hot” discussion to pass on one’s key messages can be very rewarding and far-reaching. Common channels here include; mobile telephone text messages, emails, and electronic social media platforms.

1. http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/communication_channels.htm
2. http://www.uoguelph.ca/omafra_partnership/ktt/en/researchintoaction/resources/paperonktttoolkit_bridingtheknowdogap.pdf
3. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/communication-channels-within-organization-61447.htm