What if there was a way to break down big, complex and evolving communication challenges into more manageable chunks? What if there was a way of de-risking campaigns and being more confident they would land? What if there was a way to do less, but still get the same results (or even better)?
Now, forgive what might strike you as a large dollop of hyperbole. We genuinely think there is an approach that answers some, if not all, of these questions. Yes, not every time and in every context, and it’s certainly not a panacea (there are no magic wands after all), but we are convinced that design-thinking combined with positive psychology has something powerful to offer. And we are seeing the evidence time and time again. Buzz word bingo doing your head in? No problem. Let’s just call it human-centred comms. Still not working for you? Don’t worry, you’re not alone (this stuff is often rightly accused of being ridden with too much lingo). However, stay with me, there’s something here for you.
Let’s break it down. What we’re talking about is two fold:
- Changing the starting point
- Practical tools
Changing the starting point
We believe that putting the employee front and centre of every stage of the comms process – from strategy and planning right through to execution and evaluation – is the way to better communication. To have communication that lands, resonates and achieves its goals. There can hardly be a comms professional out there that doesn’t start here – or think they start here. The difference is how close you get to the genuine needs and motivations of people. This is the stuff of emotions. And it takes more than a channel audit, engagement survey, or campaign metrics to get here. It means working with, not for, your colleagues, to get to the heart of what matters. And building from there.
Which leads us to tools – Find out more at our recent webinar. Or join us at our next IC by Design Workshop on February 3rd 2021 (repeating March 3, 2021).
Practical tools
Perhaps the thing we love most about design-thinking is the tools we’ve found in this world. And those we’ve built. We cover all of these in our new book Employee Experience by Design – How to Create an Effective EX for Competitive Advantage. Working recently with a US-based global insurance business we discovered yet again the power of a simple tool, the persona, to dramatically change mindsets in comms and unlock powerful new thinking. Thinking which rapidly translates into better communication.
Personas are not without their critics, and while we understand the origins of many of the challenges, we (and the organisations we support) always find they are a powerful thinking tool for comms professionals. Like many of the tools we use to support comms teams, personas can be used in many ways and at different stages of the communication process. Why not join us at our next IC by Design Workshop to learn about personas and the other tools you can adopt to create more meaningful comms, more efficiently. Practical and applied, we can guarantee you’ll leave the workshop with a toolkit you can’t wait to put to work (and a copy of our book to help you find more applications).
Can’t make the date? Order yourself a copy of Employee Experience by Design – How to Create an Effective EX for Competitive Advantage. Add discount code AHR20 at checkout to get 20% off.
