LO1: Measuring Success
- Knowledge: Knows and understands the tools for measuring impact and success and how they help to monitor the project.
- Skills: Can evaluate and analyse events, impacts and experiences of stakeholders/actors involved in the project.
- Competencies: Can assess the achievement of the initiative, taking into account the goals and objectives of the initiative, and knows how to sensitise the partners involved to the implications of his/her experience.
- Link to Content: Timeline and learning history; Impact monitoring tool; Impact stories
LO2: Sharing Results through on-farm demonstrations
- Knowledge:Understands what on-farm demonstrations are used for and the important key facts about how to design an on-farm demonstration.
- Skills: Can structure a demonstration event in relation to the specific situation and assess the resources needed when designing a demonstration event.
- Competencies: Can run a well-structured and well-planned demo event (including evaluation of the event).
- Link to Content: On-farm demonstrations
LO3: communication and marketing
- Knowledge: Understands the difference between communication and marketing and can name different models of communication.
- Skills:Can apply communication models and identify their advantages and limitations.
- Competencies: Can use elements from different communication models and integrate them into a comprehensive communication strategy for their own initiative / innovation.
- Link to Content: Communication and marketing
Introduction
Welcome to the module “Sharing Results and Achieving Impact”. In the previous module you learned about tools and methods which help you to build and manage a multi-actor innovation partnership. In this module we will introduce you to one of the most effective ways of transferring knowledge, which will help you to engage with target groups, as well as some tools for evaluating and monitoring (the impact of) your project.
There are a variety of tools for knowledge transfer, but in the case of innovative projects however one of the most effective are ‘demo events’ / on-farm-demonstrations. Therefore, in this module you will learn how to create and design a demonstration event.
Evaluation activities are fundamental and useful beyond simply measuring the success or failure of an initiative/innovation. It is important to consider evaluation as a necessary aspect of innovation and to embed it in the planned activities.
By the end of this module, you will be familiar with different tools and approaches how to share your results and achieve impact.
Innovation Spiral Phase VI – Dissemination
Considering target groups, standardisation of services, documenting and learning
Phase 6 of the innovation spiral, “Dissemination,” involves the widespread adoption of a successful new practice by others. In this phase, the focus shifts to sharing the practice / the innovation with a wider audience, ensuring that it is replicated and integrated into different contexts. This requires effective communication, targeting the right groups, and providing evidence of success to encourage others to adopt the innovation.
The following methods and tools are ways of successfully promoting the implementation of innovation.
Measuring Success
Measuring success in a multi-actor innovation project is crucial because it provides evidence of what works, promotes accountability among different stakeholders, and helps to align their efforts towards common goals.
It also enables the identification of best practice, facilitates informed decision-making, and ensures that resources are used efficiently, ultimately increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes and wider adoption of the innovation.
There are several tools that can help you to measure the success of your innovation project. Three of these are presented here.
Timeline & Learning History
What are the benefits of creating a timeline and a learning history for your innovation project?
- The tool helps to monitor the participatory project by providing you with a clear summary of the (previous) course of the project. It can help you to identify risks/problems and give an overview of the adjustments adaptations you have had to make
- Other advantages are, that it helps to find quick solutions -> Self-reflection on what has happened in the project so far
- The tool helps to gain a new perspective on events by analysing them in a structured way
Timeline
Prepare a flipchart paper with an arrow representing the time from the beginning of the project up until now
All participants / members of your partnership should individually identify three types of moments (on sticky notes) and should place them along the timeline
- Moments with a positive impact
- Moments with a negative impact
- Moments of flashing insights
Learning history
Turn the timeline into a short narrative story
Divide the story into four to six scenes, giving each a title and analyze each scene.
Monitoring Tool for Impact (developed as part of the H2020 project LIASON)
The tool is useful to set the basis for capturing the key aspects of the initiative / innovation to monitor the expected impacts. It is designed to facilitate a participatory reflection on the design of the initiative and the impacts it aims to achieve.
The tool allows for a more in-depth analysis of the interaction with challenges and helps to monitor them.
It is important that the expected impacts are considered during the activities of the initiative, and not only at the end. This is because they can be used as a benchmark to understand whether expectations are being met or, on the contrary, whether activities need to be adjusted.
Their regular use is recommended to monitor the progress of the initiative and make a self-reflective analysis of the future steps to be taken.
To use this tool, it is recommended to work with an Excel File. As part of the HORIZON2020 project LIASON an Excel template has been developed that is available free of charge.
To help you understand the added value of this tool, we will briefly explain the key elements that are relevant for monitoring the impact of your innovation project.
In the ‘Initiative design’ section, you will collect the outputs (i.e. the immediate results obtained from the innovation produced). You will link them to the results (i.e. objectives of the innovation). In a column called ‘Status’ you can monitor the progress of each objective/output.
The second section deals with ‘societal challenges’. There is a list of different societal challenges mentioned in the Excel tool (with the possibility to add more). The first step is to assess the extent to which the initiative contributes to the different societal challenges. It should also be checked which actors are needed to realise the contribution.
The main outcome of the tool is a participative reflection on how your innovation project has developed so far.
Impact Stories (developed as part of the H2020 project LIASON)
The ‘Impact Stories Tool’ (developed in the course of the H2020 project LIASON) should be used after a stakeholder has engaged with a project (or part of a project) to assess the impact of the project/initiative and the stakeholder’s subjective evaluation
It helps to understand a stakeholder’s experience and the learning (that led to the impact) with a project
It helps to assess the extent to which the stakeholder’s experiences match with that of the project/initiative
How to use the tool:
- To use this tool, you once again need a facilitator. The facilitator acts as an interviewer, the role of the facilitator is to listen and to ask open questions to invite the stakeholders to tell their story.
- The facilitator needs to be prepared with a list of key events/impacts planned or initiated by the project.
- The facilitator should pay attention to the different multi-actor scenarios.
- Possible questions are: Can you tell me about your experiences of the projects or events that are important to you personally? Can you tell me more about how all that happened? Do you remember anything else about this particular moment/time?
The story portrays the participants experiences of the project and its impacts, interactive innovation processes are described, it can be assessed whether and how significant the intended impacts of the project were experienced by the participants.
First Activity Module 4.V
Group Work Outline: Measuring Success and Impact of your Climate Smart Agriculture Innovation
1. Defining Success Metrics
Objective: Identify what constitutes success for your innovation project in the long term.
Activities:
- List potential success indicators such as yield improvements, cost reductions, or improved soil health.
- Evaluate and prioritize these indicators based on relevance and feasibility.
2.Impact Assessment
Objective: To develop a framework for assessing the broader impact of the project
Activities:
- Use one of the tools (introduced earlier) to assess the impact of your project so far.
- Think about what can be done to achieve an even bigger impact: Who do you want to reach? How can you address them? What outcomes / outputs have you been able to achieve so far? What needs to be done to achieve the outcome you originally intended?
Sharing Results
Sharing results of your initiative / innovation is crucial because it:
- Enhances Knowledge Dissemination: Spreads new practices and insights widely, enabling wider adoption and learning.
- Facilitates Collaboration: Strengthens partnerships, builds networks, and pools resources among stakeholders.
- Drives Innovation: Inspires further ideas and provides feedback to refine innovations.
- Supports Evidence-Based Decisions: Informs policymakers and practitioners, influencing decisions and policies.
- Increases Transparency and Accountability: Demonstrates impact and builds trust with stakeholders.
- Encourages Sustainable Practices: Promotes best practice and enables successful techniques to be scaled up.
- Enhances Learning and Capacity Building: Transfers knowledge and skills, improving future projects.
- Contributes to the Innovation Ecosystem: Promotes a culture of continuous improvement and provides a valuable repository of knowledge.
🡪 On-farm demonstrations are a suitable model for knowledge transfer, particularly for farmers and partnerships in which farmers are actively involved.
On-farm demonstrations
What are on-farm demonstrations used for?
- On-farm demonstrations were originally used as a way of introducing innovations to farmers
- Today, they are also used as a way to share experiences between farmers and to support knowledge and co-creation between farmers and other stakeholders.
- In addition, farmers use on-farm demonstrations to open up their farms to the public as part of business development strategies.
What are potential possibilities of an on-farm demonstration?
There is a wide range of ways, how to implement on-farm demonstrations
On-farm demonstrations follow a wide range of approaches, are planned with different objectives in mind and are organized by a wide range of actors
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach for a successful on-farm demonstration
Possible on-farm demonstrations are
- Field day events
- Multi-year monitoring farms (where farmers, advisors and industry members meet regularly to assess farming opportunities in-situ)
- Permanent research farms where researchers test and demonstrate innovative technologies and approaches
How to create and design your on-farm demonstration event (developed by the H2020 project farmdemo):
„Why do you want to organise the demo event? What do you want to demonstrate? Who do you target? What do you want to achieve with the demo?“
- State clear objectives and key messages
- Target your farming audience in line with your objectives
- Invite other actors to increase the impact
- Select your host farm in line with your objectives
- Go for a credible and innovative host farmer
- Ensure access by good location and facilities
-> The host location has an influence on the accessibility of the demo (geographic and social)
- Organisation team: Compose a balanced organisation team in line with your objectives
- A balanced program: Provide enough time for interaction and networking
- Choose a suitable time: Consider trade-offs when selecting a suitable time
- Make sure to have suitable facilities and equipment
- Make sure how to budget the demo event
- Register participants before the event
- Compensate the host farmers
- State your key messages in line with your objectives
- Adapt the jargon to your target audience
- Clear invitation adapted to the target groups 🡪 go for a clear and appealing invitation
- Use the right and multiple communication channels
- Interact with the participants before the demo
For selecting suitable learning methods, there are 3 principles:
- Relate learning content to farming practice
- Engage participants in active knowledge exchange
- Use a variety of learning methods
-> There is no single right method to transfer and exchange knowledge, the actual choice depends on several factors e.g. group size and composition
- Evaluate if your objectives have been met
- Differentiate between your short term (What do visitors take home?) and long-term (What do visitors do with what they have taken home?) results
- Use and implement the results of your evaluation
- Organise follow-up activities for both participants and non-participants
Alternative: Virtual and hybrid farm demonstrations (developed by the H2020 project farmdemo):
During the COVID-19 crisis virtual demos have proven their potential as a tool to reach out to and stimulate knowledge exchange between farmers in periods with sanitary restrictions.
Virtual demo events: The event takes place online, where participants and organizers meet virtually on an online-platform.
Hybrid demo events: Parts of the demo event take place online, while other parts take place face-to-face.
Virtual or hybrid demo events should take place at a predefined time and in a predefined (virtual) space, they should focus on peer-to-peer learning and prioritize farmer participation.
How to design your virtual demo event:
- Specify the objective
- Technical Set Up
- Content Development
- Promote your virtual demo event
- Deliver a virtual demo event
- Evaluation and follow up
Alternative: Virtual and hybrid farm demonstrations
Virtual settings come with new challenges and limitations – mainly related to technical issues and facilitating interaction and exchange
Types of virtual demo events:
- Webinar 🡪 allows online presentations with the possibility for participants to interact
- Webcast live-stream 🡪 physical event without the possibility for participants to interact
- Farminar 🡪 live demonstration in the field with the possibility for virtual participants to interact
- Promote your demo event via mailing lists, website, social media, radio, cross-posting via collaborators or partners
- Divide the roles during the event to ensure a smooth flow (e.g. facilitator, demonstrator, technical expert)
Agenda of a virtual demo event:
- Welcome/Introduction
- Testimony/Demonstration
- Facilitated Discussion
- Wrap-up and follow up
Many interesting pieces of advice for organizing you on-farm event can be found at: https://farmdemo.eu/
Second Activity Module 4.V
Plan your own on-farm demo event
Think about planning your own upcoming on-farm demo event to showcase your climate-smart agriculture activities to a wider audience. Use the six key steps (inspired by the Horizon2020 project Farmbook) presented in this learning module to ensure efficient planning:
1. Define the Objectives and Target Group: Start by clearly defining the objectives of your demo event. What do you want to achieve? Do you want to showcase a new farming technique, a piece of equipment, or a crop variety? Set specific, measurable goals for the event and determine who your primary audience is. Are you targeting fellow farmers, agricultural advisors, researchers, or policymakers? Understanding your audience will help you tailor your demo to their needs and interests.
2. Select your host farm and prepare the logistics: Organize all logistical aspects of the event, such as selecting the demo site, arranging equipment, and ensuring that facilities (like parking, restrooms, and refreshment areas) are available. Also, plan for contingencies, such as bad weather or technical issues.
3. Demo set-up -> Plan the Content and Activities: Develop the content of the demo, including the key messages you want to communicate and the activities that will best demonstrate these points. Think about important issues such as budget and registration for the event.
4. Promote the Event: Create a promotional strategy to attract people to your demo. Use a mix of communication channels, including social media, local newspapers, and direct invitations, to reach your target audience. Be sure to include clear details about the date, time, location, and how to register.
5. Select Suitable Learning Methods: Think about the most appropriate learning methods for your target audience. You could consider a variety of methods such as hands-on activities, guided tours, and interactive discussions to effectively engage your audience.
6. Evaluate and Reflect: After the event, evaluate its success by gathering feedback from participants and reflecting on what worked well and what could be improved. This will help you refine your approach for future events and ensure continuous improvement.
By following these steps, you’ll be well prepared to host an effective and engaging on-farm demo event. Good luck with your planning
Marketing and communication
On-farm demonstrations are a powerful tool for communicating agricultural innovations and best practices in a real-life, hands-on approach. They allow farmers and other stakeholders to see new techniques, equipment, or crop varieties in action, providing a tangible experience that can be more convincing and memorable than theoretical explanations or written reports. Demonstrations can bridge the gap between research and practical application, helping to build trust and confidence in new methods as participants observe results directly in the field.
But while on-farm demonstrations are crucial, they are not enough. Marketing and communication are still needed to maximize the impact of these demonstrations. Here’s why:
Effective pre-event marketing and communication is essential to attract the right audience. Without proper promotion, the event may not reach its full potential in terms of participation and engagement. Awareness campaigns ensure that the people who could most benefit from the demo know about it and are motivated to attend.
Clear communication and strategic marketing help to differentiate the innovation from competitors and build credibility and trust in the innovations.
Marketing and communication channels provide a platform for ongoing engagement with your audience. Post-event surveys, discussion forums, and social media interactions allow you to gather feedback, answer questions, and continue the conversation, which can lead to further refinement and improvement of your farming practices.
Consistent, effective communication helps build your reputation as an innovative and knowledgeable farmer. By sharing your successes and lessons learned through a variety of media, you establish yourself as a leader in your field, which can lead to new opportunities, partnerships, and increased trust among your peers.
Effective communication and marketing are essential for the success of innovations, helping to ensure their adoption, differentiation and long-term viability in the marketplace
Marketing and communication (Terminology)
The process of identifying, creating and satisfying customer needs and wants.
It includes analyzing market research data, developing products and services, setting prices, selecting distribution channels and designing marketing campaigns
The exchange of information and ideas between two or more people or groups
In marketing, communication refers to the way companies communicate with their customers and other stakeholders, including the use of marketing tools such as advertising, public relations, direct marketing and sales promotion
The process of communicating information and messages about products or services to inform, persuade and remind potential customers to make a purchase decision
Marketing and communication (communication models)
In the following we will be introducing some well-known communication models.
Understanding different communication models, is valuable because they provide a frameworks to guide you on how to communicate your message effectively. These models break down the communication process into key components such as the sender, the message, the medium, the receiver, and feedback. By understanding these elements, you can:
- Tailor Your Message: These models help you think critically about who your audience is (the receiver) and how to craft a message that will resonate with them
- Choose the Right Channels: Understanding the medium of communication is critical. Different audiences may prefer different channels – such as social media, newsletters, or face-to-face events.
- Enhance Feedback and Engagement: Communication models often highlight the importance of feedback to ensure that your message has been understood and acted upon.
- Improve Clarity and Focus: By following these models, you can structure your communication to avoid noise (distractions or misunderstandings) that could dilute your message. This leads to more effective sharing of your innovation results, ensuring that your key points are communicated clearly and persuasively.
In summary, different communication models provide a strategic approach to sharing the results of your innovation project, helping you to communicate more effectively by considering the full context in which your message is delivered and received.
Lasswell’s communication model (1948)
The model describes the communication process with five components: who (the sender/communicator), says what (the message), through what channel (the medium), to whom (the recipient) and with what effect (the outcome).
- According to the Lasswell model, the sender is responsible for creating and transmitting the message.
- The message is the information or content that is being communicated.
- The medium is the means by which the message is delivered, for example a newspaper, a radio station or a website.
- The recipient is the person or company that receives and interprets the message.
- And the outcome is the effect the message has on the recipient, whether it’s a change in behavior, an increase in knowledge, or some other kind of impact.
The Lasswell model is a useful tool for understanding the various factors that influence the communication process
Its simplicity helps in analyzing communication, but it has been criticized for being too linear and not taking into account feedback or the interactive nature of communication.
Two-Step-Flow-Model (Paul Lazarsfeld, 1940s)
The model suggests that the flow of information in a society does not follow a linear path from sender to receiver, but takes place in a two-step process.
- The first step in this process is the transmission of a message from a mass media source to a group of people known as “opinion leaders” -> Opinion leaders are influential members of the community who have a greater interest in and knowledge of the topic under discussion.
- The second step in this process is the transmission of the message from the opinion leaders to the general public -> the opinion leaders act as intermediaries by interpreting and explaining the message to the general public and influencing their attitudes and behaviour.
The two-step flow model has had a major impact on how we understand the extent to which media influence public opinion and has been widely studied in the field of communication research.
Two-Step-Flow-Model (Paul Lazarsfeld, 1940s)
The model suggests that the flow of information in a society does not follow a linear path from the sender to the receiver, but takes place in a two-step process.
- The first step in this process is the transmission of a message from a mass media source to a group of people known as “opinion leaders“ -> Opinion leaders are influential members of the community who have greater interest in and knowledge of the topic under discussion.
- The second step in this process is the transmission of the message from the opinion leaders to the general public -> the opinion leaders act as intermediaries by interpreting and explaining the message to the general public and influencing their attitudes and behavior.
The two-step flow model has had a major impact on how we understand the extent to which media influence public opinion and has been widely studied in the field of communication research. The model suggests that media effects are not direct but are mediated through opinion leaders. This means that media influence is exerted indirectly through these intermediaries.
It also highlights the importance of social networks and personal interactions in the spreading of information. Rather than media messages directly influencing the public, these messages are first filtered through opinion leaders within social networks.
While influential, the model has been criticized for its simplicity and for assuming a uniform influence of opinion leaders, which may vary significantly across different contexts and issues.
Osgood-Schramm-Modell of communication (1954)
The model describes the communication process as a dynamic exchange between two or more people in which the meaning of the message is created by the interaction between the sender (source) and the receiver (target).
The model has three key components: source, receiver and message. The source has an idea, encodes it in a message and sends it to the receiver. The destination then decodes the message to understand the idea, responds with its own coded message, and sends feedback back.
It emphasises the interactive nature of communication through feedback. Unlike linear models, it emphasises that communication is a continuous process in which both sender and receiver are actively involved.
The model introduces the idea that both sender and receiver act as encoders and decoders of messages. This means that each participant translates messages into understandable forms and interprets the messages received.
The model highlights the importance of shared understanding or common ground between participants. Effective communication relies on the sender and receiver having similar backgrounds or experiences in order to interpret messages correctly.
It recognises that noise (external or internal factors that distort messages) and context (the environment or situation in which communication takes plase) can affect how messages are sent, received, and understood.
Unlike linear models, the Osgood-Schramm model is circular, illustrating that communication is an ongoing, cyclical process rather than a one-way transmission.
Comparison of Communication Models
| Aspect | Lasswell’s Communication Model (1948) | Two-Step Flow Model (Paul Lazarsfeld, 1940s) | Osgood-Schramm Model of Communication (1954) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aims |
Analyze and understand the communication process.
|
Explore how information is disseminated through opinion leaders.
|
Illustrate the interactive, cyclical nature of communication. |
|
Benefits |
Provides a clear, straightforward framework for analyzing communication.
|
Highlights the role of interpersonal communication and opinion leaders in shaping public opinion. |
Emphasizes feedback and the interactive nature of communication. |
|
Limitations |
Too linear and simplistic; doesn’t account for feedback or the interactive nature of communication.
|
Overemphasizes the role of opinion leaders; assumes uniform influence across all contexts.
|
Oversimplifies communication by not fully addressing noise and other contextual factors.
|
How can I promote my innovation? (channels)
There are several possibilities to communicate your innovation – the most common ones are:
Publish a press release
- Try to send it to local, regional and national media – if possible, give an interview to them
- Include information to attract the attention of your target group
Use your social media accounts
- Possible networks are facebook, twitter, linkedin, instagram
- Do not just post photos, also post videos
Send informations on your mailing list
Print dissemination material with important facts (e.g. leaflets, brochures)
Most important communicating your innovation is to be creative, precise and reach your target group
Third Activity Module 4.V
Group Exercise: Applying Communication Models
Objective: To understand and apply Lasswell’s Communication Model, the Two-Step Flow Model, and the Osgood-Schramm Model of Communication in the context of a multi-actor partnership, such as in a farming cooperative or agricultural project.
Participants: Members of multi-actor-partnerships trying to share the results of their project/ innovation (e.g. stakeholder groups like farmers, Agricultural partners, researchers, consultants, other partners)
Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard or flip chart
- Markers
- Sticky notes
- Handouts with descriptions of the three communication models (optional)
- Scenario details (e.g., project goals, stakeholder roles)
Exercise Duration:
Approximately 60-90 minutes
Steps:
1. Introduction (10 minutes)
- Briefly introduce the three communication models: Lasswell’s, the Two-Step Flow, and the Osgood-Schramm models.
- Explain the objective of the exercise: to apply these models to improve communication within the partnership.
2. Scenario Presentation (10 minutes)
Present a relevant scenario to the group. For example, “The partnership is launching a new sustainable farming initiative and needs to effectively communicate with various stakeholders including local farmers, suppliers, and consumers.“ You can also let the group/s think of their own scenario.
3. Model Application (30 minutes)
Divide Participants into Three Groups: Assign each group one of the communication models.
- Group 1: Lasswell’s Communication Model
- Task: Develop a communication plan using the Lasswell model framework (Who, Says What, In Which Channel, To Whom, With What Effect).
- Focus on creating a clear message for the new initiative and outlining the components of communication.
- Group 2: Two-Step Flow Model
- Task: Identify potential opinion leaders within the stakeholder groups. Plan how these leaders will receive and disseminate information about the initiative to the wider audience.
- Focus on strategies for engaging opinion leaders and leveraging their influence.
- Group 3: Osgood-Schramm Model
- Task: Create a communication strategy that incorporates feedback loops and recognizes the interactive nature of communication.
- Develop a plan to ensure ongoing dialogue between all participants and the effective exchange of messages.
4. Group Presentations (20 minutes)
- Have each group present their communication plan based on their assigned model.
- Encourage them to explain how their model addresses the scenario’s communication needs and how they plan to implement their strategies.
5. Discussion and Integration (20 minutes)
- Facilitate a discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of each model as applied to the scenario.
- Discuss how elements from each model can be integrated into a comprehensive communication strategy.
- Highlight key takeaways and how these models can be applied in real-life communication efforts within the partnership.
6. Wrap-Up (10 minutes)
- Summarize the main points from each group’s presentation.
- Encourage participants to reflect on how these models can be applied to improve their communication practices.
- Provide a handout or summary of the key elements of each model for reference.
Debrief
- Reflection: Ask participants to reflect on how understanding and applying different communication models can enhance their collaborative efforts and project outcomes.
- Action Steps: Identify actionable steps that participants can take to apply insights from the exercise to their real-world communication practices.
