Development message design and communication
The effectiveness of development message is of the foremost importance in development communication. The message selection has to be based on the holistic view of the development project objectives as message selection forms one of the important factors affecting the success of the overall project.
Points should be kept in mind while designing the message:
1. Usefulness of the content: People should see the advantage in the message conveyed to them.
2. Timeliness: Messages should be coordinated with the timing of the activities they have intended to influence, to increase the implementation potential of the content.
3. Appropriateness: Development messages should include the reason or logic for suggesting any new idea apart from the process to be followed in putting the idea into action. This can help people to decide what is appropriate for their individual conditions.
4. Simplicity: Simple messages are easy to communicate and understand.
5. Needs assessment of the target groups: Various methods like community study, observations, contacting key persons or leaders of the community, referring the reports, if any, can be used to find out the needs of the people.
Important steps in message designing:
1. Priority: Determining the priority issues and define them. For example: Whether health, nutrition, women’s issues and so on.
2. Media: Communication channels to be used should be decided keeping in mind the:
a. Literacy level of the target group
b. Channel access
c. Channel availability
d. Purpose of communicating.
3. Local resources: Incorporating local resources in planning the communication strategy.
4. Different content for different channel: If TV is to be used, the script should be written. If drama or behaviour format is to be used in the strategy, script writing will have to be done accordingly.
5. Pre-testing: Pre-testing the strategy with a sample of your target group to avoid any loss or wastage in communication.
6. Proper delivery system: Transmission of the message has to be done step by step, if a number of the media have to be used in a sequence or order of occurrence and importance under the controlled condition and observation of the communication.
7. Evaluation: Evaluation of the communication strategy should be carried out in terms of its objectives.
Factors for loss of meaning of messages:
• Production team related factors
• Content related factors
• Media related factors
• Audience related factors
• Context/environment related factors
Messages conveyed through media have an impact on behaviour and hence, its usage for development. The type of influence and the extent of impact of these message would be determined by the content, its presentation, creditability of the media and the source, audience characteristics such as their education level and exposure to other messages or sources etc.
Points should be kept in mind while designing the message:
1. Usefulness of the content: People should see the advantage in the message conveyed to them.
2. Timeliness: Messages should be coordinated with the timing of the activities they have intended to influence, to increase the implementation potential of the content.
3. Appropriateness: Development messages should include the reason or logic for suggesting any new idea apart from the process to be followed in putting the idea into action. This can help people to decide what is appropriate for their individual conditions.
4. Simplicity: Simple messages are easy to communicate and understand.
5. Needs assessment of the target groups: Various methods like community study, observations, contacting key persons or leaders of the community, referring the reports, if any, can be used to find out the needs of the people.
Important steps in message designing:
1. Priority: Determining the priority issues and define them. For example: Whether health, nutrition, women’s issues and so on.
2. Media: Communication channels to be used should be decided keeping in mind the:
a. Literacy level of the target group
b. Channel access
c. Channel availability
d. Purpose of communicating.
3. Local resources: Incorporating local resources in planning the communication strategy.
4. Different content for different channel: If TV is to be used, the script should be written. If drama or behaviour format is to be used in the strategy, script writing will have to be done accordingly.
5. Pre-testing: Pre-testing the strategy with a sample of your target group to avoid any loss or wastage in communication.
6. Proper delivery system: Transmission of the message has to be done step by step, if a number of the media have to be used in a sequence or order of occurrence and importance under the controlled condition and observation of the communication.
7. Evaluation: Evaluation of the communication strategy should be carried out in terms of its objectives.
Factors for loss of meaning of messages:
• Production team related factors
• Content related factors
• Media related factors
• Audience related factors
• Context/environment related factors
Messages conveyed through media have an impact on behaviour and hence, its usage for development. The type of influence and the extent of impact of these message would be determined by the content, its presentation, creditability of the media and the source, audience characteristics such as their education level and exposure to other messages or sources etc.
Role of cyber media in development
Cyber: connected with electronic communication networks, especially the Internet.
The communication landscape in the country has been undergoing major changes largely due to technological developments during the last two decades. Use of computers has revolutionized the process of collection and dissemination of information. Internet is widely used by corporate houses, educational organizations, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and voluntary bodies.
The new technology, in fact is being increasingly used for governance (Electronic governance) and during emergencies.
E-Governance: At the most basic level, it's about putting services online and making it easier for people to access them. On a broader definition, it involves an effort by the government to lead society from an industrial to an information age.
Benefits of E-governance: e-Governance sees the people in government, business and citizens working together for the benefit of all. If properly implemented, the benefits of e-Governance are enormous. Some of its obvious benefits are:
Integrated Information: e-Governance targets to use a government-wide electronic information infrastructure to simplify service delivery, reduce duplication, and improve the level and speed of service to clients at a lower cost. It recommends creating, managing, and prudently sharing information electronically among the various government departments and the different services offered by them.
Integrated Services: Different types of services offered by different government departments like collecting taxes, granting licenses, administering regulations, paying grants and benefits, can be availed at one place.
Anywhere Services: Provision of fully interactive on-line services by e-Governance gives public access to government services with quicker responses at convenient times. This on-line accessibility of stored information from remote locations allows government officials to serve any citizen from a government office located in any part of the state or country.
Anywhere, Anytime Information: Delivery of services may require interaction between government officials and citizens, but delivery of public-domain information to citizens can be done without any such interaction. Citizens can obtain information related to government processes and procedures through an on-line system without interacting with any government official. There is no pressure on individuals to physically visit a Government Office.
Improved Overall Productivity: e-Governance will significantly contribute to improved overall productivity of both the government officials and the citizens, as it ensures faster interaction among them by electronic mail instead of moving paper files and letters, and in streamlining the workflow of internal government administrative processes. On the other hand, improved productivity of citizens results because of the facility of anytime, anywhere services and information.
Better Decision Making and Planning: The integrated information base of e-Governance helps planners and decision makers to perform extensive analysis of stored data to provide answers to the queries of the administrative cadre. This facilitates taking well informed policy decisions for citizen. This in turn helps them to formulate more effective strategies and policies for citizen facilitation.
Better Security and Protection of Information: E-Governance uses the integrated information approach for keeping all information at one place in electronic form. Thus, keeping the information secure against theft or leakage. Proper backup mechanisms also help in protecting the valuable information from getting lost due to natural calamities such as fires, earthquakes, and floods.
Successful E-governance projects in states:
BHOOMI of Karnataka: The first e-governance project of on Land Records Computerization System.
WARANA of Maharashtra: ‘Wired Village’ concept at Warana cooperative complex in Kolhapur and Sangli districts in Maharashtra.
RASI (Rural Access to Services through Internet) of Tamil Nadu: Rural IT infrastructure in Tamil Nadu.
E-SEVA of Andhra Pradesh: Provides services relating to payment of Utility Bills, Certificates, Permits / licenses, reservation etc.
CARD of A.P: System of registration through electronic delivery of all the registration services.
Tax Administration: Better, faster, easier: In order to ensure that tax administration, including that of VAT, is faster and easier, the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers has flagged off an initiative called the National Tax Information Exchange System (TINXSYS) project across the country.
IT for Railways: Railway Reservation Systems and online delivery of tickets.
Community Benefits: Community centres with IT: The Government of India has set up Community Information Centres (CICs) in the North East and Sikkim. These CICs provide broadband Internet access at each block.They provide services such as birth and death registration, and act as e-Suvidha service facilitation centres for marriage and SC/ST certificates. They also provide information about agricultural prices and related matters, and educational and employment opportunities.
Computerising the Police: Connecting the cops: The Kolkata Police has built a WAN that connects the police headquarters and important bureaus with more than 400 police stations across the state of West Bengal. This network is in its final stage of implementation. The older special messenger system has been abolished, and all information is sent over the new network.
Sukhmani: The government of Punjab commissioned a project called Sukhmani as the citizen gateway for over 120 services provided by the government.
E-Governance is also referred to as SMART Governance because it aims at using IT to the processes of Government functioning to bring about Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent Governance.
Emergencies: During/after natural disasters, it is difficult to install radio communication stations for establishing contacts with the outside world. However, much easier to communicate through cyber media.
During the 2001, Bhuj (Gujrat) earthquake, cyber media played an important role in establishing contact, treatment of the injured and other relief and rehabilitation operations.
The communication landscape in the country has been undergoing major changes largely due to technological developments during the last two decades. Use of computers has revolutionized the process of collection and dissemination of information. Internet is widely used by corporate houses, educational organizations, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and voluntary bodies.
The new technology, in fact is being increasingly used for governance (Electronic governance) and during emergencies.
E-Governance: At the most basic level, it's about putting services online and making it easier for people to access them. On a broader definition, it involves an effort by the government to lead society from an industrial to an information age.
Benefits of E-governance: e-Governance sees the people in government, business and citizens working together for the benefit of all. If properly implemented, the benefits of e-Governance are enormous. Some of its obvious benefits are:
Integrated Information: e-Governance targets to use a government-wide electronic information infrastructure to simplify service delivery, reduce duplication, and improve the level and speed of service to clients at a lower cost. It recommends creating, managing, and prudently sharing information electronically among the various government departments and the different services offered by them.
Integrated Services: Different types of services offered by different government departments like collecting taxes, granting licenses, administering regulations, paying grants and benefits, can be availed at one place.
Anywhere Services: Provision of fully interactive on-line services by e-Governance gives public access to government services with quicker responses at convenient times. This on-line accessibility of stored information from remote locations allows government officials to serve any citizen from a government office located in any part of the state or country.
Anywhere, Anytime Information: Delivery of services may require interaction between government officials and citizens, but delivery of public-domain information to citizens can be done without any such interaction. Citizens can obtain information related to government processes and procedures through an on-line system without interacting with any government official. There is no pressure on individuals to physically visit a Government Office.
Improved Overall Productivity: e-Governance will significantly contribute to improved overall productivity of both the government officials and the citizens, as it ensures faster interaction among them by electronic mail instead of moving paper files and letters, and in streamlining the workflow of internal government administrative processes. On the other hand, improved productivity of citizens results because of the facility of anytime, anywhere services and information.
Better Decision Making and Planning: The integrated information base of e-Governance helps planners and decision makers to perform extensive analysis of stored data to provide answers to the queries of the administrative cadre. This facilitates taking well informed policy decisions for citizen. This in turn helps them to formulate more effective strategies and policies for citizen facilitation.
Better Security and Protection of Information: E-Governance uses the integrated information approach for keeping all information at one place in electronic form. Thus, keeping the information secure against theft or leakage. Proper backup mechanisms also help in protecting the valuable information from getting lost due to natural calamities such as fires, earthquakes, and floods.
Successful E-governance projects in states:
BHOOMI of Karnataka: The first e-governance project of on Land Records Computerization System.
WARANA of Maharashtra: ‘Wired Village’ concept at Warana cooperative complex in Kolhapur and Sangli districts in Maharashtra.
RASI (Rural Access to Services through Internet) of Tamil Nadu: Rural IT infrastructure in Tamil Nadu.
E-SEVA of Andhra Pradesh: Provides services relating to payment of Utility Bills, Certificates, Permits / licenses, reservation etc.
CARD of A.P: System of registration through electronic delivery of all the registration services.
Tax Administration: Better, faster, easier: In order to ensure that tax administration, including that of VAT, is faster and easier, the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers has flagged off an initiative called the National Tax Information Exchange System (TINXSYS) project across the country.
IT for Railways: Railway Reservation Systems and online delivery of tickets.
Community Benefits: Community centres with IT: The Government of India has set up Community Information Centres (CICs) in the North East and Sikkim. These CICs provide broadband Internet access at each block.They provide services such as birth and death registration, and act as e-Suvidha service facilitation centres for marriage and SC/ST certificates. They also provide information about agricultural prices and related matters, and educational and employment opportunities.
Computerising the Police: Connecting the cops: The Kolkata Police has built a WAN that connects the police headquarters and important bureaus with more than 400 police stations across the state of West Bengal. This network is in its final stage of implementation. The older special messenger system has been abolished, and all information is sent over the new network.
Sukhmani: The government of Punjab commissioned a project called Sukhmani as the citizen gateway for over 120 services provided by the government.
E-Governance is also referred to as SMART Governance because it aims at using IT to the processes of Government functioning to bring about Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent Governance.
Emergencies: During/after natural disasters, it is difficult to install radio communication stations for establishing contacts with the outside world. However, much easier to communicate through cyber media.
During the 2001, Bhuj (Gujrat) earthquake, cyber media played an important role in establishing contact, treatment of the injured and other relief and rehabilitation operations.
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