PIFRA COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

Designing Communication Strategy

Communication is a two way process. The better we listen to the audience, better we will be able to answer their needs, the more our message will be liked and acted upon. An effective communication strategy needs to be drawn up for the entire PIFRA project. We can design our communication strategy focusing on the following essential elements of an effective communication process.

Review
First of all we have to analyze how we have been communicating in the past? And how effective we were in the past? For this we have to conduct a survey of our current communication strategy process. We have to analyze if people know us, who we are? What are our aims and objectives? If the results are negative, we will assume that our previous communication strategy was ineffective, and for a time being lets suppose it is ineffective. Another way to review our current communication strategy effectiveness we can conduct an audit, and check the results. o o o o Who we are? How do we serve our stakeholders? What are our unique selling propositions? What makes us unique?

Best results can be achieved by giving our internal and external stakes holders full confidentiality, ensuring them that the information and suggestions provided by them for the assessment of our communication strategy would be in safe hands. Several latest techniques could be used to help reviewing the strategy, we can use the online surveys, including online polls and Close ended questioners.

Objective
Every plan in this world starts with an objective; same are the rules for designing a communication strategy. First of all we should define our objective, for most of the communication strategies the ultimate objective is to create an influence on the audience. Our objectives should be SMART; it could be elaborated as: Specific Measureable Attainable Result oriented Time limited

The PIFRA project aims at computerizing the accounting and auditing system of the country. The purpose is to generate timely, accurate and reliable financial information to achieve effective financial controls in the civilian and non corporate sectors. Our aim is to move from the centuries old manual system to computerized accounting system. Our vision is to generate accurate and transparent accounting data in efficient and time effective manner.

Audience
Next important step is defining our audience. We define our audience on the basis of primary and secondary audience: Our primary audience is our stakeholders. Our main stakeholders include: CGA AGPR EAD AGPR World Bank FBR Government employees public at large Planning commission Provincial financial departments and Executive agencies Finance division Ministry of interior Controller general accounts State bank o Pakistan ACG AGPR

Whereas our secondary audience comprises the government employees.

Message
At PIFRA we have one message for multiple audiences. We are: A modernistic and internationally accepted capacity for Department of Auditor General of Pakistan to strengthen accountability and transparency framework. A country wide Electronic data processing facility for controller general of accounts to streamline the accounting system for timely and informed decision making. A comprehensive tool for finance division to develop budget and control expenditure at all government and to generate government financial statistic manual 2001 fiscal tables.

Channel
After analyzing our budget and determining human skills at PIFRA, we can start sketching the kinds of items we want to place in our basket of communication. We can use the following channels for our communication strategy: Newsletters A quarterly newsletter should be published for our primary and secondary audience. Newsletter will provide updates on the project and also cover the current events at PIFRA. Different subsections would also be added according to the interests of the audience. Brochures Brochures are designed on quarterly basis, spotlighting the aims and objectives of PIFRA and how to achieve them. The brochure will highlight the main components of PIFRA. It will also highlight the current performance of PIFRA In comparison to the past years performances.

PIFRA CD 1. PIFRA Cd will provide a digital image of the news letter and brochure, as some people prefer reading from their computer screen. The digital image will also allow them to copy the data from the newsletter in case they want to quote it someplace else. 2. Cd is also accompanied by a video documentary on the performances and objectives of PIFRA 3. Video messages by head of each department would be compiled speaking about the PIFRA reforms.

PIFRA website Our website should be up to date with the current and upcoming event at PIFRA. Website should provide forums and blogs, where extensive discussion about the PIFRA reforms can be conducted. Online forums can be very helpful in further smoothening the implementation process.

Seminars/ workshops Seminars and workshops should be conducted by the senior managers and the champions of change at the national, provincial and local office level.

Public Relations PIFRA should maintain its public image for high-profile people, commercial businesses and organizations, non-profit associations or programs. Good public relations could be achieved by: 1. 2. 3. 4. Providing transparent information to business reporters. Responding to negative acquisition and problems Providing transparent information to its stakeholders Engage government department to influence policy making

Press Release Value able news and accomplishment at PIFRA should be shared with the press. The news provided to the press will be further shared with the general public via news papers and other news media.

Resources
Communication can be expensive so we have to design the communication strategy according to the provided budget. Communication strategy often requires high-quality materials and methods for creating those materials; they require people with the skills to use those methods; and they require dedicated financing. We need to be realistic about what we can actually achieve, and aware of the many hidden costs around certain tools.

Timings
A good communication strategy can end up as a failure if it is not implemented at an appropriate time. We have to consider the specific opportunities and events that might rise in the future and that could somehow effect the implementation of our communication strategy. We should decide realistic timeline for the implementation of the strategy.

Implementation
After reviewing the time line, we will finally implement the communication strategy. The new communication strategy might bring some resistance from the employees, as most of the employees are hesitant to new strategies and procedures. One of the many models that have been used for years in bringing the change in the organization is Kurt Lewin model. We can help ourselves reviewing the implementation according to this model. This three staged process comprises of Unfreezing, change and refreezing. We can enforce the Lewin change model in PIFRA to ensure the least resistibility to the change.

Feedback
After the implementation we will analyze if our communication strategy is 100% successful or not? Evaluative thinking is another means of evaluating the implementation. Practitioners of ET take time to reflect upon their work, creating valuable lessons that can then influence and modify their activities. What are we learning and how can we use those lessons to improve our performance in the future? Both the lesson and the act of learning are at the heart of ET: learn to extend whats working well and learn to fix whats working poorly. carrier