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Effective communication within Information, Technology and Consulting (ITC) is essential as it promotes transparency and openness among colleagues, faculty members, and students. We prioritize clear and concise communication techniques to foster an environment that encourages dialogue and feedback. This article highlights various key communication methods and techniques we employ daily to support our efforts further. By utilizing these methods, we aim to establish a culture of open communication within ITC and the broader Dartmouth community.
Role of a Communication Specialist
Communication Objectives
Communication Methods
Communication Guidelines
Communication Tips
Communication Process Description/Purpose
Communication Cadence and Quantity
Communication Process
The Communication Specialist should be engaged for communications with a broader impact on the organization, involving public relations, or requiring strategic oversight to ensure alignment with the organization’s overall goals and image. In addition, the Communication Specialist can also be engaged for team-level communications, daily updates, and specific project-related information.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Strategic Communication Planning: Develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies that align with the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Content Creation: Produce high-quality content for internal communications (within ITC) and external communications (within the Dartmouth Community as a whole).
- Brand Management: Ensure consistent messaging and branding across all communication channels.
- Emergency Communication: Develop and execute emergency communication plans. Handling sensitive information requires careful and strategic dissemination.
- Internal Communication: Facilitate clear and effective communication within the organization to ensure all staff, faculty, and students are informed and engaged.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate with stakeholders to foster positive relationships and support for the organization’s initiatives.
When to Engage a Communication Specialist:
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Large-Scale Organizational Communication:
- Announcements impacting the entire organization include leadership changes, major policy updates, mergers, or acquisitions.
- Strategic initiatives or projects that require cohesive and comprehensive messaging.
- Emergency situations that could affect the Dartmouth community on a large scale
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Brand and Image Management:
- Overseeing campaigns that shape ITC's public image.
- Ensuring brand consistency across all platforms and communications.
Team-Level Communications:
Although some teams handle smaller, day-to-day communications internally, please do not hesitate to involve your ITC Communication Specialist in the process.
This includes:
- Routine updates or announcements.
- Project-specific communication within the team or department.
- Informal communications and feedback loops
- Upcoming Event/Change (forewarning)
- Announce New Projects
- Updates
- Information Security Matters
- FYI - Create Inclusion
- Emergencies and Urgent Communications
- Instructions
- Documentation
- Just-in-Time Announcements
- We strive to create this environment through clear and concise communications.
- Communications must always clearly state for the audience, “what do I need to do/what does it mean for me/why are we (ITC) implementing this/when does it affect me?”
- When applicable, use a bullet or numbered list (simple and easy to read)
- Make sure all communications meet accessibility standards. No italics, no bold; use headers instead
- Always provide them with a way to access more information or seek help, with a landing page or Knowledge Base Article (KBA).
- Provide context, but not too much.
- Understand that you don’t have a captive audience
- It takes repeated messaging for someone to recall it.
- Consistent talking points from all directions.
- Use “solutions” over “software.”
- Provide minimal options and avoid using words like “recommended” when discussing a required change.
- No jargon or abbreviations
- Avoid using the term "Google it"; instead, use "Web search" or some iteration of a non-brand search. Our community has access to and utilizes many different search engines.
- If applicable, offer self-serve options.
- Always note the ticketing system and “how to get IT help.”
- In formal vs. Informal language, ensure your communications are appropriate for the audience.
- Do not use informal language for Dartmouth-wide communications.
- When communicating internally to the ITC department, use ITC; when communicating to Dartmouth-wide, use “Dartmouth” instead of ITC.
- Identify the audience or group impacted (who)
- Identify internal stakeholders
- Identify the mode of communication (how)
- Identify the message (what)
- Within the message, the primary questions you need to answer for your audience are “What do I need to do?” and “How will this impact me?”
- Days - 14, 7, and 1 for change communication
- Heads up, change is coming
- Remember, we said there’ll be a change?
- Change is here!
- Gather internal stakeholders and:
- Determine what specific goals you are trying to meet with the communication -Create Achievable, relevant goals
- Determine who is responsible for each step of the process
- Establish the persona of the message (is it formal or informal), keeping in mind your audience
- List all necessary information (remember the reader ultimately wants to know WHAT they need to do or HOW this will impact them)
- Select your mode of communication
- Communicate early to allow time for a follow-up communication if needed.
- Create a messaging matrix- an easy-to-read document that compiles all the most important information about the communication.
- State essential problems or issues you are communicating (goals)
- Establish the target audience
- Specific messaging language
- Dates of deployment: Work backward from the due date and increase as you approach the due date.
- Method of communication
- Responsible staff