Communicating the Value of Transportation Research (2009)

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Guidebook The Communication Process 9 Communication can be a powerful means to further your research agenda. Without it, your research may have little infl uence on public policy, provide fewer overall public benefi ts, and decrease support for future research. Successfully communicating the value of your research generally leads to some sort of action, such as building support for or a better understanding of the research. This result in turn can open the door to new or additional funding and lead to the adoption of new technologies, designs, and structures in transportation engineering and construction projects. What does “value” mean? Defi nitions include “worth,” “desirability,” and “a suitable equivalent for something else.” Transportation research is often considered valuable when the result is perceived to be worth an amount equal to or greater than the funds spent on it—the return on investment. Therefore, a key step in communicating the value of your research is helping your audience grasp this exchange. Communicating value, or worth, is more than providing numbers, as in benefi t-cost formulas. Decision makers frequently assess value in terms of how they perceive the importance and worthiness of the research outcomes. The invisible, intangible perceptions they form and will remember can mean the diff erence between funding a transportation research program or project or cutting it. You can inform and infl uence these perceptions with a skillfully applied communication process or plan. The challenge is in anticipating, interpreting, and describing the social benefi ts that may come from your research results—the real value of transportation research—in ways that resonate with your audience. “Successful communication sends the right message in the right medium. It also uses the appropriate messenger to deliver the message to the proper audience.” The Communication Process2Chapter Communicating value means helping your audience realize the benefi t of your research and return on investment. Research Investment = Value Benefi t+

10 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Prepare content that respects the context and conveys the messages crafted for your audience. Select the best channels for communication that will allow the audience to understand the message. Use accessible styles that match both your needs and abilities and those of your audience. The funnel diagram shows that communicating the value of research is a multi-layer challenge: the upper layers of context, strategy, and content are just as important as—and in some cases even more important than—the lower layers of communication channels and style. Context What Is Context? Context is the setting or background within which the audience will understand and assess your research. For example, what is happening in the world/nation/state that will make your research relevant? The state highway budget crisis? A growing tolling trend? A major bridge collapse? Persistent road congestion? The context encompasses issues and trends associated with your research that are important to an audience. The context in which communication takes place infl uences the selection of strategy, content, channel, and style. Often, known facts, perceptions, players, opposition, and a debate about or associated with your research are already in play. Where appropriate, leverage current events as jumping- off points for introducing your research and why it matters.    Communication Process Success in communicating value starts with identifying the “issue to sell.” This guidebook is concerned with how transportation professionals communicate (or sell) the value of their research to infl uence the perceptions and actions of decision makers. While the strategies used to “sell the value” vary among the groups studied for this project as best practices, the elements of the process they followed were surprisingly consistent. This observation led to depicting the process for communicating the value of research as the following funnel diagram: Research programs must purposefully address each of the fi ve elements contained in the funnel diagram—context, strategy, content, channels, and style—during communication planning. While every context and problem is diff erent, the advice for success is similar: Understand the context of the problem or research issue and how it relates to the audience; conversely, consider how the particular audience relates to the research issue. Develop a logical, appropriate, and feasible communication strategy or plan that defi nes your audience and the information needs or messages you wish to communicate and how they relate to the value of your research.  

Guidebook The Communication Process 11 Describing context gives you more options in defi ning the problem and illustrating how your research product presents appropriate solutions. Without context, people think narrowly. Context can defi ne an issue as public in nature. How Is Context Used Eff ectively? Using context eff ectively requires conducting an external scan to assess the environment, political or otherwise, for your communication eff orts and taking stock of current events that will aff ect your communication strategy. Linking your communication with a current event or an issue of community interest brings it “closer” to your audience. To leverage current events successfully, you fi rst must understand how people currently perceive an issue and then strategically identify and characterize the problems or opportunities you want to communicate to engage your target audience. When people understand issues as individual problems, they may feel critical or compassionate, but they will not see policies and programs as the solution. How you identify the problem makes all the diff erence in how people view your research and its products. For example, in the Oregon Mileage Fee Concept and Road User Fee Pilot Program case study, a key element of the program’s success was helping the public understand the context of the problem, so the fee program could be approved. This ensured that the public understood why Oregon was pursuing an alternative to the gas tax for fi nancing the road systems. Why Is Context Important? When you hear a newscaster say, “In a study released today…,” what follows is a succinct wrap-up of the study’s central fi nding. Take the following May 2007 news release from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans): “4,304 people were killed in California traffi c accidents in 2005, and Caltrans hopes that implementing VII [Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration] will lessen that frightening fi gure.” Just as every report needs proper “framing,” how well you frame the research you are trying to promote can determine how eff ectively you engage your target audience. Context is central for eff ective framing of your story. “Th e key to moving your audience is to meet them where they are.” Using Context Eff ectively Link current data and messages to long-term trends. Interpret the data: Tell the audience what is at stake and what it means to neglect this problem. Defi ne the problem so that audience infl uences and opportunities are apparent— connect the dots, both verbally and in illustrations. Focus on how eff ectively the community/state/nation is addressing this problem. Connect the problem to root causes, conditions, and trends with which people are familiar. Source: FrameWorks Institute, “Framing Public Issues.”     

12 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Another important element to using context eff ectively: timing. When you communicate is just as important as how and to whom you communicate. If you want to infl uence decision makers in your agency, for instance, you will want to time your communication to policy makers when they are evaluating the issues or considering the alternatives. Depending upon your research, timely pegs could be seasonal trends or calendar hooks (major holidays, winter storms, spring thaw, hurricane season); anniversaries of major events (natural and man-made disasters, landmark rulings); and events that matter to targeted decision makers or stakeholders (professional conferences or meetings). Questions you might ask yourself when considering context include the following: What is the present state of debate on the research problem? Should key events or timing issues be factored in? Will timing be a constraint? Are other groups or people working on this issue or conducting similar research? Are they working with you or against you? Do misconceptions or misinformation about your research or your research problem interfere with your communication eff orts? If you are not gaining the support you are seeking (which may be in the form of a decision on the use of your research innovation or future funding for further research), you may need to reconsider your research context: sometimes you need to rethink how you talk about an issue.      California Seismic Bridge Retrofi t Program In the California Seismic Bridge Retrofi t Program case study, the catalyst that motivated the research and defi ned its value was the problem of earthquakes and the threats they present to life and safety. The history of major seismic events in California and their catastrophic outcomes demonstrated the need for this research. However, the value that decision makers place on research funding and the political situation still had to be considered. In deciding which research projects to invest in, these decision makers needed information from researchers. In this case study, communicating the value of research meant that researchers had to position their research in the right context to capture the interest and match the concerns of decision makers. They did this by communicating that their research was: The right issue—They showed how research for seismic bridge retrofi ts was relevant to decision makers. The right level of importance—They demonstrated how serious earthquakes are and the negative eff ects of not retrofi tting bridges. The right time—The researchers capitalized on and reminded decision makers about recent earthquakes while those events were fresh in the minds of decision makers.   

Guidebook The Communication Process 13 How Is Strategy Used Eff ectively? Consider these four steps in crafting your strategy: Identify your decision makers fi rst; the audience will follow. Think about the research problem or value proposition from your audience’s perspective. Consider messages that will resonate with your target audience’s core concerns. Determine the best messenger. Identify Your Decision Maker First It is critical to fi rst identify the decision makers you are ultimately trying to reach. These are the people who will ultimately say yes or no in response to your communication. The decision makers may be legislators whose votes you want to sway or a transportation director who can choose to use new technology in a highway construction project, or the media who may carry your research story. Your decision makers are those who ultimately vote for or can change a policy, infl uence the use of new technology, and so on. Knowing who these people are will guide you in targeting your audience. You or your organization may not have direct access to the decision makers; in that case, you must decide whether you are going to target communication directly to the decision makers or reach them through other infl uencers. The focus is on the audience with the greatest infl uence over and access to the decision makers. Third-party champions or intermediary organizations can validate your research, and they often work with researchers to strengthen the credibility of their research and fi ndings. Sometimes the target audience and decision makers may be the same people.     Strategy What Is Strategy? Strategies for communicating value depend upon identifying and understanding the audience and the purpose of the communication. Who are the decision makers? Who can best move your decision makers and help you achieve your objective? Since the goal of communication is to infl uence value perceptions, strategy depends on developing a clear understanding of who must be infl uenced and their values profi les. The more clearly you defi ne your audience and what it cares about, the more strategic you can be about your approach. Why Is Strategy Important? Strategy is critical to achieving your research project or program goals. It must be consistent with the communication goals you are seeking (e.g., announcing, motivating, educating, informing, and supporting decision making). In the case studies we researched, the main communication objectives were to inform and infl uence transportation decision makers. This required attracting their attention, persuading them that a research project or program deserved funding, and convincing them to take action. For example, in the Virginia Bridge case study involving a fi ber-reinforced polymer deck, external communication conducted by Virginia Transportation Research Council public aff airs staff was as important as the interagency communication in helping to secure the Innovative Bridge Research and Construction grant dollars from the Federal Highway Administration to help fund the research. The strategy for external communication focused on bringing the return on investment in transportation research to the attention of the public and the government leaders to ensure that federal and state policy makers would continue to provide department of transportation (DOT) research divisions and others with the necessary resources to conduct more innovative research.

14 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Think from Your Audience’s Perspective Once you know who you need to infl uence, you can begin to determine how best to reach them. Assess their values or belief systems, and fi nd common ground. Avoid selecting strategies that appeal only to you or are the easiest to implement. Rather, think strategically about your audience and the best ways to reach them. In the National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) case study, the main strategy for bringing national attention to freight issues was through the formation of the Freight Stakeholders Coalition (FSC). Aided by the credibility of its members, support from the freight industry and state/local governments, the FSC became the major factor in the NCFRP’s inclusion in SAFETEA- LU. Craft Messages That Resonate with Your Audience Your target audience is the most important critic of your message. Use information gleaned in your external scan to focus on the context and recall your audience’s stance on a certain issue; this way, your message refl ects how it may perceive the problem or value your research solution. Often after spending months and even years conducting research and producing results, researchers focus primarily on how to convey their research to other researchers rather than the prospective users of their research results. Perhaps they believe the products of their research will speak for themselves. Successfully communicating the value of research requires the ability to craft and deliver key messages that infl uence—messages that are remembered the next day and the day after that. This can be referred to as creating a “sticky idea,” or one that people understand when they hear it and remember later on and that changes something about how they act or think. Craft a Sticky Idea Incorporate these concepts into crafting your sticky messages: Simplicity. Messages are memorable if they are short and deep. Proverbs, such as the Golden Rule, are short but also deep enough to guide the behavior of people over generations. Unexpectedness. Something that sounds like common sense will not stick. Look for the parts of your message that are uncommon sense to generate interest and curiosity. Concreteness. Abstract language and ideas do not leave sensory impressions; concrete images do. Compare “Get an American on the moon in this decade” with “Seize leadership in the space race through targeted technology initiatives and enhanced team-based routines.” Credibility. Will the audience buy the message? Can a case be made for the message, or is it a confabulation of spin? Often, a person trying to convey a message cites outside experts when the most credible source is the person listening to the message. Asking “Have you experienced this?” can be more credible than referencing outside experts. Emotions. Case studies that involve people also move them. Stories. Use stories. They act as a mental stimulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and eff ectively. Source: The McKinsey Quarterly, “Crafting a Message That Sticks.”      

Guidebook The Communication Process 15 Failing to link the information with the audience, context, and strategy causes most of the issues with technical materials. Help your readers get through the information eff ortlessly and effi ciently by analyzing and interpreting what you need to communicate and explaining what is important and why, without forcing them to wade through technical jargon, obtuse language, or undigested data. Content What Is Content? Whether preparing a research report, presentation, fact sheet, or news release or participating in a face-to-face meeting with your audience, think carefully about how you convey your message. Even if your material has great organization and is well written, it will not have the desired impact on your target audience if it fails to contain the right information. The content of your messages will not stand alone. It depends on the context and strategy. Why Is Content Important? Selecting appropriate information to convey your messages is critical. If your content is inappropriate, you lose credibility, and your audience is likely to dismiss your message altogether. Determining your content requires considering your audience’s values and perceptions of your research or the problem it is solving. Ask yourself the following questions when considering whether the information you are trying to convey is appropriate for your audience: Is this information necessary to address the audience’s needs? What does the audience need to know? What does it want to know? What does it already know? Will the audience be lost and confused without this information? Is the level of discussion too general for this audience? Too technical? Not technical enough?    Presenting Content Consider the following tips in presenting information: Use clear, direct, active language, not a bureaucratic or academic style. Minimize jargon. If you need to use a technical term, defi ne it clearly. Use analogies and metaphors for additional explanation. Get their attention. Use photographs of technology, people, bridges, and highways, and clearly explain what is in the photographs. Keep it simple. Use complex plots and diagrams sparingly—or save them for technical publications. Use humor where appropriate. People will remember what you say or write if you make them laugh. Tell the whole story. Explain not just what you did, but why you did it.      

16 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Pretest Content or Materials An important step you can take before fi nalizing any communication content or materials is to pretest them. Pretesting content is a way of improving ideas and prototypes for your materials by submitting them for review to people who are similar to your target audience and getting their feedback before the design and production stage. Pretesting allows you to determine whether your communication materials are suitable for and understood by your target audience and whether they evoke the intended reaction, and to revise the concepts and approach, if they seem unlikely to produce the desired results. Pretesting can be done formally through focus groups, or informally by asking fi ve or six representatives from each target audience group, stakeholders representing your audience, or one or two technical experts for their opinions on the following information: General understanding of the information, including technical level. Accuracy and amount of the information presented. Credibility of the information source (you or your organization). Reactions induced by the content. Usefulness of the materials for evoking reactions and viewpoints from participants. For more details on Pretesting, see Chapter 3.      How Is Content Used Eff ectively? Shaping information to meet your audience’s needs depends on understanding your audience and the purpose of your communication. When considering information for your communication materials, the following techniques will help your audience derive the essential information from the materials: Add necessary information. Determine if any key information your audience needs to understand your materials is missing. For example, make sure you have included important background information about the main discussion, defi nition of key terms, and so on. Delete unnecessary information. Most readers feel obligated to read or scan all information in a document. Unnecessary information will confuse and even frustrate your audience. Include examples. Examples are one of the most powerful ways to communicate messages. When conveying a complex or technical concept, examples and analogies can illustrate the information. Review the organization of your information. You may be presenting the right information but you may have arranged or presented it in the wrong way. Elements of style (i.e., using transition sentences and presenting your information using images) can enhance the content of your material. This is covered in more detail in the Style section of this chapter. Use cross-references to important information. When presenting technical information, reference sources that supplement or support the information to add credibility.     

Guidebook The Communication Process 17 be received. As our population grows and technology evolves, these communication channels will change as well. There are four basic types of channels: Printed or published materials. Oral channels (e.g., personal contacts). Broadcast media (e.g., radio, TV, videos). Electronic or Internet and computer-based modes. Why Are Communication Channels Important? The choice of communication channels is extremely important because it aff ects both the content and the impact of the communication.     Communication Channels What Are Communication Channels? Communication channels are the modes or pathways through which two parties communicate. When we watch late-night comedy shows, television delivers or communicates the message. A live audience has the added benefi t of being a part of the setting in which the communication takes place and may react diff erently from a TV audience at home to the content because of this advantage. This example illustrates the idea that the selection of communication channels impacts how the message may be framed and how it may Our best practices review of non-transportation organizations that are successful in communicating their research show they deliberately use multiple channels and tools to communicate and involve audiences in their research. See Appendix 2 for summaries. Communication Channel Format St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Susan G. Komen for the Cure® CGIAR AFWA Print Publish in Journals, Trade     Brochures, Reports, Newsletters, Fact Sheets     Oral Champions/Ally Program     Sponsorships and Partnerships     Workshops, Conferences, Meetings     Speakers Program     Broadcast Media Video and PSA     Radio Interviews/PSA     Electronic or Internet-based Website     Media Center     Message Boards, Blogs, Forums, RSS     Key:  = Primary tool (heavily relied upon)  = Secondary tool (occasionally used)  = Little or no use CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agriculture Resources) AFWA (Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies) Use Multiple Communication Channels

18 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Printed materials are less interactive than other channels of communication. As the sender, you have one chance to create the most focused and intriguing message possible and to distribute it to your audience. While written communication may be somewhat limited in this sense, it also ensures consistency in your message across audiences and time. Oral Channels Depending on context and audience expectations, oral channels of communication may vary in their level of formality. When asked to make a presentation for a program or project, you may wish to use more formal language than when discussing the project with a champion over lunch. However, oral channels do not widely vary in their level of immediacy. Face-to-face communication is the most immediate of all communication channels; you, as a participant in the exchange of information, are sharing the physical space with your audience and can adapt your message to help fi ll gaps in knowledge, to fully explain a complex point, or to respond to the questions and feedback of your audience. Conversations conducted over the telephone have many of these qualities as well, but they lack nonverbal feedback; you cannot see a furrowed brow over the phone. What you can do is ask the audience if the message is understood and clarify points where necessary. In this sense, verbal communication is often highly interactive. More formal verbal communication contexts (e.g., speeches or panel discussions) often have question-and-answer sessions built in to accommodate the interactivity. The four communication channels diff er in levels of formality, immediacy, and interactivity, and each of the broad categories of channels has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to have specifi c communication goals set in advance so you can direct energy and resources toward the most appropriate channel for your message, audience, and budget. Based on your communication goals and the characteristics of each channel, you may decide to select only one channel or incorporate a variety of channels into your communication planning. Each of the channels are described below to help guide this decision-making process. Printed or Published Materials Written communication is inherently more formal than spoken communication—anyone who has ever read an interview transcript can attest to this fact. Incorporating printed materials into a communication plan can be extremely helpful in sending the same message to as broad or as targeted an audience as is necessary. Printed materials in the forms of fact sheets or press packets are also benefi cial because they provide congressional staff ers and media representatives with the appropriate talking points when discussing your project or program. What printed materials lack in verbal immediacy is often made up for in visual immediacy. While we discuss the concept of packaging more fully in the next section, it is important to note that the visual appeal of a message through type, graphics, and color will aff ect both the willingness of your audience to read a message and the rate it retains that message. “Printed materials in the forms of fact sheets or press packets provide appropriate talking points when discussing your project or program.” “Face-to-face communication is the most immediate of all communication channels.”

Guidebook The Communication Process 19 with public relations and communications professionals who have the expertise to help you maximize the impact of your messages when using these media. Electronic or Internet and Computer-Based Channels One of the most important developments in communication over the last two decades has been the advent and growth of the Internet. Through the Internet, messages can reach a global audience and help you to identify and connect with funders, researchers, practitioners, developers, media outlets, and community groups, to whom access was previously limited at best. Web pages and email have particular relevance in today’s world of globalized communication. Web pages are unique because they may incorporate virtually all of the features of the other channels. Their content may be formal, but many also provide a chat function that allows your audience to connect with experts for resources or information. Videos may be embedded into web pages to provide a variety of message formats in one central location. Interactive tools may be integrated into web pages to give the user a sense of connection to the message that does not exist in other mediated formats. With such importance placed on Broadcast Media Mediated channels of communication (i.e., television or radio media) can vary widely in their formality and immediacy. A television spot may be conversational in tone and make use of visual and vocal impact to communicate the message. These components of campaigns can be another way to communicate the focused, “sticky” message that was created for a printed piece. It may also provide the audience with a literal picture of the need for change and put a face on the problem or solution at hand. Through an interesting mix of vocal, visual, and audio cues, messages may come to life for the target audience who views them. Videos have the added benefi t of accomplishing more in less time: they can thoroughly explain the importance and relevance of a project and complement a sticky message. In addition, while radio spots depend on voice and audio cues, they can be an inexpensive way to reach your audience in specifi c and/or broad geographic areas. Although broadcast media may be more immediate than written communication (the audience actually hears a voice or sees an image in front of them), they are not as interactive as face-to-face communication or other oral channels. Because of this, it is essential to work “Th rough the Internet, messages can reach a global audience and help you to identify and connect with funders, researchers, practitioners, developers, media outlets, and community groups.” Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Press Room http://www.fi shwildlife.org/press_news.html. Accessed: October 13, 2008

20 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research graphics, sound, organization, and accessibility, the best step a professional researcher/manager, who is a web design novice, can take is to connect with web professionals who can realize (and perhaps improve) the vision you have for your project or program’s web page. Email, on the other hand, is a computer-based mode of communication that is commonplace and essential for today’s world. With that, there are both advantages and disadvantages to email in comparison to other available channels. First, the formality of email is often fuzzy. When communicating with local champions or governmental backers, it may be better to treat email as a letter rather than as an online chat. Because professionalism is always a concern, err on the side of formality rather than informality. Web 2.0 Technologies Most public agencies have been online since the late 1990s, and their presence on the Internet has grown in step with the growth of the Internet. From Wikis to blogs to online expert discussion panels, transportation research programs are incorporating Web 2.0 technologies into their programs as important communications and collaboration tools. Work with your agency’s Public Information Offi cer or communication professionals to fi nd the right fi t for the following Web 2.0 technologies in your research program communication plans: Blog—Short for web log, a type of website that hosts discussions by one or several people known as bloggers. Wiki—A web application that allows any number of users to directly create and edit content (e.g., Wikipedia, MediaWiki). Podcast—A series of audio or video digital-media fi les that are distributed over the Internet by syndicated downloads to portable media players and personal computers. Online Forum—A bulletin board system in the form of a discussion site in which panelists communicate with each other using messages (posts). YouTube—A video sharing website where users can upload, view, and share video clips.      Email is also complicated by the fact that it removes visual cues from the communication, which can make the intention behind messages diffi cult to understand. Make any messages communicated through email as unambiguous as possible. Email, like much web content, is highly interactive—so much so that it is virtually instantaneous. Email can include a link to a website or can be used to transmit attachments (such as one-page summaries, slides, or reports). It may also serve as a platform for interactive surveys regarding message strategies, may be an essential component of data collection, or may provide consistent links between interested parties through listservs or newsletters. While designing a web page is highly complex, maintaining a listserv can be an easy and convenient way to create and maintain a connection to your audience.

Guidebook The Communication Process 21 Keep audience characteristics in mind when choosing a communication channel. While access to the Internet is common, it is not ubiquitous. Rural or economically disadvantaged areas may not have the opportunity or the connection speed to access large fi les or web pages fi lled with graphics and interactive tools. Similarly, written materials must often be directed toward a broad audience, and the reading level of the material must be neither too technical nor too simple for the target audience. Work with your communication and public aff airs staff to research the audience to help determine the most appropriate channel for them. Personal, face-to-face communication is often essential to build support and trust among community champions, legislative backers, and technical experts. While attaining your goal for funding or research is important, there is also unquantifi able value in the relational element these connections can provide for future interactions. Once you have established these relationships, work to keep them. Do not overlook the value of broad-based communication. When awareness and education are the goal of communication, use a wide variety of channels to reach as much of your audience as possible. Consistent and continuous communication will help develop a solid knowledge base among your target audience.   With these considerations in mind, you can make sound choices regarding the logistics, frequency, content, and duration of your communication throughout the research process. You will likely use more than one communication channel—e.g., a face-to-face meeting, where written material is presented, with email follow-up. The next step is to consider how that information will be presented—the style of your communication. How Are Communication Channels Used Eff ectively? In a world where we are constantly bombarded with messages, it is important to have a communication strategy that is specifi c and goal driven. In addition, the communication channel must match both the message and the audience. Consider the following when making use of communication channels:

22 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research Treating the presentation as a conversation with the audience returns the focus to the interactivity that face-to-face communication highlights. The slides become a visual aid—a way to explain a complicated point or to visually demonstrate either the problem at hand or the possible outcome of implementing a specifi c solution. Similarly, a written document that includes color, photographs, and interesting (but readable) type will add dimension and life to the words in the document. Creativity is what makes your message memorable. It can also help stimulate your audience to believe in the importance of your research or to take an action recommended by your results. With creativity, however, comes the responsibility for appropriate tone within the communication. Your audience has expectations for communication content, and to violate those expectations can be detrimental to the acceptance of your message. Consider, for example, a toast. We, as the audience, expect glowing things to be said about the toastee, and we expect it to be brief. We expect news anchors to have a serious demeanor when discussing a crime or tragedy, and we expect sportscasters to be energetic and upbeat in their reports. The same is true when you plan and deliver your research communications. Think about and meet the expectations of your audience. Style What Is Style? Style is an important element of communication. As the “physical wrapping” or the distinguishing features of communication, style can be thought of as the packaging of the communication; but it is frequently overlooked. As the most visible aspect of this packaging, such physical features as design, layout, color, and typeface for printed materials aff ect how the audience perceives and values the message. How the message looks, feels, and sounds will infl uence every encounter between an audience member and the transportation research advocate. Whether written or spoken, style is the polish of your communication. It can help you achieve your research goals. Why Is Style Important? Style is important because the physical attributes of a document or tone of a presentation can communicate as much to the audience as the words themselves. A presentation with graphics and a consistent theme throughout will communicate professionalism, pride in the research program, and confi dence that it will succeed. Conversely, speakers who appear disheveled and who read highlighted lines from a research paper will eff ectively tell the audience that they do not take the presentation seriously and do not value the audience. Whether focused on written or oral communication, consider the importance and impact that creativity can make on the reception of a message. For example, we have all sat through PowerPoint presentations in which the slides lacked clear graphics (other than a few diffi cult-to-read charts or tables) and the presenter read the content of each slide to the audience. Because no attempt to engage the audience is made, it is diffi cult for us to remember the message or the point of the communication. “Th e physical attributes of a document or tone of a presentation can communicate as much to the audience as the words themselves.”

Guidebook The Communication Process 23 Make use of “white space.” Break up large blocks of text by inserting graphics or pictures. Do not, however, feel pressured to fi ll every inch of a document or fact sheet with something. White space provides visual breaks and helps distinguish between bullet points, provides visual cues to a change in subjects or themes in the text, and makes the message readable by reducing the chance of visual overload in the audience.  While a serious, scientifi c tone may be appropriate when communicating with technical experts, the general public needs a tone that is more conversational in nature. All of these considerations will ensure that the audience has a positive attitude toward you and your message and therefore will be more likely to accept the fundamental importance of your research. How Is Style Used Eff ectively? With such emphasis placed on the packaging and polish of your message, it is important to consider the following suggestions: Use clear, concrete, and specifi c language. Write or talk about tangible people, places, events, and outcomes to claim and retain your audience’s attention. Not only will clear and concrete words help you relate to your audience, but specifi c, unambiguous language will help prevent misunderstandings and increase the persuasiveness of your message. Adapt to your audience. Adjust the formality of your tone and the sophistication of your message to refl ect the context and knowledge level of the audience. The tone of a research report is diff erent from that of a public service announcement, and experts in the fi eld will better understand the nuanced complexities of your plan or proposal than a broad-based or general audience will. Use visual aids and graphics that enhance your message. Charts and tables can be extremely useful to demonstrate statistics or trends, and pictures and graphics can bring energy to written and oral communication. Choose charts, tables, and graphs that have clear relevance to the topic at hand. Remember that the goal is to enhance your message, not to divert attention from it.    Signs of Good Graphics In Transportation Research Record, No. 2046, Bremmer and Bryan (2008) showcase the Washington State Department of Transportation’s use of “performance journalism” as its approach for communicating performance measures to a variety of audiences. They state the foundation for eff ective performance communication includes clear writing and storytelling, eff ective graphic presentation of data, and rigorous data analysis and data quality control. Along with clear examples and instruction, they outline the signs of good graphics: Are quickly comprehended and understood by the reader. Are relevant to the data and topic. Are formatted with a sense of balance, proportion, and clarity of design. Can stand out on their own (without accompanying text) if lifted from the page. Have data, analysis, and scale integrity. Answer some fundamental questions. The quality of your charts, graphs, and visual tools are important components in telling your research story. Keep these signs of good graphics in mind as you use these elements to convey data to your audience. Source: Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2046, “Bridging the Gap Between Agencies and Citizens.”      

24 GuidebookCommunicating the Value of Transportation Research whose style you value, and make note of particularly eff ective presentations you see at conferences, lectures, or seminars. Allow proven communication experience to be your guide. Whether creating a written document or a presentation, polish is the key. Edit all written text for clarity and specifi city, keep all graphics relevant and readable, and practice presentations in front of an audience. Taking these steps will not only make your message visually or aurally appealing, it will also help your audience connect to and be persuaded by your communication eff orts in support of your research. Use the resources available to you. Whenever possible, consult your in- house communication professionals or a graphic designer or professional speech coach to help create the best possible package for your communications. While such consultation is ideal, it is not always practical because of time or budget constraints. You can get ideas for color schemes and graphic design by using the templates included in most design or presentation software. Also, look at web sites for other projects or programs, listen to other speakers or seek advice from those  Oregon Mileage Fee Concept and Road User Fee Pilot Program The Oregon Road User Fee Pilot Program generated a large amount of national and international interest. Mileage-based fees are new and are considered experimental and innovative. For this reason, the Oregon DOT (ODOT) and the Road User Fee Task Force deliberately chose to reach out to the public, not to generate publicity, but to ensure understanding of why Oregon was pursuing this. This public education was done with an understanding that the motoring public will not respond positively to change quickly and will need time to accept the nature of the problem and become comfortable with viable solutions. The task force and ODOT relied on the website (http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/RUFPP/ mileage.shtml, accessed October 10, 2008) as the primary vehicle for an exchange of information, but also relied on oral and face-to-face communication to support public outreach, including: Open meetings of the task force. Geographically diverse public hearings. A focus group. Openness and access to the media. Specifi c outreach to representatives of the retail fueling station industry. Presentations to stakeholder groups. Presentations to transportation professionals. Presentations to state and local government entities. Information provided to other jurisdictions (states, nations, and localities) when requested.         