Even the most useful information risks being ignored if it’s hard to access or unclear who it’s for.
This service helps you plan how to communicate findings, learning, or project outputs so they reach the people who need them and in a format they will use. We help you work out who you’re trying to influence, what you want them to do with the information, and the best routes to reach them.
You may deliver dissemination internally, or commission a separate provider to produce assets and run campaigns. We can support either route by creating a clear strategy, practical plan, and briefs that make delivery straightforward. And if you’d like us to deliver the outputs as well, we can.
When should I consider using dissemination planning services?
Dissemination planning helps when:
- you’ve got findings, but you’re not sure how to turn them into something usable
- different audiences need different versions (leaders vs frontline staff vs public)
- you need buy-in across partners, sites, or sectors
- the topic is sensitive or easy to misinterpret, so wording matters
- you’re working to a deadline (board papers, funding bids, policy windows)
- you want the work to lead to change, not just a report that gets filed
What can dissemination planning services offer me?
Dissemination planning can help you identify and target a number of key aspects essential for improving the reach and impact of your message, including:
- priority audiences and stakeholders (and why they matter)
- clear aims (awareness, behaviour change, service uptake, policy influence, funding, training uptake)
- key messages in plain language (and what to avoid)
- the best formats for each audience (briefing, slides, short report, toolkit, video, webinar, etc.)
- a channel plan (where it will be shared, by who, and when)
- a timeline with owners and sign-off points
- simple measures of reach and use (so you can tell what worked)
Things we can support
We can support all aspects of your dissemination planning and design needs, including:
Audience and stakeholder mapping
- Identify who needs to see the work (decision-makers, commissioners, frontline staff, partners, public, etc.)
- Prioritise audiences (who matters most, who is easiest to reach, who influences others)
- Map routes to influence (meetings, networks, champions, professional bodies, mailing lists)
- Flag sensitivities and likely points of pushback, so you can plan for them
Message shaping and plain-language writing
- Pull out the core “so what?” and practical implications
- Create key messages that stay consistent across formats
- Produce short versions for busy readers (headlines, summaries, FAQs)
- Help you avoid common issues (too academic, too technical, too cautious, too long)
Format and asset planning
- Decide what to produce (briefing note, one-pager, slide deck, toolkit, webinar, infographic, etc.)
- Outline what each asset should contain (structure, length, calls to action)
- Accessibility and readability checks (tone, layout guidance, inclusive language)
- Turn one big report into a set of usable pieces without losing accuracy
Channels, timing, and rollout
- Choose where to share it (internal comms, partner channels, events, social, press, communities)
- Build a timeline with owners, deadlines, and sign-off steps
- Plan stakeholder engagement moments (briefings, workshops, learning sessions)
- Prepare for “what happens next” (how to respond to questions, how to handle feedback)
Briefs for delivery teams or external providers
- Write clear briefs for design, comms, digital, video, or PR support
- Define deliverables, acceptance criteria, and review rounds
- Set questions for tender/bids and a sensible scoring approach
- Reduce the risk of paying for polished outputs that miss the point
Light-touch tracking of reach and use
- Simple measures (opens, downloads, attendance, engagement, stakeholder feedback)
- Short follow-up questions to check understanding and usefulness
- A short learning note: what worked, what didn’t, what to change next time
Get in touch
If you’ve got work you want people to read, understand, and use, we’d love to help. Get in touch using the form below to chat more about what we can offer.
