When your organisation approves the campaign strategy, you are ready to put it into action. Without rigorous and effective campaign implementation, the most strategic of campaigns could fail to achieve their objectives and result in a lost opportunity.
A good idea before you start is to create a Campaign Operational Plan (COP). Include in the plan WHAT it is that the organisation wants to achieve (the objectives), HOW it is going to achieve it (the plan of action), WHO is responsible for each area (assignment of responsibilities), and WHICH tools will let you know if the campaign strategy is being implemented correctly - and if it is achieving the expected results (monitoring and evaluation).
There are many ways to show this data in a COP. The following table is one suggestion:
This COP shows that implementing the campaign strategy has both external aspects (meetings with MPs) and internal aspects (hiring and training staff). In some circumstances, it is possible to achieve several outcomes in a single activity. For instance, including freelance journalists in lobby meetings to tell their personal stories will empower the journalists, as well as help to improve the attitude of those you are lobbying - by bringing them closer to the journalists, and illustrating how proper legislation would help.
When you draft the COP, identify internal and external key dates to ensure your activities have the greatest possible impact. Key dates for the journalists' rights bill might include national or international commemorative days, elections, when Parliament is open and closed, report launch dates, or when the contract of a key staff member comes to an end.
If one of the main activities is lobbying, and your organisation does not have qualified staff, it is necessary to include the recruiting, induction and training schedule of new staff in the timetable. An accurate calendar will prevent delays that can directly affect the development of the plan of action and its expected outcomes. Scheduling activities strategically will benefit the campaign, and will avoid their competition with your organisation’s other activities and priorities.
Also come up with key messages: the main ideas that your organisation wants to communicate to its audiences about the issue, the solution proposed, and the necessary actions required for reaching that solution. A key message is not the same as a slogan, although some key messages could easily be translated into one. Your organisation may decide it is most effective to communicate the key messages by using images, music, website banners, viral Internet videos, posters, reports, or a combination of these. Take into account the different audiences you will communicate with (mass media, NGOs, associates, donors and supporters, etc.) when deciding upon your key messages.
To effectively implement the COP, you need to make the necessary adjustments to your organisational structure. A fundamental first step is to assign tasks and responsibilities, as well as to define the decision-making process for the duration of the campaign.
The person in charge of implementing the activities should develop a specific work plan that covers the different stages of each activity and which resources are required at each stage (such as materials, training, staffing, technology and budget). Work plans should be approved and reviewed periodically, taking into account your monitoring and evaluation tools.
Putting your campaign into action requires a great deal of energy and involvement. It's only natural that some internal conflicts may arise. Within every organisation, different programmes and individuals have their own priorities that can compete for the organisation's resources (Director’s time, budget, staff, etc.) and support. Be aware of the possibility of conflicts and be prepared to manage them as they surface.
For instance, the campaign may require the support of other departments in your organisation, like administration, fundraising or IT, that perhaps had little to do with the campaign up to this point. To mitigate against potential conflict, conduct an introductory meeting inviting all internal actors involved in implementing the campaign. The meeting provides the space for people to learn more about the campaign, to brainstorm about how the implementation process will influence their specific areas of work, and to focus on opportunities to build the capacity of the organisation as a whole for operationalising campaigns effectively.
Finally, don't forget to implement the monitoring and evaluation systems you established in the strategy. Keep in mind two questions:
If you are deviating from your strategy - i.e., because the organisation did not account for the estimated resources necessary, or because there have been significant changes to the environment related to the campaign - it is likely that your activities will not result in the intended outcomes, and, thus, your objectives will be in jeopardy. Also, the success of one activity does not guarantee the success of every activity. Keep focused on your objectives, constantly monitor and evaluate your implementation, and adapt your campaign strategy based on your findings.
CREATE A CAMPAIGN OPERATIONAL PLAN
A good idea before you start is to create a Campaign Operational Plan (COP). Include in the plan WHAT it is that the organisation wants to achieve (the objectives), HOW it is going to achieve it (the plan of action), WHO is responsible for each area (assignment of responsibilities), and WHICH tools will let you know if the campaign strategy is being implemented correctly - and if it is achieving the expected results (monitoring and evaluation). There are many ways to show this data in a COP. The following table is one suggestion:
IDENTIFY KEY DATES
When you draft the COP, identify internal and external key dates to ensure your activities have the greatest possible impact. Key dates for the journalists' rights bill might include national or international commemorative days, elections, when Parliament is open and closed, report launch dates, or when the contract of a key staff member comes to an end. If one of the main activities is lobbying, and your organisation does not have qualified staff, it is necessary to include the recruiting, induction and training schedule of new staff in the timetable. An accurate calendar will prevent delays that can directly affect the development of the plan of action and its expected outcomes. Scheduling activities strategically will benefit the campaign, and will avoid their competition with your organisation’s other activities and priorities.
DRAFT KEY MESSAGES
Also come up with key messages: the main ideas that your organisation wants to communicate to its audiences about the issue, the solution proposed, and the necessary actions required for reaching that solution. A key message is not the same as a slogan, although some key messages could easily be translated into one. Your organisation may decide it is most effective to communicate the key messages by using images, music, website banners, viral Internet videos, posters, reports, or a combination of these. Take into account the different audiences you will communicate with (mass media, NGOs, associates, donors and supporters, etc.) when deciding upon your key messages.
ASSIGN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To effectively implement the COP, you need to make the necessary adjustments to your organisational structure. A fundamental first step is to assign tasks and responsibilities, as well as to define the decision-making process for the duration of the campaign. The person in charge of implementing the activities should develop a specific work plan that covers the different stages of each activity and which resources are required at each stage (such as materials, training, staffing, technology and budget). Work plans should be approved and reviewed periodically, taking into account your monitoring and evaluation tools.
MITIGATE AGAINST POTENTIAL CONFLICT
Putting your campaign into action requires a great deal of energy and involvement. It's only natural that some internal conflicts may arise. Within every organisation, different programmes and individuals have their own priorities that can compete for the organisation's resources (Director’s time, budget, staff, etc.) and support. Be aware of the possibility of conflicts and be prepared to manage them as they surface. For instance, the campaign may require the support of other departments in your organisation, like administration, fundraising or IT, that perhaps had little to do with the campaign up to this point. To mitigate against potential conflict, conduct an introductory meeting inviting all internal actors involved in implementing the campaign. The meeting provides the space for people to learn more about the campaign, to brainstorm about how the implementation process will influence their specific areas of work, and to focus on opportunities to build the capacity of the organisation as a whole for operationalising campaigns effectively.
USE YOUR MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEMS
Finally, don't forget to implement the monitoring and evaluation systems you established in the strategy. Keep in mind two questions:- Is the strategy being implemented exactly as it was designed?
- Are the results of the activities what was expected?
If you are deviating from your strategy - i.e., because the organisation did not account for the estimated resources necessary, or because there have been significant changes to the environment related to the campaign - it is likely that your activities will not result in the intended outcomes, and, thus, your objectives will be in jeopardy. Also, the success of one activity does not guarantee the success of every activity. Keep focused on your objectives, constantly monitor and evaluate your implementation, and adapt your campaign strategy based on your findings.
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar