Integrating channels of communication to achieve influence

A serviceman accesses social media channels, using a desktop computer, photo by by Harland Quarrington/OGL

Photo by Harland Quarrington/OGL

What is the issue?

UK Defence has recognised a need to strengthen its ability to gain and sustain an advantage in the information environment with the aim of engaging, informing, or otherwise influencing overseas audiences. There is a wide range of offline and online communication channels that can be used to achieve influence in the information environment. As such, it is necessary to understand how to design influence campaigns using all available communications channels and how these can be integrated to achieve maximum audience reach and impact.

How are we helping?

In this context, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has commissioned RAND Europe and the McChrystal Group to conduct a study aimed at:

  1. Identifying strategies, approaches, methods and tools that Defence can implement to most effectively design multi-channel influence campaigns aimed at overseas audiences, comprising both online and offline forms of communication.
  2. Identifying and developing robust ‘measures of effect’ for both online and offline forms of communication to help monitor and evaluate multi-channel influence campaigns aimed at overseas audiences.
  3. Developing practical recommendations on how to design and evaluate influence campaigns and messaging in different settings and for different effects.

To address these objectives, RAND Europe is employing a mixed methods approach combining a literature review, key informant interviews and a set of structured workshops with experts from RAND, the McChrystal Group and external stakeholders.