TAcommunities

We’re all disseminators, so this opening article may seem a bit like we’re singing to the choir. Still, summing up what the research has to say about effective dissemination seems a very good place to start this conversation. So here goes—10 dissemination building blocks for our info-laden world, disguised as questions.

10 Who’s your audience?

9 What do you want them to do with the info you’re sharing?

8 Is your audience’s language, culture, reading ability, Internet access, technical savvy, time, or interest a factor you need to address from the start?

7 Do they know you already? If not, who can help you get the point across?

6 How can you involve your intended users before you plunge in?

5 What form is the info going to take? What others might you consider, just for fun or for something new up your sleeve? Does the audience itself have any preferences?

4 How are you going to get the info to your users?

3 Can someone help with that?

2 Did it get there? Did they hear you? Did it fit their needs? How do you know?

1 What would you do the same or differently next time?