A communication toolkit for ARDC co-investment projects

This toolkit has been created to help you develop a communication strategy throughout your project lifecycle - from establishment to building and launch phases.

Your communication strategy will help keep internal and external stakeholders well informed about the project, its long-term impact, and raise awareness and recognition amongst the wider community.

Every project has varied levels of access to communication and marketing professionals within the project or at partner institutions. If you have communication resources, we recommend you talk to them, and use this toolkit to help you prepare for conversations about what communication support you need for your project. If you don’t have any resources, this can help you scope what you can achieve within your project to meet your communication objectives.

This toolkit is designed to be a living document that you update regularly throughout your project, and use as a source of ideas and strategies to communicate your research data asset, tool or platform.

How to use this toolkit:

• Read this toolkit through once to get ideas for what you need to do (expected time: 30 mins).
• Workshop sections of the toolkit with your team (two workshops ~50 mins each).
• Write and edit your communication plan (expected time: 1-2 hours).

Toolkit outcomes:

• A communication strategy and plan for your project
• Target audiences identified
• Words to use when talking or writing about your project with your target audiences
• Communication tactics and channels for communicating with your target audiences

Prior knowledge needed: you will need a good understanding of your project purpose and what it will achieve, and your target audience groups.

For more information about the ARDC, visit ardc.edu.au.