Modelling Individual Decisions to Support
the European Policies Related to Agriculture

Deliverable Report D8.1 Communication, Dissemination and Impact Strategy and Plan

Prepared by GEO Deliverable D8.1. from WP8 with inputs from all project partners sets out the Communication, Dissemination and Impact Strategy and Plan of the project. This document also contains the documentation for MS13 Stakeholder Engagement Plan and MS14 Project website.

The Communication, Dissemination and Impact Strategy and Plan (CDISP) is a “living” document, which will be updated a number of times with inputs from all partners. In Task 8.3 this deliverable establishes the individual partner responsibilities, timelines, guidelines and suggestions for project communication and result dissemination, under continuous monitoring of the WP8 T8.6 task leader GEO. It also gives guidance and plan for stakeholder engagement.
This document describes the activities to be performed, the means and methods to be used in order to
•    maximise the visibility of the project and its results, by providing targeted information to multiple audiences (including the media and the public) in a strategic and effective manner,
•    engage target groups and key actors in a two-way dialogue across project activities,
•    facilitate outreach and engagement of key actors, and potential users of, and contributors to the MIND STEP platform,
•    disseminate project outcomes to stakeholders, key actors and end-users,
•    maximise the potential for exploitation of project results and assist coordinating preparations for post-project exploitation (Task 8.2).

This document analyses the dissemination target audiences and match them with the most appropriate channels, key messages for communication, and external partners with whom to cooperate on co-dissemination whenever relevant.
The MIND STEP Dissemination, Communication and Impact Strategy sets out:
i) the main aims and objectives;
ii) target audiences and user groups;
iii) content and context;
iv) means/mechanisms;
v) success factors.
It aims at integrating awareness-raising, direct participation and skills development for the needs of each audience as appropriate, and the establishment of a process to create mechanisms that engage actors over the short (during project) and longer (post-project) term.

The Strategy and Plan defines the approaches of communications by the project team to create impact through suitable methods of engagement, and appropriate and timely information.
The overall strategy for communication, dissemination and impact is:
1. To increase awareness of multiple benefits of novel MIND STEP policy analysing approaches amongst regulators, policy makers and programme operators, through co-learning, co-development and complementation;
2. To motivate key stakeholders and decision-makers at different levels in countries of case studies to support adoption of novel MIND STEP policy analysing approaches through different project communication means (e.g. practice abstracts, policy factsheets, knowledge exchange through the MIND-STEP Platform policy-science interface, F2F events such as workshops, demonstrations);
3. To improve evidence-based policy making and delivery through increased uptake of the MIND STEP model toolbox.
All project partners are involved in dissemination and exploitation in order to foster awareness and transfer results for impact, not only within their own countries but in the whole territory of the EU, as much as possible.

The Plan also includes a distinct and original Visual Identity to convey a familiar and consistent project image for all communication with external audiences. This is the basis for harmonised project templates for use by partners in all their internal and external project communication (presentations, reports and documents, publications, leaflets, etc.), ensuring a consistent, professional outreach towards the targeted audience during the implementation of dissemination activities.