After the crisis, Tony wondered what percentage of the state’s population actually received and understood the health department’s messages and information about the virus.

Since his state is made up of many different racial and cultural groups, he knew there wasn’t a “one size fits all” communication type that would reach all of the target audiences. However, his goal was to reach at least 80% of the population.

After doing some research, Tony found that during the first week of the outbreak, only 5% of the total population received and understood the health department’s messages and information about the virus. The majority of the population had only received news reports about the virus from local TV and newspapers, which did not always include the health department’s messages. Even more disturbing is the fact that individuals in the Spanish and Chinese communities did not receive the information at all.     As you can see in the graphic here, his objective now is to reach at least another 75% of the target population for an overall goal or reaching at least 80% of the total population.

Below is the breakdown of the city's diversity, by primary language.

Primary Language	% of Total Population
English	45%
Spanish	30%
Chinese	25%

 

 

Tony wants to ensure that the health department’s messages will reach at least 80% of the population as the crisis moves into its post-event phase. He also wants to identify the best communication channels for reaching these same audiences in a timely manner when the next crisis occurs.

Instructions

In this activity, you will be given a list of communication channels that can be used to increase the percentage of Tony’s different target audiences that he was able to reach.

You have only 20 days that you can dedicate for producing materials.

Your job is to select the best combination of communication channels that will reach at least 80% of the target audiences.

You can choose as many communication methods as you like, as long as you do not run out of time.

Summary

The feedback regarding each target audience and time requirements for each of the communication channels in this activity is based on a fictional scenario and should not be viewed as universally true for all situations.

The actual time needed to develop each of these channels and the behaviors related to each target audience would of course be specific to your situation. Remember that different cultural groups may require different communication methods.

In an ideal world, someone from the state health department would meet with each individual and tell them the information in their primary language. Obviously, this would be impossible to do – logistically, financially, and in a timely manner.

It is important to find the communication channels with the highest population penetration and the most reasonable production time. Always think ahead. When you begin developing materials, contact translators/cultural experts and have them ready to work when the message is drafted and approved.

Also remember to set up approval meetings for clearance of messages. Pre-planning is the key -- establish your clearance procedures before a crisis starts.