Innovative Approaches to Communicating Research: The CSTEP Story The difference an image can make to great writings!! Bhawna Welturkar, Graphic Designer
The difference an image can make to great writings!! This is CSTEPs story which brings the importance of using powerful graphics and images to tell a very technical story (report) in a simple and effective manner, no matter who the audience may be.
The parameters were created to build a story around the PAT research to arrive at a right communication product as an end result.
Building of the Story Read the Report and cull out the main points Understand the audience and start thinking about the graphics and conversion of key technical information for simple reading and for aesthetics. Discuss with researchers to understand and confirm some of the doubts. One of the major publications from CSTEP was a Report on Study of the Potential on Deepening the Coverage of Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT). The objective of this study is to explore the possibility of deepening the scope of energy savings by introducing more industrial units into PAT from within the existing sectors PAT is one of the initiatives of the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE), which in turn is one of the eight missions in the Prime Minister’s National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). The financial support of Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation during the course of this study is gratefully acknowledged. Since the entire report was meant for different types of audience, www.cstep.in
it was planned that the presentation of the content would be simple, readable and less technical. Based on this a process evolved where the Graphic designer had several discussions with the researchers to understand and build a story for better readability. To increase no. of industries & strengthen mechanism for larger energy savings
While the report is vast only Cycle 1 has been captured in this report as a reference point. For example, one of the chapters speaks about production, energy consumption and energy savings in Cement industry.
The image shows how several important technical information which was represented in different Tables were brought together into 1 Table.
Key Insights: examining industries below threshold limit of BEE which is 30000. Expected energy savings from industries if consumption is reduced by 3% Assumptions – combining all industries like >=30,000, 30,000 – 25,000 and so on. The report also had interesting and important information on 6 sectors –cement, iron and steel, fertilizers, textiles, Pulp and paper and chlor-alkali.
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This chart was created to represent a comparison on the production and energy savings.
Inclusion of appropriate and interesting images, graphs always makes a Report interesting to read, despite the different audience with varied knowledge and background.
Bringing a Media Strategy to Life: A CSTEP Case Study Arushi Sen, Media Coordinator
The media strategy was developed as an inanimate document; all the ideas and excitement that had gone into writing it were meaningless as long as it sat as pretty words on paper. We decided to use it – implement it – breathe life into it! CSTEP conducts research so that the findings can be made available to policy makers. The most basic premise on which the media strategy was developed was that policy makers are influenced by the content produced by media. So, packed with this information, we started off on our journey.
The Journey It was more a journey than just a mere process; it had ups and downs, new sights, new experiences and new learnings. The story of this journey is what you will find below. The first stop was at a discussion table, where researchers and communicators put their heads together to establish a base – the ground zero from which the strategy would grow.
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Initial Steps
Project Brief:
Setting the Stage
CSTEP studied the key supply chain and indigenous manufacturing challenges for the rapid development of solar energy sector. This study was conducted to ensure the adequacy of indigenous manufacturing and import mix of supply chain linkages up to 2032.
The project brief was put in front of us. The content was crisp, but too technical for us communicators to navigate through. It was time to do some ideation!
Objectives:  
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Assess key supply chain and indigenous manufacturing challenges Recommend a component level sourcing strategy and key policy and regulatory interventions
Ideating Technical Information What emerged from this exercise were the three main topics that the project dealt with. This opened up avenues of movement for further activity – to take the research down the communication road. We had found the answer to the question on ‘WHAT to communicate’. The next question to answer in our journey was ‘WHO do we communicate/engage with’.
Mapping Media
Audiences
and
The process of mapping was crucial; we needed to associate faces and names with the people we were going to engage with. We did not want to merely disseminate, and how do you engage with nameless and faceless people?
Understanding the Media
It was time for me to branch out – the media ecosystem is what I had to enter and engage with. In order to do that I had to understand it, gauge its expectations and devise ways to work with them.
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Getting Action
Developing Communication Products Products Developed: Brochure Op-ed Article Press Release Workshop Report
into
All this while, we had been sitting on our chairs and making the cogs in our brains work. The result was a clear motion picture running in our heads that had to be enacted. So, we got into action!
Opening Avenues
Reflecting Lessons
Back:
We had at last come to the end of a thrilling and exhilarating journey. Our bags were full of tales of adventure, stories of success, and a list of lessons learnt.
Engagement
Dos
Don’ts
Translate the Press Release into regional language
Expect media to approach the event/subject without an agenda of their own Invite reporters later than two days before the event
Organise a press conference Arrange for expert one-on-one interviews at the workshop with media
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