Overview
Effective research translation, advocacy and policy impact depend not only on the quality of the evidence produced, but on how well research, messages and products are understood, received and used by the audiences they seek to engage or influence.
While stakeholder mapping helps identify relevant actors, audience analysis goes further by examining who an audience is, what shapes their perspectives, behaviours and decisions, and how these factors should inform research, evidence translation, communication and engagement strategies.
This practical training introduces a contextualised approach to audience analysis for community-based research translation, advocacy and policy influencing. The training introduces two IDVRM frameworks that support this process: the Project dldl/ድልድል Model® Audience-Centred Approach to Problem Analysis, developed for community-based research and intervention delivery, and the IDVRM Research Translation Cycle (©Dr Romina Istratii), which provides a framework for connecting research, translation, communication and action. Participants consider how identity, social location, power relations, knowledge and experience can shape how evidence is produced, communicated, interpreted and received. This reflexive approach supports more meaningful contextualisation and helps practitioners identify assumptions, anticipate different interpretations and strengthen engagement strategies.
Our unique value: A key focus of the training is integrating contextualised and reflexive audience analysis throughout the research translation process, rather than treating it as a final-stage communications exercise. Participants leave with practical tools and approaches that can be applied immediately to their own research, advocacy, policy and communications work.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the distinction between stakeholder mapping and audience analysis, and how the two approaches can complement one another.
- Conduct a structured and contextually informed audience analysis for community-based research, research translation, advocacy or policy influencing.
- Analyse audiences in relation to their demographic, cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic backgrounds, as well as their interests, motivations, values and worldviews.
- Apply positionality analysis to both the message recipient and the messenger, recognising how identity, power, social location, knowledge and experience can influence communication and engagement.
- Identify and respond to potential communication and contextual risks, particularly in complex, politically sensitive or culturally diverse environments.
Who It’s For
- Researchers and research teams
- Research translation and knowledge mobilisation practitioners
- Advocacy and policy professionals
- Strategic communications practitioners
- Programme and project managers
- Humanitarian and development practitioners
- Civil society organisations and networks
- Organisations seeking to strengthen the uptake, relevance and influence of their research and evidence
Format
Delivered as a 4-hour online module or day-long in-person workshop
Case studies, group discussion, audience analysis deepdive, presentation tasks
Certificate of completion issued by IDVRM if requested
Price and T&Cs
Our trainer fee is £200 per 90 minutes of delivery, but this does not take into consideration preparation time and internal administrative costs. Each training’s cost differs according to how bespoke the client would like it to be, the additional preparation or research it may require, translation or delivery in other languages, and other factors.
We recommend that courses should have a duration of at least 3 hours to achieve in-depth analysis, interactivity and learning outcomes. Courses are delivered online by the IDVRM team and affiliated specialists. The specific trainer/group of trainers can be agreed with the client at the time of curating our services.
All courses are online and limited to 15 participants. It is possible to expand participation and course duration, but this will be reflected in the price to capture additional time of preparation, number of trainers and training duration.
Courses can be delivered in person, but in that case, clients must provide a venue and reasonable travel and accommodation arrangements for the trainer(s). If delivering the course requires international travel, the cost must be covered by the client and sufficient time must be allowed for travel arrangements to be made.
Low-income and charity clients: In line with our decolonial mission, we offer special discounts for charities and organisations working at the grassroots level who are under-funded and work in low-income environments. Please contact us to discuss the possibilities.
