Using Message Mapping as a Management Tool

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Using Message Mapping as a Management Tool

• Update for
• NASDA Board of Directors
• Animal Plant Industries Committee
• Cooperstown, NY
• September 2005

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Would your job be easier if you already knew the
answer to 95 of the questions you were likely to
be asked during a crisis?
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NASDA/COSDA/APHIS Emergency Communications Plan

• A great idea but
• It has not worked quite as it was planned
• Timeright around a crisisis too valuable
• The avalanche-like speed intensity that often
  accompanies characterizes the beginning of a
  crisis are outside our control, but truly affect
  our ability to deal properly with any situation

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An inevitable?

• If we continue down the current path, manyin
  state agricultural agencieswill likely still be
  frustrated, waiting for our Federal partner(s) to
  call us as the next crisis hits
• The lack of knowing what is going oneven when it
  isnt purposefulcan (usually does) affect the
  level of trust between partners

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Would a map of tested messages help us to
avoid some pitfalls before they even
occur?Would dealing with the crisis go smoother
if all our advisors agreed before hand on a
likely course of action?Would a vetted
technical, communications policy savvy message
be useful?Would knowing that our partners have
participated in discussing and developing these
messages give you any comfort?
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Hopefully, these questions seem rhetorical to
you and the answers are a resounding yes. If
so, then Message Mapping may be an important
tool of the future
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Before looking at Message Mapping as a Tool,
lets look at some things we already
knowWhen People Are Upset They Have
Difficulty HearingUnderstandingRemembering
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We know about Negative Dominance One
ThreeNegative Positive
Statement StatementsTherefore,
theoretically, we must use 3 positive statements
to neutralize or 4 to persuade
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We know that Body LanguageProvides up to
50-75 of message content Is noticed
intensely negatively interpreted It
overrides verbal communication
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Trust Factors High Concern Situations
Assessed in the first 9 30 seconds
Listening / Caring / Empathy 50
Competency / Expertise 15 / 20
Dedication / Commitment 15 / 20
Honesty / Openness 15 / 20
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Risk communication may well be the central
science for public health in the 21st century.

• Ed Baker, MD, Assistant Surgeon General,
• Director Public Health Practice Program Office,
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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Lets also take a look at Risk Communications

• It has come a long way over the years.
• There are now three schools of thought regarding
  risk communications
• Outrage
• Perception
• High-stress

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A Scientific-Based Approachto Risk
Communication

• Has taught us how to avoid several pitfalls e.
  g., avoid
• Using negative words
• Offering guarantees
• Speculating on worst-case scenarios
• Repeating allegations or accusations

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A Scientific-Based Approachto Risk
Communication

• Research Shows
• National News Sound Bites Are Usually 7-9 Seconds
  or About 30 Words
• There Are Limits To Recall 3 Messages
• There is Bias in Recall First and Last Messages

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A Scientific-Based Approachto Risk
Communication

• We now know that we should use
• Limited Number of Clear Messages
• 3 Key Messages
• 6th Grade Comprehension Level
• Repetition - TTT Model
• Visual Aids - Graphics

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27 / 9 / 3
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What we need to remember when answering media
questions

• Our answers should be 27 words (some
  exceptions for anecdotal or visual descriptions
  or graphics)
• We have 9 seconds in which to say our 27 words
• We, ideally, should have 3 examples / concepts in
  our answer

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Message Mapping As A Management Tool

• Limit to 3 Key Messages
• Maximum of 3 Supporting Statements
• Express Current Knowledge
• Consistent with Principles of Risk Communication
• Can (Should) Use/Practice Every Day

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Where did this idea come from?

• Concept has been around for some time
• We became aware of it through the Message Mapping
  Project of the Multi-State Partnership for
  Security in Agriculture (headquartered in Iowa)

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Potential Application to NASDA

• We plan to implement this process in partnership
  with APHIS It also has broader utility in all
  emergency response scenarios
• The process (for us) can be used to include
  policy, technical communication experts to
  participate, perfect and practice vetted answers
  to probing questions

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Lets dig a little deeper

• Caveats (on the following slides)
• Information is a first draft
• Spent 20 minutes per question
• These need to be vetted with experts
• While a great baseline, it is true that they will
  need to be kept current and once used they
  generally cant be reused

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Message Map
Key Word Message Map Template
Stakeholder
Question/Concern/Issue
Key Message/Fact 2.
Key Message/Fact 3.
Key Message/Fact 1.
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.3
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Avian Influenza
Key Word Message Map 1
Public/media
What should I know about AI?
Key Message/Fact 2. There are different strains
Key Message/Fact 3. Minimum effect on food supply
Key Message/Fact 1. Its a virus
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.1
Affects birds
Low path High path (LPAI HPAI)
Not trans-mitted via cooked birds
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.2
Can strike quickly
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.2
Can mutate under field conditions
Little effect on eggs
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.3
Migratory birds are natural reservoir
Many clinical symptoms
Oops, Time ran out
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Avian Influenza
Key Word Message Map 2
Poultry Farmers
How can I protect my farm from AI?
Key Message/Fact 2. Awareness Education
Key Message/Fact 3. Proper farm management
Key Message/Fact 1. Manage bird to bird contact
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.1
Keep flock away from wild birds
Neighboring farm animal health
Clean disinfect equipment
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.2
Do not move birds from farm to farm
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.2
Report sick birds to officials
Only author-ized workers on farm
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.3
Practice isolation of new birds
Check out USDA website
Properly dispose of dead animals
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Avian Influenza
Key Word Message Map 3
Public / Media
What information should I have about AI?
Key Message/Fact 2. Signs range from cough
sneezing to death
Key Message/Fact 3. No treatment, but there are
prevention methods controls
Key Message/Fact 1. AI is a contagious disease
that spreads easily from bird to bird
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.1
Share common food water supply
Different strains have different signs some
even without symptoms
Increase bio-security measures
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.2
Confined birds are at higher risk
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.2
Can affect egg production
Development of emergency plan
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.3
Virus can survive for extended time in moderate
temperatures
Sudden increase in bird deaths
Effectively quarantine depopulation
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Avian Influenza
Key Word Message Map 4
Farmers/ producers
What are you doing about AI?
Key Message/Fact 2. Detection
Key Message/Fact 3. Education preparedness
Key Message/Fact 1. Prevention
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.1
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.1
Regulating imports
Monitoring surveillance
Developed response plan
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.2
Bio-security
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.2
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.2
Awareness reporting
Established stakeholder value
Keywords Supporting Fact 1.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 2.3
Keywords Supporting Fact 3.3
Implementing routine inspections
Developing using means fast
Exercised plan
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So, is there any proof this system works?
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After 9/11do you recall
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The number of casualties is more than any of us
can bear, and I believe the nation will become
stronger, stronger economically, politically, but
most importantly, emotionally. Rudy Guliani,
September 12, 2005
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How many words?27When do you think
this was written as an answer?In 1995
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Orafter the Persian Gulf War Even one is too
many, and many times Ive cried myself to sleep
at night thinking about the boys who died.
General Norman Schwartzkoff on 20/20
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This was the answer that the General gave to
Barbara Walters when she asked him whether the
Gulf war was worth losing 128 lives.Okay, so
its only 22 wordsHe also had an answer ready
when she asked him if it was okay for a General
to cry.
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Where we are in the process

• APHIS has trained several of their LPA and other
  personnel on the concept
• APHIS has indicated a willingness to sponsor
  training of COSDA members, as the key state
  facilitator for developing message maps on
  priority issues

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Value-Added to NASDA

• Strengthen partnership with APHIS
• Technical, communication, policy leadership
  input into a vetted, thoughtful message
  development
• A managed manageable process

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Additional Value to NASDA

• Consistency of messages
• Developed in non-emotional setting
• An investment that will pay off for a long time
  in the future
• Deals with normal extra-ordinary
  emergencies issues

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Next stepsTrain COSDA members on the technique
They will serve as facilitators within each
state as we proceed to map messages to known
questions on priority issues of mutual concern to
APHIS and NASDA membersThe process will expand
to include policy, technical and communications
experts at the state and federal level