Workshop report - weADAPT

Climate Knowledge Brokers Workshop 2013
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Knowledge sharing clinic
The knowledge sharing clinic was designed to provide focused practical advice to a number of
volunteer ‘patients’ who were willing to share a problem or challenge they are facing. It
followed a ‘peer assist’ format, following the success of this approach at the 2012
Washington CKB Workshop. The session was led by James Smith (REEEP).
We divided into four groups and sat around a series of flip charts where ‘patients’ presented
a challenge they are facing in their work. After questions for clarification, a facilitator in each
group sought advice from the others on how to tackle the challenge. Ideas were noted on the
flip chart. After 30 minutes, participants moved around, so they heard about another
challenge. By the end of the session, the patients had received feedback from the entire
group, and the flip charts were full of concrete suggestions. Patients were then asked to
reflect on how useful the process was for them.
The highlights from each of the clinic consultations are summarised below.
Patient/Challenge
Patient 1: Alice
Caravani, Climate Funds
Update (CFU)/ODI
CFU provides info and
updates on 25 climate
finance funds.
The challenge: attracting
the right kind of users.
Symptoms:
CFU is aimed at civil
society organisations
(CSOs) who are
interested in obtaining
or following climate
finance. But research
has shown the main
users are donors and
researchers.
Solicit user feedback
Key Advice
Develop stakeholder map of target users.
Conduct reputation survey (in-depth interviews) amongst target
stakeholders and actual users.
Conduct focus groups with current and target users to identify
issues and questions for a larger survey.
Team up with groups working on climate finance and transparency
for an extensive survey.
Install pop up surveys on landing pages, and install a feedback tab.
Email users directly, have them register.
Conduct mid-term review to see whether there has been a shift in
the audience. Re-check with CSOs that the content satisfies their
needs. If yes, look at further adjustments that might help; and if
no, then focus on actual users.
Market the product more actively
Climate-L advertisements and updates.
Reach out to CSOs to market and communicate CFU’s unique
selling points.
Put information about CFU in ODI newsletter.
Encourage more offline and online events.
Have the home page, at least, in different languages.
Cautions
On surveys maintain focus on response rates – how many
respondents and where are they coming from.
Don’t rely on mailing lists for marketing efforts, as we do not know
who is a member, who has opted out etc.
Retain a significant focus on offline interaction to obtain feedback
on the website.
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