COMBI Design Process

While the design of a Communication-for-Behavioural-Impact (COMBI) Plan cannot be done in a neat linear fashion, the following 10 steps are suggested. One should feel free, however, to go back and forth between steps and even within each step.

1. State Overall Goal
2. State expected Behavioural Results/Objectives
(Return to this during and after Step 3 below and keep modifying as necessary. It is the behavioural result which drives the design of the COMBI Plan. And remember Mantra #1: Do nothing...make no posters, no videos, no soap-operas, no T-shirts, no caps...do nothing, until you have a sharp sense of the desired behavioural outcome(s).)
3. Conduct Situational "Market" Analysis vis-à-vis Precise Behavioural Result:
This is messy and deliciously frustrating and takes up about two-thirds of your time; while doing this, keep track of those issues which are not amenable to communication solutions and those that are and, for those that are, note the communication implications for strategy and actions in #4, 5, and 6 below. Here are some areas (but do not be limited to these) which you should explore in this Step, working with available research and incorporating the perceptive insights of field staff, local experts, community members and yourself:

• Current situation - knowledge levels, attitudes, current behaviours, behavioural trends.
• Market segmentation: target groups, priority market segments.
• Force field analysis: those forces in the field which serve as constraints and/or supporting factors.
• SWOT Analysis: An analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats, in relation to the achieving the behavioural goal(s).
• Consumer Need/Want/Desire, Cost, Convenience: sense of health/consumer need being addressed; what "cost" involved in carrying out recommended behaviour in relation to value promised if the behaviour is carried out; how convenient and accessible is the recommended behaviour; DILO (Day in the Life Of) and MILO (Moment in the Life Of) Analysis for exploring issues of "cost" in carrying out recommended behaviour; how is the behaviour perceived now; what would be preferred perceptions.
• Positioning: Current perception and mental positioning based on TOMA (Top-of-the Mind) analysis; preferred positioning/perception.
• Competitors: alternative behaviours or services being offered; include an examination of "Do Nothing" option, and TAC-Take A Chance option.
• Communication Situation/Issues: what media/channels are most popular and most influential; what traditional media are used; who would be credible sources of information; what media would provide useful triggers and prompts to action; how does information and influence flow in communities and families; are there local marketing, advertising, public relations agencies, etc.
• Further Research: Indicate what further research might be needed.
• Programme Pre-Requisites: Indicate what might be programme pre-requisites for a COMBI programme, such as ready availability of trained health staff and treatment drugs at service sites.

(Continue refining Step #2 on basis of the situational market analysis. And remember Mantra #2: Do nothing...make no posters, no videos, no soap-operas, no T-shirts, no caps...do nothing, until you have done the situational market analysis.)
4. Present an overall strategy for achieving stated behavioural results:
Describe the general communication approach an actions which need to be taken to achieve the behavioural results in light of #3 above and the communication issues identified. Re-state Behavioural Objective Set out "Communication Objectives" which will need to be achieved in order to achieve behavioural result(s). Outline Communication Strategy: Broadly present proposed communication actions for achieving communication and behavioural results. Think in terms of the five communication actions (but do not be restricted by them) as in Step 5 below.
5. Present the COMBI Plan of Action:
Specify integrated communication actions to be undertaken with specific communication details in relation to: (a) Public Relations/Public Advocacy/Administrative Mobilisation; (b) Community Mobilisation; (c) Personal Selling (Interpersonal Communication) via volunteers, school children, counsellors, others at the field and clinic level); (d) Advertising; (e) Point-of-Service Promotion
6. Management:
Describe structure for managing the implementation of COMBI Plan.
7. Monitoring:
Describe how implementation progress will be monitored.
8. Impact Assessment:
Describe how behavioural impact will be assessed.
9. Scheduling:
Provide a Calendar/Time-Line/Implementation Plan
10. Budget:
Present Budget