Using this set of clearly defined insights, BBC Media Action began developing ideas for communication solutions. The first step was to develop a framework that defined communication objectives for each target group over a specified period. This framework detailed specific problems to be solved, barriers to tackle, and triggers to improve knowledge, shift attitudes, increase self-efficacy, and change practice.
Thematic (health, gender or rights), creative, digital, and programmatic experts then worked together to develop creative ideas and innovative solutions for achieving these objectives. Cross-disciplinary teams – working in smaller groups, in pairs and collectively – used different techniques to develop as wide a range of ideas as possible.
They gradually refined these long lists, fleshing out, interrogating, testing, and eventually discarding ideas until a shortlist was created. These shortlisted ideas were then taken forward to the prototype stage.
To give a concrete example, teams used insights about the limited access and agency of pregnant women and new mothers to develop a range of tools for frontline health workers (FLWs). The objective was to train, empower and equip FLWs with authoritative yet engaging job aids that they could take into families’ homes to help them persuade not just young women, but also mothers-in-law and husbands, to adopt healthier behaviours.
BBC Media Action teams developed several ideas for job aids using different delivery mechanisms, including charts built into custom handbags and audio-visual material on projector phones. This eventually resulted in the development of the multi-award-winning audio-visual job aid, Mobile Kunji.