Abstract:
Public dialogue can widen the knowledge base for decision making to make public policy
and programmes more effective and accountable, in line with citizens’ priorities. Audience
research can enhance the relevance of a communication strategy to its objectives and
to participants’ needs and communication preferences. Audience research designs based
on diffusion models of communication are, however, inadequate for the participatory
objectives of public dialogue. This article, based on a Master’s study by Kruger (2012),
supports the use of a “double-dialogical” approach for designing audience research
for communication strategies that emphasise participation. This approach emphasises
listening over telling, building relationships over interrogating targets, and optimising
inclusivity in determining communication objectives, identifying participants, framing
issues, and selecting channels for deliberative dialogue. A corresponding framework of
guidelines is offered for design and evaluation purposes in scholarly and practitioner
communities, and can be adapted for various contexts of application. The article notes
how the guidelines can be applied to evaluate the public consultation process of the
Library and Information Services Transformation Charter, implemented in South Africa
in 2009.
