How do you create an IT Strategy Communication feedback loop?

1 Define your audience

Before you start communicating your IT strategy, you need to know who your audience is and what they care about. Different groups may have different interests, expectations, and concerns about your IT strategy. For example, senior executives may want to know how your IT strategy supports the business strategy, while end users may want to know how your IT strategy improves their experience and productivity. Therefore, you need to segment your audience and tailor your messages accordingly.

2 Choose your channels

Once you have defined your audience, you need to choose the best channels to reach them. There are many ways to communicate your IT strategy, such as presentations, reports, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, webinars, or social media. You should select the channels that suit your audience's preferences, needs, and habits. For example, you may use presentations for senior executives, reports for technical staff, and newsletters for general employees. You should also consider the frequency, format, and tone of your communication.

3 Deliver your value proposition

The core of your IT strategy communication is your value proposition. This is the statement that summarizes how your IT strategy creates value for your audience and the organization. Your value proposition should be clear, concise, and compelling. It should answer the questions: What is your IT strategy? Why is it important? How does it benefit your audience? You should use examples, stories, and data to illustrate your value proposition and make it relevant and memorable.

4 Solicit feedback

Communication is a two-way process. You need to solicit feedback from your audience to understand how they perceive your IT strategy, what questions or concerns they have, and what suggestions or ideas they have. Feedback helps you to measure the effectiveness of your communication, identify gaps or issues, and improve your IT strategy and communication. You can collect feedback through various methods, such as surveys, polls, interviews, focus groups, or online forums.

5 Analyze and act on feedback

Feedback is useless if you don't analyze and act on it. You need to review the feedback you receive and look for patterns, trends, and insights. You should also prioritize the feedback based on its importance, urgency, and feasibility. Then, you should take action to address the feedback, such as clarifying or modifying your IT strategy, improving your communication, or implementing new initiatives or solutions. You should also communicate back to your audience how you have used their feedback and what results you have achieved.

6 Repeat and refine

Communication feedback loop is not a one-time event. It is a continuous cycle that requires you to repeat and refine your communication and IT strategy based on the feedback you receive. You should monitor the changes and impacts of your actions and communicate them to your audience. You should also update your audience on the progress and achievements of your IT strategy and celebrate the successes and milestones. By repeating and refining your communication feedback loop, you can build trust, engagement, and alignment with your audience and your IT strategy.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?