How We Work

My work focuses on bringing cognitive and social science to bear on communication strategies for social and public health problems. I have designed and analyzed research investigating public understanding of a host of social issues – including child and youth development, mental health and addiction, racial and economic equity – and designed and tested messages that improve understanding and support for policy. The bulk of my applied work is translating evidence from social science into concrete strategies and tools that help communicators understand and navigate several layers of challenges, including:

Lynn with Staff of the Children's Services Council of Broward County, Florida

• Non-experts’ typical patterns of reasoning about social problems;
• Dominant frames on issues found in our public discourse; and
• Inherited messaging from previous efforts, campaigns or organizational eras.

My approach is grounded in the belief that far too often in issue communications, messaging strategies are ad-hoc or reactive, and are driven by scant research. In the end, they fail to improve public understanding of complex social problems. 

The goal of my consultancy is to provide organizations with an evidence-based messaging infrastructure for their work. I work with organizations that have defined policy agendas or programmatic initiatives and the staff and leadership support within their communications profiles to implement recommendations from framing science.  That can be accomplished in a number of ways, but the general scope of work that I engage in comprises the following:

1. A framing analysis of current messaging in existing public-facing communication materials.
2. Intensive trainings for front-line communicators in the science of communications for social change.
3. Ongoing, hands-on coaching and technical assistance to staff and stakeholders on messaging challenges and needs as they arise.
4. Development of a core messaging strategy and other relevant collateral, such as messaging toolkits.

Framing analysis

A framing audit is an essential first step in my work, as it allows me to analyze, from a framing science perspective, current public-facing communications (website content, fact sheets, newsletters, action alerts, etc.), and to provide feedback on strategic framing challenges and opportunities.  

Intensive Framing Training

I provide highly interactive workshops to distill social and communications science research on the most effective strategies for improving public understanding of social and public health problems. Workshops always focus on skill building – namely, how to resolve the framing challenges identified in the Framing Analysis. We will review typical strategies for framing the issue and will delve into specific skills and techniques to avoid framing traps and challenges (such as using data effectively, understanding effective visuals/images, etc.).  

Coaching/Technical assistance

In order to assist clients with applying both the framing theory and strategies to their own communications materials, the bulk of my contracted work with clients tends to fall under intensive, hands-on technical assistance. Technical assistance may take the form of conference calls to discuss framing strategies for a planned report release or press event; in-person meetings; editing/feedback to reports, white papers, or op-eds; phone consultations to discuss other framing challenges, etc.   

Development of Core Messaging Strategy

The goal of the core message is to explain why the social issue matters, what the problem is, how it can be solved, and who can play a role in solving it. The core message is essentially a translation tool for staff and stakeholders– it articulates the shape of the overall story that the organization wishes to tell, but in a way that reflects both framing science and the strategic goals of the organization.    

*Creative Collateral/Messaging Products

I focus product development on distilling complex information in well framed, engaging ways, such as infographics, interactive online story platforms, and brief, animated “explainer” videos. I work with creative professionals steeped in framing science to produce these and other products. I also create framing toolkits that help advocates and experts apply framing to their own work. Work samples are available.