AAAS Case Study

Dylan Buboltz, Avery Faehling,

Benjamin Koenigs,
Bryan Konicek, Erica Ropson

Agenda
Case Overview
Research
Audience Analysis
KISS
Goals
Budget
GOST/Roll-out

MEME
Checklists
Proviso
Strategy
Rejected
Solutions
So What?

Case Overview
Who is the AAAS?
Misrepresentation of scientific fact
Can create panic and confusion
Proviso statement for all
published studies to the public.
$200,000 budget

Stated vs. Unstated Problem

Stated Problem
Misrepresentation of scientific studies
So what: What warning or statement will prevent this? (Tactician)
Unstated Problem
There is a large amount of uncertainty when studies are published in the
media for general consumption.
So what: How can we observe and control this uncertainty? (Strategist)

Initial Results
Have you heard of the AAAS?

On scale of 1 to 7 (1 being of no
importance and 7 being the most
important) how important would you
say sciences role in society?

Initial Results Continued

Where do you get your scientific news?

Initial Results Continued

Which of the following

do you find to be the
most credible source
for science news?

Audience Analysis: KISS

AUDIENCE

KNOW

INFER

SHOULD DO

SHOULDNT DO

MEDIA

- Influencer
- Wide Spread
- Multi Platform
- Power
- Lions!
- citizen
journalism
- Driven by
viewership and
ratings

- Trusted
- Could lead to
misrepresentation
- Inflate the
message ($$$)
- Play into public
fear

- Emphasize ethics
&...

- Threaten
- Undermine
- Closed
communication
- Leave open ends
and risk a chance
of
misrepresentation

- Multiple sources
- Two sides
- Equal time
- More angles
- Include proviso
with work
-Encourage open
communication

- Forger proviso
statements

Audience Analysis: KISS

AUDIENCE

KNOW

INFER

SHOULD DO

SHOULDNT DO

Educators

- Trusted by
students

- Can have bias

and their own
opinions

- Invite and
encourage to hold
work shops

- AAAS is the
best and primary
source to be used

-They believe they

are spreading
accurate info

- Increase
awareness of the
credible scientific
websites/source
available (such as
AAAS and beyond)

- Dont undermine
their sources

- Educate the
younger
generations
- Recommend the
sources for
students to use

- expand
knowledge of
whats available to
them
- Keep them
up-to-date

- Keep them out

of the loops

Audience Analysis: KISS

AUDIENCE

KNOW

INFER

SHOULD DO

SHOULDNT DO

Students

- Overloaded
with content
on many
social
mediums

- Still
learning

- Encourage news
outlets to
publish/share credible
science research on
SM

- Dont push new

ideas onto
students

- Have
influential
power as
large
users of

- Promote the
importance of the
AAAS and science as
a whole
- Create a more
student friendly
website with an easy
break down of the
scientific research

- Dont undermine
their strengths

Audience Analysis: KISS

AUDIENCE

KNOW

INFER

SHOULD DO

SHOULDNT DO

Researchers

-Credible

-Value science

-Encourage them to

-Ask to change their

attend the seminars

-Well educated

- Career is time
consuming

protocol in how they

present their findings

-Career is focused
on their studies

- They can
influence

-Encourage that the

proviso statement
is adding to their
credibility

Bang For The Buck

Audience

Who

What

Media

Professor

Students

When

Where

How

Why

$$$ (1)

So What?

Its about the message and the impact it

will have

Membership
120,000 Global Memberships
148 Patron Memberships (donors)
119,852 members are:

Professional Memberships
Student Memberships
Teacher Memberships
Science Supporter Memberships
Retired Memberships (very minimal)

Business Goals
Increase the number of memberships of AAAS
Increase number of Patron Members by 10% by 2017

Increase digital presence

Increase social media posts by 10% by 2017

Communication Goals
Educate on a global level about the AAAS brand
Make sure 100% of AAAS material includes proviso statement by
2017
Decrease uncertainty
Increase the amount of proviso statements on AAAS and AAAS
researcher reports by 100% by 5 years.
Enhance communication among scientific engineers and media
Increase the number of fellows by 30% by next year
Average fellows per year: 15
Goal of fellows next year: 20

Budget
$200,000

- Watchdog= $5,000 raise over 5 years ($25,000)

- Classroom Application= Pay from within with a bulk raise of $5,000
- Boosted Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program=
$125,000
- Increase College/High School Partnerships= Increases certainty and
donations
Scholarship program= $25,000 ($500 for 50 recipients)
- Contingency = $20,000

Roll-Out Plan
Goal- Increase the number of memberships of
AAAS
Objective- Increase number of stakeholders
by 10% by 2017

Increase awareness
Share success stories
Monthly newsletters

Inform potential members about AAAS

news, research projects, and events
Donor of the month
Study of the month
Conferences

Persuade students to become AAAS

members
Discount membership rates for
students
Scholarships

Goal- Increase Digital Presence

Objective- Increase social media
posts by 10% by 2017

Analyze target audience and

social media followers
Social Media Team
Analyze social media
platforms analytics
Create AAAS App

Roll-Out Plan
Goal - Educate on a global level about the AAAS Brand
Objective - Make sure 100% of AAAS material includes
proviso statement by 2017

Stimulate education and science for everyone

Provide workshops in-person and online

Watchdog

Goal - Underscore the inherent uncertainty of science

while balancing controllability and certainty.
Objective - Increase the amount of proviso statements
on AAAS and AAAS researcher reports by 100% in 5
years.

Promote and defend the integrity of science

Create a database tool that will be easily

available

Prove the need

Press Conference

Provisio statement

Watchdog

Goal - Enhance communication among scientific

engineers and media
Objective-Increase the number of fellows and programs
by 50 member per program next year.

Present opportunities for future scientists and

engineers to utilize and share their skills

AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering

Fellows Program
Educate media

Invite media to attend AAAS Fellows Program

Message Enhancement Matrix Extraordinaire (MEME)

Potential
Messages
Ask
Apply
Advance
Spread
Always Question
Always Explore
Another
Source

Resonates

Memorable

Unpackable

Audience
Feedback

23%

52%

Triple A Means
Triple Check Your
Sources

2%

For the Sake of

Science, Always
Ask Again

23%

Survey Results
If you were a researcher would you use the statement you have selected for
your work?

Proviso Checklist
Underscores the inherent uncertainty of science
Encourages a probabilistic mindset in the public
Can be easily remembered
Provides an unpackable rich message that can be
used for instructional purposes.

Strategy Checklist

Explicit choices
Resonant and few messages
Integrated components
Self-reinforcing elements
Grounded in thoughtful analysis

Risk Management Grid

N.O.

N.C.

Rejected Solutions

Focus Groups
Researchers as a primary audience
Multiple proviso statements
Increasing certain memberships

So What?

Communication trumps Location

Reputation of media and educators are on the line

Important to understand how Media communicates in uncertainty

Educators communicate specific messages to future generations

Always Question
Always Explore
Another
Source