Marynissen H, Pieters S, Van Achte T (2014) Crisis Communication Work Process developed for Belgian Federal Government.

1. Dr. Hugo Marynissen, Stijn Pieters, Tim Van Achte
E-mail: hugo@pm.be • Twitter: @hmarynissen, @StijnPieters, @timvanachte, @CrisiscenterBE
www.pm.be • www.crisis.ibz.be
Discipline 5
RD 2003 & 2006
Emergency and
intervention planning
Ministerial
Circulars
NPU
Notify and inform
the population
Support by
experts
Legal framework
Activation process
of a Team D5
Primary roles Three phase consultation and IBS
Work processes Roles Methods
Team D5
Support
of local D5
Work process
crisis communication
Collaboration model
for all roles
Meeting clock
Advantages for competent authorities
Advantages for local D5
• Strengthen the D5 discipline
• Contribute to organisation of D5
• Contribute to informing the population
• On site or remote
• Network of experts D5
• Training and exercises
• Primary and secondary role per team member
• Methods and work processes
• Understanding the local needs
• Available
• Supporting
• Discreet and modest
PrinciplesLuggageAttitude
Objective: earn and keep the trust in
the authorities before, during and
after an emergency situation.
Analysis
Approach
Elaboration
Co-ordination
OrganisationEffect
Team D5
Strategy
Advice
Perception
People involved
Transformation
Reality
Emergency situation
Measures
Operations
Analyst
Editor
Teamleader Strategist
Outside Team D5 Inside
Municipality
Province
Permanence
ADCC
Communication
ADCC
Role of
Team leader
Formal request for support of
Team D5 via provincial governor
(federal department provincial
governor)
In addition to the collective three phase consultation, the cycle contains
three more individual phases in which every role executes and acts upon
the agreed tasks. At the end of each consultation phase, the start time
of the next consultation is determined.
This method is known as the Meeting clock.
Notify Communication ADCC
Availability of team members
SMS alert entire D5 network
Mobilise role of Team leader
Selection of team members
Division of tasks
SPOC for the local manager D5
On site or remote
Analysis
Strategy
Advice
Co-ordination
Organisation
Approach
Elaboration
D5 On site
Effect
Measures
Operations
Editing DU
Editing FR
Webcare
D5 On site
Call centre
Strategist
Internet
Audio/Video
Co-ordinator
Analysis
Analysis Co-ordination Advice
Execution
Team leader
Co-ordinator
Editing
Strategic In terms of content
CommonpictureJudgementConclusions
What exactly is going
on in the field and what
is its effect on the
outside world?
What does this mean
for the communication
strategy? Which
measures are possible?
What are the major
themes, concerns and
key questions of all
people involved (now)?
What is our advice on
communication?
Which communication
actions do we carry out?
Information
Behaviour
Sensemaking
Facts, figures, rational questions
Actions of all people involved
Sentiment of all people involved
Information
Behaviour
Sensemaking
Informing people
Instructing
Empathising
The five primary roles within a D5 Team all offer support to a specific
part of the crisis communication work process.
Team leader Keep the team going.
Strategist Advise the officials and gather information.
Analyst Determine the perception and the effect of the actions.
Editor Write, translate and publish texts.
D5 On site Welcomes the press on site.
On top of the primary roles a number of executive roles can be activa-
ted in Team D5. Key in the alignment between a high number of team
members are the Team leader and the Co-ordinators.
The six executive roles are not part of the basic consultation. These
roles are continuously carrying out tasks. After every consultation they
are briefed by their Co-ordinator or the Team leader.
(see Meeting clock)
The team efficiently consults by respecting a three phase process:
a) Form a common picture b) Judgement and c) Reach conclusions.
IBS is the methodology as regards content applied by the team.
During a crisis the huge demand for
information and its limited offer
creates pressure and chaos in
crisis communication teams.
The crisis communication work process
provides structure, calm and an overview
in the teamwork. Working according to
this process helps the team to gather
and spread information.
Individual Consultation
Reach conclusionsExecute
Follow up
Prepare consultation
Form a
common picture
Judgement
Start of
consultation
Agree on time of
next meeting
Supporting
roles
Primary
roles
Jointly go through the
three phase consultation
Work separately and
go through these three phases
Belgian consultancy firm PM risk-crisis-change
(co-owned by Dr. Hugo Marynissen, DBA 09-13)
recently developed a “Crisis Communication
Work Process” for the Crisis Centre of the
Belgian Federal Government.
This process describes how crisis communication
has to be approached since January 2014 based on
legal requirements, empirical research and practical
insights.
The process was applied in a recent initiative where
PM and the Federal Crisis Centre prepared a group
of crisis communication experts to assist local
governments in informing the population in case of
a large-scale disaster. This initiative is referred to
as Team D5.
Crisis Communication Work Process
developed for Belgian Federal Government