It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air - How Well Do I Understand My Community?

How Well Do I Understand My Community?

Before embarking on your program, it is critical to thoroughly and objectively assess your community. The data you gather will be used to develop community-specific materials that support the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air creative pieces and messages and to help ensure your program achieves its objectives.

Many of the techniques described in the following sections were undertaken to develop the messages and materials in support of It All Adds Up, as summarized in the research sections of this toolkit. Extensive audience analysis was also conducted in the original pilot site locations. For more information, see "Who Am I Trying to Reach?" and "Research"

Transportation and Air Quality Data

The more information you have, the better prepared you will be to plan an effective communications program. Begin by reviewing existing data in your community on transportation, traffic congestion, and air pollution, including:

Information on air quality (is your community in attainment of national standards?)
Extent of your traffic congestion
Major sources of air pollution to which individuals' actions contribute (e.g., doing errands at peak drive times in poorly maintained vehicles) and their subsequent effects
Solutions or preventive measures that are being implemented or proposed
Laws and statutes related to these issues

The "Transportation and Air Quality Facts" contain statistics that illustrate the problem of air pollution and traffic congestion. You can supplement these with data specific to your community.

Gauging Community Awareness, Attitudes, and Behaviors

After reviewing local transportation and air-quality related data, you need to know how citizens in your community perceive local air pollution and traffic congestion, and their thoughts on taking steps to address these problems. By asking your target audience specific questions, you can focus and streamline your plan.

Additional data sources and assessment methods:

Consult with air quality and transportation experts
Visit the Web sites of national agencies, such as the (Environmental Protection Agency) and the (Department of Transportation)
Review local, state, and national knowledge, awareness, and attitude survey results. These surveys measure factors influencing behavior, such as knowledge of an issue, attitudes, skills, and perceived social norms. If this data is not locally available, explore options for conducting your own survey or adding relevant questions to existing surveys. See the "Evaluation" section of this toolkit for additional information, advice on the process and a survey we recommend you use.
Conduct pre-campaign telephone surveys or intercept surveys to identify public attitudes and awareness of air quality and transportation issues in your community.
Conduct focus groups, which are small group discussions in which a moderator leads the participants through a series of questions about a given topic, with the flexibility to explore feelings and attitudes. Focus groups were conducted in various regions during the research phase of the It All Adds Up initiative. A detailed summary of the methodology and key findings is reported in the "Research" section of this toolkit.

Note: Surveys and focus groups require an array of specialized skills and should be conducted by trained professionals. Be sure to locate an experienced firm with verifiable references.

If your organization has the budget to hire a market research firm to conduct surveys, please read the "Evaluation" section of this toolkit. You'll see survey questions that were carefully researched and designed to gather information relevant to increasing awareness and changing attitudes about the connection between transportation choices and air quality.

A market research firm can help you to plan and conduct focus group testing by recruiting participants, providing a moderator, leading the discussions, and preparing a final summary report. Research firms typically develop materials such as a "Recruitment Screener," a "Moderator's Guide," and a "Participant Information Sheet" for use in planning and conducting focus groups. Samples are included at the end of this chapter to assist you in understanding and overseeing the process.

If you do not have access to trained market research expertise, it's best to rely on existing research, such as that featured in the "Research" section of this toolkit, rather than attempt to conduct your own.

If you can afford only to cover either pre/post campaign surveys or focus groups, choose the surveys, which will give you the quantitative information you'll need to evaluate your program.

Audience Analysis Chart

The Audience Analysis Chart includes key questions and possible sources of information about your target audience(s). Use the information you collect to lay the foundation for your strategic communications plan. Other resources include libraries, organizations, and experts in your community. You may be able to access many of these people through your local coalition.

Key Questions	Possible Data Sources
What is our transportation and air quality issue?	Local statistics on air pollution and traffic congestion The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations) Local universities—University of South Florida, Texas Transportation Institute, and Georgia Institute of Technology
What are the demographics of individuals affected by this issue (e.g., age, sex, economic level)?	Census Bureau data State and local transportation and air quality agencies data
Who is our target audience(s) and how large is it?	Census Bureau data State and local transportation and air quality agencies data
Is our target audience(s) aware of the issue?	Surveys Focus groups Consultation w/experts Literature review Internet
Does our target audience(s) have the necessary facts about the issue and/or know how to prevent or respond to it?	Surveys Focus groups Literature review Consultation w/experts
Does our target audience(s) believe they are contributing to the problem?	Surveys Focus groups
Does our target audience(s) recognize the benefits of changing their actions?	Surveys Literature review Focus groups
Does our target audience(s) feel that adopting the recommended actions will yield positive social support (i.e. do social norms support or undermine change)?	Surveys Focus groups Literature review
Does our target audience(s) think it can perform the recommended actions (i.e. are they realistic)?	Surveys Focus groups
What are the misperceptions among our target audience(s) re: the link between transportation and air quality?	Surveys Focus groups Literature review
Does our target audience(s) have the knowledge/skills to perform the desired action(s)?	Surveys Literature review Focus groups
Are there any barriers to change? Are the necessary transportation options, services, and materials available and accessible to our target audience(s)?	Audit of community services and materials Consultation w/experts Focus groups Surveys
Are individuals starting to change? What are the trends?	Surveys Local statistics on use of alternate modes of transportation, changes in air quality over time, etc.
What individuals or groups influence the target audience(s)' actions?	Consultation w/experts Literature review Surveys Focus groups

For additional guidance, please review the extensive research results in "Who Am I Trying to Reach?" and "Research"

Identify Channels for Reaching Your Target Audience(S)

To successfully reach your target audience(s), you must identify the communications channels that are most popular and credible among each group. Consider the media, advertisements, or brochures, and interpersonal communications with community leaders and service providers. Following are key questions for identifying the best communications channels and possible data sources.

Key Questions	Possible Data Sources
What are the most popular communications channels among our target audience(s) (e.g., number of hours per day spent with television, radio, print)?	Commercial data, such as Nielsen and Arbitron Media trade associations Focus groups Surveys (intercept surveys, pre- and post campaign)
What are the most popular radio stations, television programs, and viewing and listening times among our target audience(s)?	Commercial data Television outlets' data Local advertising/public relations agencies Radio stations' data
Is there billboard or transit advertising in our community? Number of locations and reach?	Data from companies who own or manage the space
Which movie theaters/live theaters are most popular? Are there opportunities to place PSAs/paid ads?	Assessment of popularity and geographic location Local theaters' data
What is the geographic coverage of our media distribution? Does it reach all of our target audience(s)?	Media directories (found at a local library or through a local public relations agency) provide lists and descriptions of media outlets
Do local television, radio, or print outlets look for programming, PSAs/paid ads, or story ideas?	Contact media outlets' advertising and news departments Consult w/experts
How popular are specific formats (e.g., talk shows, news, and entertainment) with your target audience(s)?	Commercial data Focus groups
Do our media outlets have any restrictions regarding placement of PSAs/paid ads or programming content?	Contact media outlets Consult w/experts
Where does our target audience(s) seek transportation/air quality services?	State and local transportation & air quality agencies Consult w/colleagues

Additional resources:

Media outlets in your community, which can provide ratings, valuable qualitative market information, and demographic data to help you design an advertising schedule.
Media trade associations, such as the American Association of Advertising Agencies or your local Advertising Club, which may provide free, general data on your target audience's media habits.
Commercial media-habit surveys administered by Nielsen and Arbitron may be obtained from local public relations and advertising agencies.

Assess credible messengers for reaching your target audience(s)

Identifying the most popular and credible messengers to communicate your message is key. Keep in mind that although some messengers may be very popular with the target audience, they may not be relevant spokespersons for transportation and air quality issues. For example, while a local entertainer may be popular with your target audience, his/her past or future behavior may affect the message he/she delivers regarding your issue.

Building coalitions with diverse members can be especially valuable in reaching your target audience(s). Not only are the individual members credible with their constituents, but a coalition can reach people who aren't aligned with a particular transportation or air quality stance. Diverse interests that agree on the importance of these messages make a strong statement to the public. For more information on building a coalition, see "Who Can I Ask for Help?"

Following are key questions and possible data sources to identify messengers:

Key Questions	Possible Data Sources
Who are the primary public figures that reach and influence our target audience(s) (e.g., media figures, entertainers, sports figures, political leaders, religious leaders)?	Focus groups Content analysis of media coverage and advertising Advertising/public relations agencies Commercial surveys
Who are our most credible spokespersons and role models around issues of transportation/air quality?	Focus groups Surveys with the target audience(s)
Do we have other popular community figures, such as teachers, employers, and professionals?	Focus groups Surveys with the target audience(s)
Who are the peer and opinion leaders among our target audience(s) (e.g., friends, family members)?	Focus groups

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