People-Planet Connection Provides More Ways to Share and Learn
Reflections One Year Post-Launch
April 22, 2022
By: Elizabeth Tully
This post was originally published on the Knowledge SUCCESS website. To view the original post, click here.
On Earth Day 2021, Knowledge SUCCESS launched People-Planet Connection, an online platform focused on population, health, environment, and development (PHE/PED) approaches. Reflecting on the growth of this platform at the one-year mark (as we approach the annual celebration of Earth Day), I’m happy to report the addition of blog posts and time-bound dialogues to share and exchange information in a more timely and friendly format. As is the case with the new and the young, we have growth yet to come—to bring greater awareness of the value of this platform to the PHE/PED community and beyond.
Information-Seeking and Knowledge-Sharing Barriers and Preferences
During our co-creation workshops conducted in 2020, we learned a lot about the information-seeking barriers related to one’s job, for example:
- They lack the time to dig into long or dense materials.
- They face challenges in applying lessons to their program due to uncontextualized information and data.
- They spend significant time sifting through old or poor-quality information before finding what they really need.
On the other hand, we also uncovered knowledge-sharing preferences. PHE/PED professionals vocalized the need and desire to more systematically document and share the programmatic experiences, impact, and lessons learned of PHE/PED activities so that other programs can apply and adapt those learnings.
New Features on People-Planet Connection
In response to these barriers and preferences, we added two elements to People-Planet Connection—blog posts and time-bound dialogues. These new features provide several benefits to both PHE/PED information-seekers and knowledge-sharers, including:
- Take less time to read and traditionally use more friendly language than other information types.
- Highlight key contextual data rather than have it buried in a long report.
- Focus on timely and relevant information.
- Elevate program experiences and learnings.
- Take less time and effort to share information yet is still an effective and trusted method.
The current collection of blog posts ranges from announcements of global-level tools and resources to highlighting programs and activities occurring in Ghana, Madagascar, and the Philippines.
In collaboration with PHE/PED partners, we have organized two time-bound dialogues using a discussion space on People-Planet Connection. The dialogues are facilitated by PHE/PED experts and advocates and span a set number of days. They focus on a particular topic, inviting other PHE/PED professionals to weigh in, share their experiences, and pose questions. The first dialogue discussed the intersections of climate change and gender; the second explored the role and impact of PHE networks.
Value of People-Planet Connection to PHE/PED Champions
Contributing to People-Planet Connection
People-Planet Connection is a neutral platform that elevates knowledge and learnings across all countries, organizations, and groups that are doing PHE/PED activities and programs. It relies on the steady engagement of the global PHE/PED community to ensure the platform has the latest resources and information for others to benefit from and learn from. We invite partners to contribute to this effort! If you have program learnings you would like to highlight, a new resource you would like to announce, or an idea for an upcoming PHE/PED dialogue, please share them with us.
