Create a Strong Communication Strategy with PRIDE

Article 3 min
Explore how the PRIDE (Problem, Research, Ideate, Develop, Evaluate) framework can guide your communication planning process.

Whether you are creating a public relations (PR) campaign to gain publicity for a product, your unit, your service or the DoD, the methods are similar. As a military communicator, you will design creative and compelling campaigns to engage your audience and relay necessary information to get command messages out to your target audience. Knowing how to frame an effective PR campaign will help you throughout your career.

The PRIDE framework, Problem, Research, Ideate, Develop, and Evaluate, has all the critical elements for a successful plan and strategy to help you develop a communication plan and strategy that clearly communicates your themes and messages. It will also help you identify necessary communication products and select appropriate media to disseminate your products to your audience.

The PRIDE framework consists of five key components:

  • Problem: identify the problem or message
  • Research: gather information to understand your topic thoroughly
  • Ideate: brainstorm ways to address your topic
  • Develop: create content and execute the communication plan
  • Evaluate: measure the plan's effectiveness

Explore the important considerations to make during each stage of the PRIDE process.

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PRIDE Communication Framework

ProblemResearchIdeateDevelopEvaluate

'P' Stands forProblem

Before you begin creating any communication product, it is crucial that you identify the problem or the message.

  • What problem are you trying to solve?
  • What is the goal/purpose of the communication?
  • Gather information needed to describe and understand the situation.

'R' stands forResearch

Research the purpose or goal of the communication and your intended audience. The research will be iterative and continue throughout the process.

  • Identify your audience by researching geographical background, surveys or any other sources. Who are you trying to reach and influence?
  • Identify the action you want your audience to take. What is the desired effect of your communication?
  • Compose the message(s) you want to communicate.

'I' stands forIdeate

Come up with different ways to address the topic based on the findings of the research.

  • Brainstorm as many ideas as possible based on the information you've gathered.
  • Develop a strategy that identifies goals and objectives.
  • Create a theme that will be appropriate for your target audience and gets your message across.
  • Determine how to reach your target audience.
    • Which media channels will you use to reach and influence your target audience?
    • What will be the sequence and integration of media activities?

'D' stands forDevelop

Create a thorough plan to ensure the successful implementation of your product.

  • Create the content.
  • Collect information.
  • Build the communication products.
  • Share the products for feedback and implement appropriate revisions.
  • Execute the plan.

'E' stands forEvaluate

Evaluate the effectiveness of your plan. Identify lessons learned. Make adjustments as needed.

  • Measure the effectiveness of the product against your objectives.
  • Identify ways to improve.
    • Did you correctly identify the problem your product is addressing?
    • Was your research adequate, and did it use recent information from credible sources?
    • Was your product designed to effectively communicate the message?
    • Do you need to take another look at your selection of media for distributing your product?
  • Develop recommendations for the future.

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