Strategy Podcasts, explainer videos, or rather a text? There are many formats. Often the decision falls on the most popular format: currently that is podcast or video. But not every format works with every target group. A strategy is needed! We have analyzed for you how this can be done and why Luhmann’s systems theory helps.
Briefly analysed
Science communication currently almost always thinks in terms of formats and products, because these are quick on the mind and easy to implement. Does this really reach the target group we want to interact with? Often, unfortunately, not. That’s why science communication needs strategic thinking right from the start, otherwise these SciComm formats won’t have added value. To make sure this doesn’t happen, we recommend to take a look at Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory. The system theory asks the question: How does a system work? We find this out by comparing, for example, the system of politics with its environment – i.e. all other systems such as the economy or science. The results help us to build a strategy that leads to a meaningful product.
Podcasts are currently one of the most popular formats. Corona certainly increased their popularity. Especially when it comes to reaching people. But is a podcast always a good idea? Does it actually reach the target group? Does it trigger interaction? Does it build a community? First of all: Podcast as a format can be very useful – but not always. We will analyze why – with Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory. The simple reason: it helps science think in systems and communicate better. Communication is the core element of Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory. His guiding principle: society is communication. Every system, including the system of science, is created and maintained by communication. More important for the system theory is the distinction between system and environment. More about this in the INFO.
INFO – The world in systems
The sociologist Niklas Luhmann describes with his system theory the society as a whole . Simply said with the terms: system and environment. In Niklas Luhmann’s view, the economy, politics or science, for example, is an autopoietic, self-referential system . Science does not have to communicate its research results. It can still conduct high-quality research. Systems can only be distinguished from each other in differentiation. The environment plays a role. If Niklas Luhmann considers a system (science) all other systems (economy, politics, etc.) become the environment for the system . Science can be compared with the environment i.e. the economy, politics and other systems. With this we can describe a system. For example, science: new knowledge is sought, which is primarily not made to make money. Whereas the economic system has to deal with money efficiently. In politics, money plays a role in form of tax revenues. By relating to the environment, we understand how a system works . It is important how the system describes itself . Applied to science: The results of the researchers must be falsifiable.
No more thinking in products
Why is systems theory so important for science communication? First of all – and this is probably the most important observation – the application of systems theory makes thinking in formats and products unnecessary. Why is it advisable to stop thinking that way?
“Strategy first, product second.”
Let’s pick up the example from the beginning: Podcasts. There are podcasts on a wide variety of topics. Just because it’s trendy right now doesn’t mean the format is effective. Many organizations or companies forget to do an analysis before producing their podcast or other formats: Have I even identified a target audience? If so, what does our target audience really want? And how do we reach them? Formats like podcasts are often self-referential, because quite often they serve purpose to validate themselves, to do science communication than to communicate with the public. Thinking in terms of formats is therefore of little help at first – it is better to develop a suitable strategy: according to the motto “strategy first, product second”.
“System Theory becomes the basic framework of science communication.”
A sensible strategy can be developed with the help of systems theory. Thus, it becomes a basic framework of science communication. We should consider the following questions in relation to the system that our science communication should reach.
- To what extent does the system distinguish itself from the environment?
- How does the system describe itself?
- How does the system communicate and thus delimit itself from the environment?
- How does communication maintain the system distinct from the environment?
These very abstract questions serve as a first approach to understand the system. It does not matter whether we are talking about educationally disadvantaged classes, politicians or young people. It is always useful to ask: how do these subsystems of society function? It is easier to pick out stakeholders who stand for the individual systems, such as civic associations. In doing so, we move away from the idea of communicating for a general public. That doesn’t work anyway. We can’t reach everyone at once. Let’s remember Luhmann’s systems theory: systems are complex. Only by analyzing them, we can understand them and thus develop a well thought-out communication strategy. The important thing here, in communication, is to reduce this complexity in order to be understood while maintaining the complexity of the science system.
“Good science communication is complexity-preserving complexity reduction.”
INFO – Communication Simplified
System and environment are the most important concepts in systems theory. What about the people who shape these systems? In theory, they don’t matter. Much more important is communication . This creates, maintains and delimits a system from its environment . If we communicate about scientific knowledge, we maintain the scientific system. At the same time, we demarcate ourselves from politics, which discusses laws. Communication also reduces the complexity of a system . Whenever we communicate, we leave another aspect aside. When we talk about the falsifiability of scientific results, this leaves out intersubjective comprehensibility as a methodological process as well as other system properties.
Before we even begin to plan, we sit back. During this time, we consider: Who should be targeted?
Once we have settled on a target group, Luhmann’s systems theory comes into play. An analysis of the system forms the basis of our strategy. Only when the strategy has been developed, we can develope the product. A strategy should be long-term. It must be adaptable in order to be able to react flexibly and adaptively to pertubations (“disturbances”) from the environment to the system of science. Constant review is necessary. Then we also see if a podcast actually works – if we decided to do it. And we also notice if it should no longer work.
Source
Luhmann, Niklas (1984): Soziale Systeme. Grundriss einer allgemeinen Theorie. Frankfurt. Suhrkamp.
Rasch, William (2013): Soziale Systeme. In: Horster, Detlef (Hrsg.): Soziale Systeme. Akademie Verlag
Weber, Niels (2013): System und Umwelt. In: Horster, Detlef (Hrsg.): Soziale Systeme. Akademie Veralg