Case Study: The University of Washington Office of Development

An "audit" of internal communications and implementation of strategies and tactics to improve employee communication.

The client: UW Development, whose mission is to raise private funds for the University of Washington, consists of more than 200 employees who work in 20+ different locations in downtown Seattle and on UW campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma.

The objective: Assess the effectiveness of communication among the Office's employees and create a plan for enhancing internal communication.

The strategy: Conduct an audit of internal communications and, based on audit results, create strategies and tactics for internal communications aimed at helping employees become more effective and more cohesive in their work.

The tactics:

• Conducted personal interviews with 22 management employees, group meetings with 24 staff members, and a print survey of all staff
• Wrote and produced a 65-page Audit Report detailing results
• Wrote and produced a Strategic Communications Plan encompassing 20 specific tactics for enhancing communications
• Managed the implementation of many of the recommended tactics, including development of an employee Intranet site
• Served as interim Director of Marketing and Communications, participating as a member of the management team for the Assistant Vice President of Development Services
• Oversaw the creation of the Office of Development's first Marketing and Communications Department

The results: A three-person Marketing and Communications Department continues to implement the majority of the tactics recommended in the Strategic Communications Plan.