By Director of Learning and Organizational Development, Shawn Martell.

In today's interconnected world, effective communication is essential for successful international development. At Bixal, we've developed a comprehensive five-step approach to strengthen communications for international development agencies and organizations. This post focuses on one crucial component of our approach: creative global communication training strategies that empower communicators to become effective agents of change.

Our Five-Step Approach to Communication Excellence

Before we delve into our training methodologies, let's outline our holistic strategy for communication success, which includes:

1. Regular training: Building a foundation of skills and knowledge.
2. Hands-on support: Providing ongoing guidance and quality control.
3. Clear communication strategies: Ensuring targeted and impactful messaging.
4. Cross-functional teams: Leveraging diverse expertise for comprehensive solutions.
5. Up-to-date resources: Equipping teams with the latest tools and best practices.

Each of these components plays a vital role, but in this post, we'll focus on how Bixal’s training approaches can revolutionize an organization's communication capabilities, especially in complex international contexts.

Reimagining Global Communication Training

As industry leaders in both communications and learning and development (L&D), we understand the power of effective communication training to ensure messaging that is consistent and impactful regardless of the audience or context. Creating effective training in an international context requires more than just traditional workshops or e-learning modules. It demands a comprehensive, adaptive approach that addresses the unique challenges of communicating across diverse cultures, languages, and geopolitical landscapes.

Bixal’s approach begins with human-centered design, diving deep into the specific needs and contexts of communicators working in international development. Through in-depth interviews, surveys, and on-the-ground observations with our clients and other stakeholders, we gain crucial insights that shape every aspect of our training programs. This ensures that our tailored learning experiences are relevant and transformative for each participant, whether they're based in a capital city or a remote field office.

Transformative Learning Experiences for International Development Practitioners

Recognizing the constantly evolving international communication landscape, we apply Agile methodologies to our learning design. Agile in the L&D context prioritizes the rapid development of training to allow for quick feedback and regular opportunities for refinement. This iterative approach creates user-centered experiences that can be quickly adapted to changing global contexts and emerging best practices. 

Our Agile approach to training includes sprint-based learning modules—short, focused segments of training content developed, tested, and refined quickly based on real-world feedback and changing needs. Additionally, we implement flexible learning paths that adapt to individual progress, offering additional support for participants who need it or advanced modules for those who master the basics quickly. If a learner struggles with a particular concept, they can access additional resources or alternative explanations, ensuring no one is left behind. Regular "pulse checks," which are frequent evaluations with participants and stakeholders, ensure training remains aligned with evolving organizational goals and global trends.

To transform communications capacity on an international scale, we do more than just measure completion. Our data-driven approach uses advanced analytics and learning measurement techniques to track not just knowledge acquisition but also how well new skills are applied across different cultural settings. Our comprehensive method assesses training from multiple angles, including participant satisfaction, knowledge and skill acquisition, on-the-job performance improvement, and organizational outcomes. Techniques we use include knowledge checks, surveys, interviews, focus groups, task observations, and key performance indicator (KPI) benchmarking. This approach helps us identify where additional support or specific resources are needed and measures the impact of better communication on key organizational objectives and international partnerships.

Tangible Results Across the Federal Landscape

Our approach has delivered tangible results across diverse sectors. For example:

• USAID: Implemented “sprint-based" learning modules that enabled rapid knowledge exchange, with a three-month sprint on virtual facilitation equipping 15 staff with skills they then shared agency-wide.
• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Certified over 3,500 housing counselors nationwide via our learner-centered platform, enhancing their ability to assist customers.
• Department of Justice (DOJ): Transformed in-person grant management training into engaging virtual experiences during the pandemic, ensuring continuity in critical skills development. 

Building a Global Learning Ecosystem

Effective training goes beyond individual courses. At Bixal, we create an environment that supports and encourages continuous learning and improvement across our global network. Our system includes blended learning experiences that combine virtual instructor-led workshops, localized e-learning modules, and hands-on practice tailored to specific regional contexts. We promote knowledge sharing and cross-cultural understanding through global learning communities and provide helpful resources like short “microlearning” videos and digital job aids in multiple languages. Additionally, our mentorship programs connect communicators from different countries and regions, fostering a truly global perspective.

Our deep expertise in both L&D best practices and international operations allows us to create training programs that go beyond basic skills. We aim to build expertise in cross-cultural communication, with a focus on advanced cultural intelligence training to navigate international relationships, storytelling techniques for diverse audiences, crisis communication strategies adapted for different cultural and political contexts, and data visualization and presentation skills that effectively convey complex information to international stakeholders.

The Result: A Global Network of Communication Champions

By implementing our comprehensive approach to global communications training, organizations we have worked with have seen significant improvements, including:

• Increased consistency and quality in communications across all channels and regions.
• Improved ability to adapt messaging to local contexts while maintaining overall brand and message integrity.
• Enhanced capacity to leverage data and insights in developing global communication strategies.
• A culture of continuous learning and improvement among communicators.

Our team believes in the power of effective communication to drive positive global change. Our exceptional expertise in learning and development, combined with our deep understanding of international contexts, makes us the ideal partner to enhance your organization's communications capacity.

Are you ready to elevate your global communications to the next level? Let's talk about how Bixal can help you build a world-class training program tailored to your unique international needs and objectives. Contact us through Bixal.com. And for more on how to achieve effective global communications, check out “Mastering Communication: Five Key Strategies for Government Agencies,” a post by Bixal’s manager of strategic communications, Clarissa Perkins.