Communication mapping is interactive tool for identifying how information flows between a project and affected communities. Communication mapping can also be used to traces out information pathways between community members (including within and between population sub-sets) and from within the community to higher authorities. Communication mapping enables participants to visualize information flows in order to help people see how different modes of communication may include or exclude different people, and how communication resultantly impacts on participatory planning and benefits sharing. It also helps the project communicate to better distinguishing between social groups and categories of vulnerability. Communication mapping is also helpful for understanding why information about regulatory frameworks may not be widely disseminated and which groups are less likely to know about regulatory frameworks and can help build policy recommendations for how governments and local authorities can improve dissemination of information.

References