How I Approach Media and Communications

In media and communications, it's tempting to skip straight to the visible parts — cameras, graphics, edits, the "shiny stuff." But the work that really determines whether a project succeeds happens long before that.

Over time, I've refined a workflow that balances strategy and creativity. It's not the only way, but it consistently turns complex ideas into communications that work. And I'm not alone in thinking this way: others in marketing, communications, and media argue for similar approaches.

Step 1: Analyse — Define the Outcomes

The first step is always to listen and clarify. What's the actual communication challenge? What do we need the audience to know, feel, or do differently?

As Matthew Lowry puts it in his piece on communication strategy: "Identify your audience, define your messaging, then choose your communication channels". Skipping straight to channels or formats without this clarity is where projects unravel.

Step 2: Research — Test Assumptions

Being close to a subject can create blind spots. That's why external research matters — it confirms what's known and uncovers what's hidden.

This aligns with the Marketing Playbook view: "Strategic messaging and positioning are critical for creating content that resonates with audiences and supports organisational goals". Without this digging, content risks being accurate but irrelevant.

Step 3: Develop — Message First, Medium Second

Too often, teams jump to format — "we need a video," "let's make an animation" — before nailing the core message. I've found it works better the other way around.

The message should drive the medium. Or, as Marshall McLuhan warned, "the medium is the message" — meaning the choice of channel shapes how a message is received. Recognising that influence is why clarity comes first, production second.

Step 4: Plan & Produce — Execution With Context

Production is exciting — cameras, lights, edits. But unless it's grounded in strategy, it's just "pretty noise." When execution is aligned with message and research, it becomes purposeful.

This is where strategy and craft finally converge.

Step 5: Feedback & Delivery — Validate the Work

Accuracy matters. Clarity matters. That's why I like to build in two levels of feedback:

• Experts to confirm technical accuracy.
• Non-experts to confirm clarity and resonance.

Communication specialists agree. "Feedback is essential to ensure the intended message is received and understood as intended". Without it, you're only guessing.

In other words: don't just deliver content — test whether it actually works.

Why This Workflow Works

This workflow isn't bureaucracy. It's discipline. It ensures time and resources are invested wisely and that the final output is both accurate and effective.

It also mirrors established best practices across the field. As Lowry notes, effective communication strategies follow a progression: audience → message → channels → optimisation.

In my experience, following that kind of structure creates the balance every organisation needs: creativity without chaos, and strategy without rigidity.

Quote

"Edd's methodology works in my experience. It was easy for us, as we only needed to think about the message we wanted to get across. Edd optimized the packaging of the message, made us look good and then used his post-production skills to deliver an enhanced video."
— Mick Heys, Vice President at IDC