Good Patterns

Overall, a good communications pattern serves as a focal point, or perhaps more accurately, a center of gravity for creatively drawing together content, tools, practices and team resources to resolve a significant problem.

More specifically, a good communications pattern:

• Is discrete, in the sense of having clear boundaries and applicability
• Is persistent, enduring beyond specific events and products through varying degrees of presence throughout an organizations communications environment; it is more than one speech or a Web site page.
• Integrates multiple facets of communications by:
  • Informing the scope and substance of content
  • Suggesting the effective use of specific tools and practices (e.g., newsletters, email, speeches, graphic displays)
  • Naturally integrating the efforts of multiple levels and types of staff or team members; a powerful pattern will elicit previously “hidden” or underutilized skills, abilities, and creativity
• Resolves a significant obstacle or challenge
• Releases or generates new energy and resourcefulness
• Builds upon and addresses the gaps in other communications patterns
• Provides an expanded capacity for meeting new challenges and opportunities