DCERN uses a web-based strategy in order to recognise and advocate for the importance of research into the impact of communication in social change. The key strategy is participation. The DCERN portal is designed to enable users to share opportunities to influence policy when a window of change opens up, and to review documents and upload materials based on their own experiences. The e-platform is meant to be a place where users can access materials - and, crucially - to assess them (by providing a star rating). This input has been fed into a synthesis paper created for each of the 5 sectors that pulls together the most compelling pieces of evidence.

In order to maximise the chance to demonstrate the impact of communications in a number of development sectors, organisers provide guidelines to practitioners seeking to make contributions to the web portal. For instance, they call for robust evidence, indicating that - while case studies, anecdotes, and stories can be powerful in getting a message across - survey data or quantitative analysis is what is sought here. In an effort to inform policy development fully, organisers invite evidence that highlights both what works and what does not.

Agriculture, Education, Health, Governance, and Economic Growth.