64 ORGANIZACIJA ZNANJA 2011, LETN. 16, ZV. 3
When new knowledge is generated by a project, 
it is essential that this knowledge is recorded and 
communicated to target audiences. Knowledge recording 
must preserve knowledge authenticity and arrange it in 
a form suitable for the target audiences. An appropriate 
communication channel must be provided for recorded 
knowledge to reach a target audience. These are also basic 
requirements for assuring quality in dissemination of 
knowledge. These basic requirements are complemented 
by recommendations and conclusions of different formal 
bodies and research studies (Council of the EU, 2007; 
EuropeAid, 2009; Fry et al., 2009; OECD, 2007; RIN, 
DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE
PROCESS SYSTEMATIZATION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION
Maksimiljan Gerkeš
Institut informacijskih znanosti
Maribor 
Kontaktni naslov:
maks.gerkes@izum.si
Abstract
Dissemination proved to be a complex process that can take very diverse paths with questionable 
outcomes if not shaped correctly. And there are variety of views in research communities and 
the society of what the dissemination is. In such a situation it is natural to develop a more solid 
comprehension of the concept and, based on this, a model of the environment for the dissemination. 
This makes it possible to set goals of dissemination. By systematization the dissemination process 
is then shaped in such a way as to allow fulfilling the dissemination goals. To assure the process is 
carried out as defined, a system implementing the process is proposed. The model of the environment 
proved critical for the definition of the dissemination process and systematization proved to be a 
means for completing and structuring knowledge about the dissemination accordingly. Both are 
verified against a real dissemination process. Research communities can benefit from such a system in 
increased quality of dissemination achieved with less dissemination effort.
Keywords
dissemination, concept, process, model, systematization, implementation. Introduction
Izvleček
Diseminacija se izkaže za zahteven proces, ki vodi k vprašljivim rezultatom, če je neustrezno 
zastavljen in usmerjan. Raznolikost pogledov na diseminacijo v raziskovalnih okoljih in v družbi 
nasploh ne prispeva k poenostavitvi procesa. V takšni situaciji je naravno najprej oblikovati 
solidno razumevanje koncepta in nato oblikovati model okolja za diseminacijo. To pa omogoči 
postavitev ciljev diseminacije. S sistematizacijo vzpostavimo proces diseminacije tako, da omogoča 
izpolnitev teh ciljev. Za zagotovitev, da bo proces diseminacije tudi izpeljan tako, kot je zastavljen, 
predlagamo sistem, ki implementira ta proces. Model okolja se izkaže v tem kontekstu kot 
ključen za oblikovanje procesa diseminacije, sistematizacija pa se izkaže kot sredstvo za potrebno 
dopolnitev in strukturiranje znanja o diseminaciji. Tako model okolja kot sistematizacija sta bila 
uporabljena na resničnem procesu diseminacije. Raziskovalna okolja dobijo s tako zastavljeno 
diseminacijo večjo kakovost procesa ob manjšem naporu.
Ključne besede
diseminacija, koncept, proces, model, sistematizacija, implementacija
2007; RIN, 2008; RIN, 2009; Scholarly Publishing 
Roundtable, 2010).
Dissemination is commonly coordinated based on a 
dissemination strategy (Kakaletris 2005, Viollier 2009). 
When knowledge to be disseminated is still in origination, 
the dissemination strategy should be developed based on 
incomplete information. To avoid this, the information 
gaps can be filled in based on educated guesses. 
Developed in this way the dissemination strategy may 
later need adaptation to the actual situation. 
doi:10.3359/oz1103064                                                                                                                     1.01: IZVIRNI ZNANSTVENI ČLANEK
 
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65ORGANIZACIJA ZNANJA 2011, LETN. 16, ZV. 3
While carrying out the dissemination, it is important 
that the dissemination strategy reflects in dissemination 
actions. If not, dissemination proposals may appear 
claiming that they are important or even critical to the 
success of dissemination. If met, such proposals can 
cause spending significant dissemination resources 
for little or no effect. To avoid being caught in such 
a situation, we build a simple template called the 
dissemination scheme that mirrors and concretizes 
the dissemination strategy, which minimizes space for 
misinterpretation and dispute.  
What is critical for the dissemination success is that right 
target audiences are determined. To meet this goal, we 
build a simple but feasible model of the environment, 
encompassing all the target audiences that have to be 
informed about the project and its results. Such a model 
enables qualified decisions and limits the number of 
intended dissemination actions.
In general, the dissemination could become a task of 
enormous complexity with questionable outcome if not 
shaped correctly. To minimize this risk, we decide to 
systematize the dissemination process, which provides 
us with a picture of what is to be disseminated, in what 
detail, when the dissemination actions should be carried 
out, by what means, by who and who are the target 
audiences.
Specifically, results to be generated during the project 
along with their mutual dependencies are identified. 
For each identified result, conditions for dissemination 
are set and arranged in records inserted into a template 
called dissemination scheme (Gerkeš 2009), which 
provides a basis for dissemination actions origination. 
When these conditions are met for any result, the 
best matches possible are searched for in the lists 
of target audiences. When the matches are found, 
communication records are created and inserted into a 
template called communication plan. To increase the 
quality of dissemination, we additionally define a set of 
dissemination policies (Kakaletris, 2005) that have to be 
followed by dissemination actions.
A communication record along with dissemination 
policies provides all the necessary data for preparing and 
carrying out a dissemination action. By means of the 
dissemination scheme and communication plan all the 
dissemination actions can be monitored and coordinated 
by the project management.
Systematization is of little use if not supported by a 
system that assures that the dissemination actions are 
carried out as determined by the dissemination scheme 
and communication plan. An implementation of the 
systematized dissemination process is proposed that 
fulfils the systematization requirements.
Core of the work presented in this conceptual paper 
was carried out for dissemination process of the EGAIS 
(Ethical GovernAnce of emergIng technologieS) project 
of the Seventh Framework Programme funded by the 
European Commission. The presented dissemination 
process was implemented in the EGAIS project although 
it was not supported by the web based tools presented in 
this conceptual paper.
CONCEPTUALIZATION
Generally, the results to be delivered by a research project 
and their interdependencies are well elaborated in project 
proposals. With the project results we have the following 
situation: new knowledge, new technology, etc. and the 
environment where these results may fit in. Thus we 
can set the goal of dissemination: communication of 
the information and knowledge about the results to the 
environment.
Dissemination is about communicating information or 
knowledge to target audiences. We describe the situation 
before the dissemination as the existing situation and 
the situation to be accomplished by the dissemination as 
the desired situation. Thus, with the dissemination the 
transition from the existing to the desired situation occurs.
We define the existing situation by local environments 
that may have an interest in project results; and the 
desired situation by the same local environments supplied 
with information and knowledge about the project and its 
results to the extent they desire. The following scenario 
enables transformation of the existing situation into the 
desired one.
1. We have to identify the local environments (target 
audiences) along with their interest in information and 
knowledge.
2. We have to shape information and knowledge 
covering these needs.
3. We have to communicate the information and 
knowledge to target audiences.
Availability of a result implies a time frame suitable for 
its dissemination and the communication requirement 
implies a communication infrastructure capable of 
passing the intended information or knowledge.
This may not be a perfect scenario, however, it enables us 
to shape a dissemination action, which is communication 
of information or knowledge to a target audience. 
With the dissemination action, we can conceptualize 
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dissemination as a collection of dissemination actions. 
Based on interdependency of the results, dissemination 
actions are also interdependent. There is a precedence 
relation among them invoked by precedence of the 
results.
The scenario enables identification of basic relations 
composing a dissemination action.
1. Relation between project results and target audiences
2. Relation between project results, target audiences and 
types of information
3. Relation between project partners and project results
4. Relation between project results and results deadlines
With the basic relations we can set a template for a 
dissemination action: who, what, in what detail, to whom, 
by what means and when.
• Who: project partner (persons that disseminate the 
result).
• What: a result shaped as information or knowledge.
• In what detail: it is essential that the information or 
knowledge is shaped to the needs of the target audience 
(usually expressed by a document type – e. g. news 
release, presentation, paper).
• To whom: the target audience is a group of persons 
presumably having an interest in the result.
• By what means: communication infrastructure that 
has a capability to communicate the result to the target 
audience.
• When: a time frame suitable for the dissemination 
action.
In the above scheme only the project partner is a known 
entity. The result is actually an expected result. The target 
audiences are represented by a category (those who 
may have an interest in the result). The communication 
infrastructure can be determined based on knowledge 
about the communication capacities of the target 
audience.
To this point we have acquired knowledge about basic 
relations among dissemination entities and set a template 
for a dissemination action.
Dissemination strategy
Dissemination is commonly carried out based on a 
dissemination strategy, which is developed in an early 
project stage. While carrying out the dissemination, 
it is important that the dissemination strategy reflects 
in dissemination actions. Otherwise, dissemination 
proposals may appear claiming that they are important or 
even critical to the success of dissemination. If met, such 
proposals can lead to spending significant dissemination 
resources for little or no effect. Reconciliation in such a 
situation can be strenuous and time consuming.
To diminish the space for dispute, each intended 
dissemination action is checked against the dissemination 
strategy, e. g.:
• Is the result to be disseminated (and not a general 
issue having little or nothing in common with the 
result)?
• Is the target category appropriate (are there reasons to 
believe that there is an interest in the result)?
• Is the document type appropriate (does it enable to 
pass the intended information or knowledge)?
If the checking is successful, the intended dissemination 
action is in agreement with the dissemination strategy. 
However, with such an approach there is no limit set to 
the number of dissemination actions, which can grow 
excessive in number.
To avoid being caught in such a situation, we build 
a simple and feasible model of the environment, 
encompassing all the target audiences.
Model of the environment
Actually, we build the dissemination on an intuitive 
model of the environment, which is based on our 
knowledge about the environment. With building the 
model we may get trapped into situations where our 
knowledge is insufficient and needs upgrading. With 
upgrading the knowledge we can gradually build a 
feasible model.
We associate each project result with characteristic 
attributes (e. g. ethics, information, communication, 
nanotechnology). Then we represent local environments 
as target categories (e. g. forums, conferences, journals, 
organizations, associations, societies, individuals) and 
associate target categories with the same characteristic 
attributes as the results (e. g. forum: ethics, journal: 
communication, conference: nanotechnology). In this 
way we build a set of target categories determining 
characteristics of local environments (e. g. ethics forum, 
communication journal, nanotechnology conference). 
By (partially) matching characteristic attributes 
associated with the results with characteristic attributes 
of the target categories, we identify categories of local 
environments that may have an interest in project results 
and also establish connections among them (which local 
environment may have an interest in which result) (Figure 
1). (Such a model can also be made formal and matching 
can be carried out by a machine.)
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Figure 1: Discovering target categories
There is also a simpler way of building a set of target 
categories by immediate associations of characteristic 
attributes of project results with target categories. As 
this is not based on the model of the environment, we 
consider it less suitable.
Consequently we can represent successfully matched 
pairs by a table: project results, target categories (Figure 
2). Such a table is, however, not well suited for further 
development. By decomposition, we transform the initial 
table into a tabular structure where each category (project 
results, target categories) is arranged as an enumerated 
list (presented by a table) and linked to a link table in 
such a way that the resulting tabular structure (Figure 2) 
is equivalent to the table before decomposition. (Such 
decomposition can also be carried out by a machine.) 
Figure 2: Relation between project results and target  
  categories
Basic dissemination relation
We associate project results with project partners 
responsible for producing them (in general, not 
individuals), represent them by a tabular structure 
and integrate the structure with the structure: project 
results, target categories (Figure 3). Thus, we establish 
two groups of categories for communication that are 
connected via project results. 
Figure 3: Basic dissemination relation
The table (Figure 3) provides us, in categorical terms, 
with a basic relation of what is to be disseminated, 
by whom and to whom. It, however, does not provide 
answers on when, in what detail and by what means the 
results should be disseminated. This implies that the basic 
dissemination relation should be extended by deadlines 
and types of information determining the detail of content 
to be communicated to the target audiences.
Result deadlines
By associating the results and corresponding result 
deadlines we get a time scale determining the earliest 
possible starting dates for presenting the results to target 
categories (Figure 4). For inclusion into the dissemination 
scheme we represent the time scale by a table (Figure 5).
Figure 4: Relation between project results and results 
deadlines (schematic)
Figure 5: Relation between project results and results  
  deadlines
Types of information
Not all target categories need information of the same 
detail. To fulfil this requirement target categories should 
be characterized also by their information needs to allow 
communicating the right information (Lund, 2010; 
Pilerot, 2011).
We determine information needs by different views on the 
project. Each view implies different information needs. 
The following types of information may be convenient 
for representing a technological project and its results to a 
technological target category:
1. Information about the project and expected results
2. Information about the result
3. Information that enables accessing feasibility of the 
result for a specific purpose
4. Knowledge that enables implementations based on the 
result
In this way a target audience can be approached in 
succession with diminished possibility of information 
overload. The succession can be stopped at any time if 
the target category is not interested any more in further 
information or knowledge.
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Presenting a technological project to a non-technological 
target category may be convenient by the following types 
of information:
1. Information about the project, expected results and a 
short explanation of how the expected results would 
influence a specific environment
2. Knowledge that enables bridging the gap between 
background knowledge and knowledge needed for a 
full comprehension (e. g. a glossary and a tutorial)
3. Information about the result that makes it possible 
to assess the influence of the result to a specific 
environment
Information types can be conveniently replaced by 
document types (e. g. a leaflet, poster, presentation, 
paper, report, tutorial, data set, animation – presenting a 
technology, video clip); each document type implies the 
type of information it presents.
Associations of project results and target categories 
(Figure 2) enable the determination of appropriate contents 
to be communicated to a target category. By matching 
contents with document types we determine, which 
document types best serve intended communications 
(Figure 6). When matching, imposed restrictions should 
be taken into account (e. g. a conference document types – 
poster, paper).
Figure 6: Relation between project results, target categories  
  and document types
It is acceptable to associate more than one document type to 
a target category (a target category can be associated with 
more target audiences having different information needs). 
Document types enable associations of means for 
communicating associated documents. However, there 
are limits to these associations: availability of means for 
producing and rendering documents content. In more cases 
document types and means for communicating documents 
are determined by target category (e. g. a conference).
DISSEMINATION SCHEME
By joining all the decomposed tables into a tabular 
structure we get a scheme containing everything 
developed so far (Figure 7).
Figure 7: Tabular structure of a dissemination scheme
From this scheme different implementations can 
evolve (e. g. a single table, database, web service).
By applying commutativity and transitivity relations 
we create a scheme for dissemination by composing 
the enumerated lists (represented by tables) (Figure 7) 
into a single table (Table 1). 
 
Dissemination scheme
Result 
deadlines
Project 
results
Project 
partners
Target 
categories
Document 
types
Table 1: Dissemination scheme
A dissemination scheme gives us a pretty good 
insight into what is to be disseminated, when, by 
whom, to whom and in what detail. However, such a 
dissemination scheme is still not complete and needs 
further detailing (e. g. a target category may represent 
more than one target audience) and possibly extensions 
(undecided at this point of development).
We also want to present to target audiences the 
project with its goals, general topics (e. g. theoretical 
foundations, methodologies) related to the project and 
possible exploitation of the results. And at any time 
we want to know the actual status (e.g. created, in 
progress, completed, stopped) of any dissemination 
action. This makes the dissemination scheme more 
complete. To meet these requirements we modify and 
extend the dissemination scheme (Table 2).
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Dissemination scheme
Deadlines Titles Project 
partners
Target 
categories
Document 
types
Status
General issues related to the project
Project presentations
Project results
Possible exploitation of the results
Table 2: Complete dissemination scheme
Such a dissemination scheme enables balanced 
dissemination of all issues related to the project.
Implementation of a dissemination scheme
There are more ways to implement a dissemination 
scheme (e. g. as a table created by a text editor, 
spreadsheet, database, web based service). We will 
demonstrate implementation of a dissemination scheme 
as a web based service.
Populating and updating a dissemination scheme can be 
time consuming. The amount of work can be reduced by 
automatically populating result deadlines, project partners 
and project results of the dissemination scheme (derived 
from project data). This leads us to a partly composed 
dissemination scheme that is suitable for web based 
implementation (Figure 8) and is further populated with 
data by using web based forms.
Figure 8: Tabular structure adapted for web based   
   implementation
Figure 9 shows an arrangement for web based 
implementation of a dissemination scheme. Pages shown 
are generated dynamically by scripts (e. g. PHP script) 
(PHP Group, 2011) running on the web server. The first 
page is generated by a project partner responsible for 
dissemination and remains unchanged throughout the 
dissemination. All other pages are generated on user’s 
request only. Each time the dissemination scheme is 
updated, a copy is saved and is accessible as a web page 
(from Home page).
Dissemination record creation
Scenario – New dissemination record creation 
(Figure 9)
The user
1. [Page 1] selects a record (deadline, title, project 
partner) [submits form]
2. [Page 2] selects a target category and document type 
[submits form]
3. [Page 3] inspects the created dissemination record
Scenario – Created dissemination record 
modification (Figure 9)
The user
1. [Page 2] selects a target category or document type 
[submits form]
2. [Page 3] inspects the modified dissemination record
After carrying out any of the above scenarios the user can 
decide to:
• create yet another new dissemination record
• modify already created/modified dissemination record
• return to Home page
• do nothing
Figure 9: Dissemination record creation
Each dissemination record is updated several times 
(e. g. status information) during the dissemination. A 
dissemination record can also be deleted. The following 
scenario depicts a dissemination record modification or 
deletion.
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Dissemination record modification
Scenario – Dissemination record modification
The user
1. selects a dissemination record [submits form]
2. modifies the dissemination record [submits form]
3. inspects the modified dissemination record
Scenario – Dissemination record deletion 
(impossible if a communication plan record is already 
created)
The user
1. selects a dissemination record [submits form]
2. confirms dissemination record deletion [submits 
form]
3. – (notification of dissemination record deletion)
COMPLETING DISSEMINATION DATA
Although a dissemination scheme presents all the 
dissemination actions, the dissemination records do not 
contain all the necessary data for carrying them out. 
According to the pattern "who, what, in what detail, to 
whom, by what means and when", we still have to specify 
the target audience and the deadline of the dissemination 
action.
We can associate one or more target audiences (e.g. 
ACMSE, ETHICOMP) with each target category (e. g. 
a conference). Some target audiences (e. g. conference 
participants, journal subscribers) are specified implicitly 
by attributes (e.g. conference title, web address, 
conference topic, place, date, contact).
Other target audiences are specified explicitly (e. g. 
newsletter recipients, ad hoc work group members). 
To unify processing we specify each target category by 
a collection of attributes, and in case of an explicitly 
specified target audience we link the specification to the 
list, specifying members of the target audience.
Figure 10 shows an arrangement for creating target 
audiences. Pages of the arrangement are generated 
dynamically by scripts running on the web server. Each 
time a target audience list is updated, a copy is saved and 
is accessible as a web page.
Target audience record creation
Scenario – New target audience record 
creation (Figure 10)
The user
1. [Page 1] selects a target category [submits form]
2. [Page 2] fills in the values of target category attributes 
(e. g. Event attributes) [submits form]
3. [Page 3] inspects the created target audience record
Scenario – Created target audience record 
modification (Figure 10)
The user
1. [Page 2] modifies the values of target category 
attributes [submits form]
2. [Page 3] inspects the modified target audience record 
A target audience record can be updated (e. g. event 
deadlines change) or deleted. (The scenario for target 
audience record modification or deletion is quite similar 
to the scenario for dissemination record modification or 
deletion.)
Figure 10: Target audience (events) list creation
An explicitly specified target audience is an enumerated 
list created by matching attributes determining its 
members with the attributes in the records containing 
members data (e. g. by matching project leaders attributes 
in the class of nanotechnology projects records, a target 
audience of project leaders in nanotechnology can be 
created).
Creating an explicitly specified target audience is most of 
the time a laborious work. For a target audience for which 
a collection of records exists (e.g. structured records 
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about projects) the target audience can be created by a 
machine.
A target audience can also be created as a union of two 
or more target audiences created based on two or more 
categories (e. g. newsletter recipients).
Figure 11 shows an arrangement for creating an explicitly 
specified target audience in the form of an enumerated 
list. Pages of the scheme are generated dynamically by 
scripts running on the web server. Each time the target 
audience list is updated, a copy is saved and is accessible 
as a web page.
Member record creation
Scenario – New member record creation 
(Figure 11)
The user
1. [Page 1] selects a target audience [submits form]
2. [Page 2] fills in the values of member attributes 
[submits form]
3. [Page 3] inspects the created record
Scenario – Created member record 
modification (Figure 11)
The user
1. [Page 2] modifies the values of member attributes 
[submits form]
2. [Page 3] inspects the modifed record
A member record can be updated (e. g. member position 
changes) or deleted. (The scenario for member record 
modification or deletion is similar to the scenario for 
dissemination record modification or deletion.)
Figure 11: Member record creation
Prospective members can also add themselves to the list 
(e. g. using a form on the project website).
Deadlines of dissemination actions
Results deadlines along with important dates (e. g. for 
a conference, workshop, journal) enable us to set up 
deadlines of dissemination actions.
Content can be passed in more consecutive steps (e. g. an 
abstract, draft paper, final paper). This introduces more 
documents and more deadlines to a dissemination action. 
There are more ways to record these steps; we decide to 
collect them in the deadline field and represent them by 
pairs: content type, date (e.g. abstract: 8 Oct 2010, draft 
paper: 15 Jan 2011, final paper: 30 May 2011).
COMMUNICATION PLAN
A dissemination scheme can be considered an abstract 
presentation of the desired situation as it is created to 
ensure the best possible coverage of local environments 
with information and knowledge about project results. This 
goal can be reached by dissemination actions. When an 
expected result becomes a result, a dissemination action 
can be initiated (target categories can be replaced by target 
audiences and dissemination action deadlines can be set).
By having all data necessary for setting up a 
dissemination action we can represent it by a 
communication record and arrange all the records 
in a plan of communications represented by a list of 
communication records ordered by dissemination actions 
deadlines. A communication plan (Table 3) is created 
gradually as the results become available and is by its 
arrangement a time determined scheme of dissemination.
Communication records are linked (automatically) with 
corresponding records of the dissemination scheme. 
A communication record is linked to the (applicable) 
document template, to the document to be disseminated 
and the target audience (e. g. an event). The current 
status of each dissemination action is described by 
status information. The status of the corresponding 
dissemination record is automatically updated whenever 
the status of the communication record changes. This 
enables us at any moment to realize how much of the 
intended dissemination has already been covered by 
dissemination actions.
Most of the communication record data is derived from 
the corresponding dissemination record (title, document 
type, responsibility) and is completed with a target 
audience and deadline based on the target category and 
result deadlines data from the dissemination record.
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Communication plan
Reference Title Document 
type
Deadline Responsi-
bility 
Target 
audience 
Status
Table 3: Communication plan
Communication plan can be considered a detailed 
representation of the desired situation. It can easily be 
rearranged in the same form as the dissemination scheme.
Communication plan implementation
Figure 12 shows an arrangement for a web based 
implementation of the communication plan. Pages shown 
are generated dynamically by scripts running on the web 
server. Each time the communication plan is updated, a 
copy is saved and is accessible as a web page.
Communication record creation
Scenario – New communication record 
creation (Figure 12)
The user
1. [Page 1] selects a dissemination record [submits form]
2. [Page 2] selects a target audience and sets deadlines 
[submits form]
3. [Page 3] inspects the created communication record
Scenario – Created communication record 
modification (Figure 12)
The user
1. [Page 2] selects a target audience or changes deadlines 
[submits form]
2. [Page 3] inspects the modified communication record
Figure 12: Communication record creation
A communication plan is continually updated. The 
communication records cannot be deleted (dissemination 
action can only be stopped or redirected to another 
target audience). The following scenario depicts a 
communication record modification.
Communication record modification
Scenario – Communication record modification
 
The user
1. selects a communication record [submits form]
2. modifies the communication record [submits form]
3. inspects the modified communication record
Scenario – Communication record modification
(modified record contains errors)
The user
1. modifies the communication record [submits form]
2. inspects the modified communication record 
All the records creation pages are accessible from Home 
page and there is a link to Home page from each final 
page of each scheme. In this way all the schemes are 
arranged as a part of the website.
MAKING DISSEMINATION WORK
The dissemination process developed so far is 
of little use if not carried out correctly (e. g. the 
dissemination records are not created and updated 
on time). Dissemination actions are governed by 
dissemination policies (e. g. a project partner planning 
a dissemination action invites other partners to 
participate) (Kakaletris, 2005) set up in support of 
quality dissemination. Dissemination policies simplify 
the creation of dissemination activities work-flows, 
which are in our case maintained by means of a 
messaging system.
The messaging system is triggered by critical events 
(e. g. deadline violation) in the work-flows. In case of 
work-flows violations, project management and project 
partners get (selectively) notified about the violations, 
which enables corrective actions to take place.
Events that trigger the messaging system
Examples of events relating to the dissemination scheme 
(the dissemination scheme is made machine readable):
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1. A partner who had not created a record (e. g. current 
date is significantly higher than the deadline of a 
result) got notified to create the record.
2. Whenever a record in the dissemination scheme is 
created, project partners get notified.
An example of an event relating to the target audiences:
1. A partner having information about a target audience 
of interest to the dissemination (e. g. an event) creates 
a record (e. g. in Target audiences – Events). Creating 
the record triggers notification of partners about the 
event. 
Examples of events relating to the communication plan 
(the communication plan is made machine readable):
1. A partner who had not created or updated a record 
(e. g. dissemination record created - communication 
record not created) got notified to create or update the 
record.
2. When a record in the communication plan is created, 
partners get invited to participate in preparing the 
presentation of the result. Requirements that have 
to be met by the presentation (e. g. the presentation 
should be prepared in compliance with specific/
common rules, the presentation should reference the 
project) are a part of the invitation.
3. When the presentation of the result is prepared, the 
status in the communication record is changed, and 
the rest of the partners get invited to review and 
comment on the presentation.
4. After giving/completing the presentation, the status 
in the communication record is changed, and the 
partners get notified about any significant feedback.
Submission of any data always triggers validation of data, 
which prevents submission of incomplete and unchecked 
data.
About the events partners do not need to be informed 
about immediately the messaging system creates journals. 
A partner gets access to these journals when entering the 
system. The messaging system creates and maintains a 
journal of newly created target audiences, a journal of 
deleted dissemination records, stopped dissemination 
actions, etc.
To assure only relevant messaging each project partner 
unchecks a preferences form listing all the message 
types. (Some of the messages cannot be unchecked – e. g. 
partner deadline violation messages.)
A messaging system, which can be implemented by 
scripting, checks the dissemination documents regularly. 
When an event occurs (e. g. a deadline violation), it creates 
and sends a message. The messaging system is activated 
also after each event that requires an action (e. g. a partner 
has created a communication record).
The automated messaging diminishes the amount of 
work. It should, however, be designed with a sense of 
reality (intuitiveness, politeness, supportiveness – e. g. 
a partner is unable to create a record due to incomplete 
information about an event; the system should be 
supportive in such a situation and should enable the 
dissemination team to get involved and help resolve the 
situation) (Mulligan and Mabe, 2011).
Dissemination is not a perfect process
Not all interests in the project can be served adequately. 
Such an attempt would result in excessive dissemination 
efforts. However, a source (e. g. a website) containing 
all available information about the project and its results 
can be provided. And based on target audiences feedback, 
additional dissemination can be initiated if necessary. 
In this way the target audiences can be served more 
adequately.
The information provided, however, needs to be 
arranged in such a way to serve a variety of needs. 
This includes bridging the gap between the background 
knowledge of target audiences and required knowledge 
for target audiences to fully benefit from project results 
(e.g. a glossary, tutorial, answers to frequently asked 
questions) and also additional topics not covered by the 
information source content but related to the project 
results (e. g. by a discussion forum, internet events).
This way we can prevent excessive growth in 
dissemination actions count and assure access to project 
results for all interesting parties.
Dissemination management
Management of dissemination activities is seamlessly 
integrated into them. There is a dissemination scheme, 
a communication plan, a set of dissemination policies 
and a set of tools intended to be in support of adequate 
presentation of the project and its results to target 
audiences.
Each project partner is quite aware of what results it 
should deliver and when. And it is also aware of target 
categories that should be informed about the results. This 
allows us to build a scheme of dissemination actions. 
The dissemination scheme should be under continual 
consideration by the project partners in a discussion 
forum and is filtered through discussions, which enables 
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74 ORGANIZACIJA ZNANJA 2011, LETN. 16, ZV. 3
the dissemination scheme to be (continually) adapted 
to current situations. The dissemination scheme is 
considered a template of what is to be presented, by 
whom and when. Dissemination actions specified in 
this way do not need special management because each 
project partner knows exactly what to do and when.
However, the dissemination scheme and communication 
plan enable monitoring the dissemination actions and 
perceiving deviations. The project management is to 
propose necessary corrections in case of deviations.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a variety of views of what dissemination is 
(ranging from presenting research results in professional 
journals and at international conferences to complete 
marketing of results). Both views are extreme and 
miss the intuitive goal of dissemination. Presentations 
of research results in professional journals and at 
international conferences reach only a limited number 
of those, potentially influenced by exploitation of the 
results (and due to ever increasing specialisation of 
knowledge can also miss other professions that may 
have an interest in the results). On the other hand, many 
research results (e. g. technologies) are not suitable for 
immediate exploitation. A lot needs to be done before 
(e. g. evaluation, further development, testing). And 
even then the exploitation of the results should remain 
under control. Skipping these steps can have an immense 
negative and long lasting impact.
No matter how the research is funded, we can speculate 
that the research is carried out for the benefit of the 
society. Estimating the potential impact of the project 
on the society can go far beyond the capacities of 
the project team. History of science and technology 
reveals that the evolution of our societies could have 
taken very different paths from the existing ones if 
scientific and technological discoveries would have been 
treated differently. This is why it is important that the 
information about scientific and technological discoveries 
should be made widely available and should be suitably 
arranged for target audiences.
It is unreasonable to expect that a project team could do 
all the dissemination to potentially interested parties. 
However, there are two things that cannot be avoided: 
presenting the results to the professional communities 
most qualified to evaluate them, and providing detailed 
and understandable information about the results to the 
society. In this way, two important feedbacks can be 
created: one from the professional communities and 
the other from the society, first having a potential to 
evaluate the results, the second having the potential to 
make a holistic estimation of the potential impact on the 
society. Information about the results can activate other 
professional communities that carry out complementary 
research to provide valuable feedback.
Not all projects can have the same scope of influence 
(e. g. local, global), but, the above presented 
pattern scales accordingly. This pattern is not an all 
encompassing pattern (e. g. a group of stakeholders 
may require more influential position in evaluating 
project results), but, it is a foundation for a more 
productive exploitation of research results.
Systematization of the dissemination assures that target 
audiences are addressed directly and provides access 
of the society to all research results by means of an 
information source (e. g. a  website). Visibility of project 
information sources could be significantly enhanced by 
funding agencies providing independent long term indices 
of funded projects with links to project information 
sources (including links to archived projects documents).
We have learned that the refinement of a concept broadens 
comprehension. Naïve comprehension of dissemination 
at the beginning developed, with refinement, into more 
mature comprehension, which enables to better serve the 
needs of target audiences and the society. This shows that 
sticking to an established comprehension of a concept may 
prevent us from quality results.
Modelling and systematization of the dissemination 
process were essentially driven by our desire and need to 
communicate information and knowledge about research 
results to target audiences. This situation is not the same 
as in quality assurance where requirements to be met are 
known in advance. However, based on the results obtained 
we can be confident that the needs of target audiences and 
the society’s expectations can be met better. 
The presented systematization and proposed 
implementation of the dissemination is not the design. 
It is merely a systematized presentation of initial and 
evolving knowledge about the topic under observation 
acquired during the process of systematization. Thus, the 
systematization is basically a means for completing and 
structuring knowledge about the topic under observation. 
It may turn out that additional systematization cycle 
(or cycles) is necessary before knowledge about the 
topic under observation can be considered sufficiently 
complete.
What is missing, is the estimation that the proposed 
system can be considered fit for purpose. There are 
more ways to come to such an estimation, perhaps 
the safest one is to build a simple system based on the 
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schemes developed. In a short time such a system can be 
developed to a stage where all its critical parameters can 
be estimated. Based on this the production system can 
be specified, designed and implemented. This is a cost 
effective way considering that such a system can later, 
in a deployment stage, be of service to many research 
projects, be it a stand alone web solution for any project 
or a web service to more projects.
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