The Solutions Section
What can be done to address the problem? How does this impact them or something they care about?
The Solution section outlines the options for solving the problem you identified. When presenting possible solutions, consider whether they are something your audience can influence or act upon. And remind yourself of your communication goals: Why are you communicating with this audience? What do you want to accomplish?
Things to think about:
What changes can be made to the way things currently stand?
Who can make those changes?
What would it take to solve the Problem(s) identified?
Side-by-Side Example
See the full side-by-side of Kathy’s Message Box here.
Initial
A single, national platform to assess natural areas, wildlife connectivity, and ecosystem health across the nation
Identifying corridors in a national context and having legislation in place that will help to:
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identify corridors in a national context regardless of political boundaries or jurisdictions
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designate lands as a “corridor”
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project and manage lands as corridors
A review of 25 years of peer-reviewed articles revealed that the most frequent recommendation for protecting biodiversity is improved connectivity to ensure species can move and adapt in response to climate-induced changes.
Initial Feedback
Here, Kathy lists several components needed in national legislation to create wildlife corridors, and refers to the large body of scientific literature indicating that corridors are necessary for wildlife survival.
Refined
25 years of scientific research indicates that connections between natural areas is crucial for wildlife movement and longterm survival.
Congress should pass the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act to create a national geographic information system with maps to identify and prioritize natural corridors for wildlife and to require all relevant federal, tribal, state, and local government agencies to coordinate on land use decisions.
Refined Feedback
Here, Kathy tailored her message to a more general congressional audience—typically very busy people dealing with dozens of issues simultaneously, with limited time to grasp complex concepts. She mentions the science supporting the need for the bill, and then simply urges her audience to support the introduced bill with a brief description of what it would do.
FAQs for the Solution Section
How many ideas should I have in the Problem section?
There may be several ideas you want to include—just make sure that they are all relevant to the particular audience and the specific problem(s) you are addressing, and are stated succinctly. But remember, the Message Box is intended to help you prioritize what is most important to convey, so think hard about that. Also consider whether your Problem statement is too broad and could be more specific. In some cases, revisiting the Problem statement can help narrow down the focus of the topic and what needs to be done to address it.
How do I handle the issue of advocating for a particular solution?
Whether you want to advocate for a particular solution or course of action is a deeply personal choice. In some scientific fields, advocating for a specific position is common practice. In others, it raises concerns that advocacy could undermine scientific objectivity or credibility. Deciding to advocate for a given solution depends on the audience, your professional role, and the context in which you’re presenting your information. Have you been asked by decision-makers to share your professional judgment? Is a particular solution critical to solving the problem? How important is the problem?
What if the only Solution that I can think of is simply more research?
The solution in some cases might simply be to obtain a greater understanding of X, Y, or Z. But in many cases, having this as your only Solution is an indication that the Problem statement or the So What needs further distillation. Consider whether either (or both) of these sections are too in-the-weeds of your scientific discipline, and aren’t framed as topics that matter in people’s lives. Try to rework them to make sure that they are relevant to your audience.
What if my Solution doesn’t really impact the Problem?
If your Solutions don’t relate to the Problem you identified, then either adjust the Problem or adjust the Solution so that they do relate. Some questions to consider include whether your Problem and Solution points are operating at the same scale (i.e., if the problem is that wildlife aren’t able to move vast distances across the country due to barriers, but your solution is to have town hall meetings in only one state, you would need to adjust the scale of your suggested solution). Another question to consider might be whether your Solution is specific enough, or if it is stated too vaguely to actually solve the Problem.
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Examples
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