Polygraph Productions brings the rigour and insight of scientific research to the digital medium. We feel that your stories and messages are interesting enough without having to add glamour or remove important content. We also know that your audience is intelligent and deserves to be treated as such.Whether or not you agree with it, digital media have become the “must have” of almost all individuals, organisations, groups and bodies. There is a common expectation that everything can be ‘Googled’ or watched on Youtube in order that the masses can access the information they crave.Trust is won and lost depending upon accessibility and willingness to share information; many people, including your internal stakeholders, demand increasingly engaging and eye-catching approaches to obtain a share of their valuable time.With such emphasis placed upon grabbing our attention, is it any wonder that the real sense and value of the information is lost in the melee?The most important aspect of Polygraph Productions is our ability to take the most accurate approximation of reality, research, and present to multiple audiences without misinterpreting its nuances, dumbing down or over-embellishing.

This role was responsible for supporting the end to end execution of key projects with involvement in project design, analysis, interpretation and the development of recommendations to present to the client, ensuring client needs and expectations, budget and given time frames have been met. The position also assisted in managing key portfolios and client accounts to support the growth of the business. The role assisted in building strong relationships with clients, developing a full and comprehensive understanding of their business and needs. It was hands-on in delivering high calibre presentations and workshops with the client and contributed ideas and led initiatives that enhanced efficiency, effectiveness and the quality of projects and research work.

Research, analysis and communication. These core functions of the role provided a vital connection between the general public, external stakeholders and interest groups and DSE’s Fire Management Division – from an operational to policy level. By devising and managing a range of research styles and approaches, the role was able to depict the diverse range of interests and opinion held by the Victorian community with respect to planned burning. This is important in understanding the communication and engagement needs of multiple publics within the community and often requires skills in explaining complex concepts, ideas and issues to a non-expert audience. The role had a significant input in designing communication and engagement strategies that suit both the community and the skills and resources available within DSE and allowed the application of complex concepts to policy development and organisational change.Research application within an operational setting. Social considerations encounter a myriad of barriers within a predominantly operational setting. For this reason, the role was responsible for identifying appropriate methods and opportunities for research dissemination within the organisation. This required a good knowledge of the organisation, solutions thinking, creativity and the initiation and maintenance of relationships with peers and senior internal stakeholders. In addition, the role had to consider how and where change should occur within the organisation if engagement goals were to be met. For this reason, the role provided guidance and leadership in the adaptation of existing approaches and the application of new concepts.

Working within the Centre for Risk and Community Safety on projects funded by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre. Various case studies were used to help identify impediments to the ‘Prepare, stay and defend or leave early’ policy. This included an assessment of the effectiveness of 'Community Fire Units' in promoting awareness and preparing vulnerable communities for bushfires in New South Wales, with specific relevance to Australian bushfire policy. This work was largely autonomous, although it involved a high degree of liaison with stakeholders and agencies involved in the commissioning of the research. Led projects investigating community vulnerability, self-sufficiency and resilience to bushfires. In particular, leading research into bushfire communications and public behaviour during the October, 2006 Hobart Bushfires. Also performed a number of other roles within the centre, including editorial review, media liaison / communication and survey design.

Within the adaptation to climate change program, was responsible for the design and implementation of appropriate research strategies to address a number of climate change / decision-making research questions. This involved a thorough knowledge of the literature in order to frame the issues in question and the design and implementation of appropriate research methodologies. The analysis of subsequent data led to a number of outputs aimed at various audiences - this included the publication of research outcomes in high-impact journals. The projects involved close cooperation with colleagues and work carried out independently. Continued to work in a consultancy capacity, including research, writing papers, media communications and editing media releases on specific topics.

Employed by the IUCN to compile and present information from the first East African Fresh Water Biodiversity Assessment. This involved liaison with colleagues in East Africa to ensure that targets were met and that the information was sufficiently accurate and complete. The species data were entered into an Access database and displayed in GIS format in order to increase environmental information for planning processes and to lend weight to species protection programs in developing countries. The program has since received major funding to carry out biodiversity assessments throughout the rest of the African continent.