Diffusing Signage as a Visual Communication in Applied of Pico Hydro Technology in Batu Roto, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia

Abstract

Communication plays an important role in spreading idea. This paper describes the important role of visual communication in our community engagement activity conducted in 2017, particularly in signage and the power to difuse information of Pico Hydro technology within Batu Roto village, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. The community engagement itself is based on multidiscipline point of view, specifically communication and engineering. Pico Hydro is commonly used worldwide to generate electricity in rural area, and thus very useful for rural electrification. We conducted research to fulfill the needs of our plan in the community engagement and used communication development theory to support the program outcome. Communication development theory has a focus on dissemination of innovation. The method of this study is desk research such as the psychology of colour and typography. The paper argues that the application of Pico Hydro technology would have more impact on the people of Batu Roto village if it is combines with the social science method of communication development through signage. The information that lies in the signage hopefully can spread the idea of practicing pico hydro in a significant number of houses in the Batu Roto village, hence solving the lack of electricity problem in the Bengkulu Province.