Communication Plan
What is project communication?
A project communication plan is a simple tool or framework that enables you to communicate effectively with your client, team, and other stakeholders concerning your project. It sets clear guidelines for how information regarding a project will be shared and who's responsible for it, and the needs to be fulfilled on each project communication.
Why is a project communication plan important?
The project communication plan is essential because it sets the standards/ barriers for how and when communication takes place regarding a specific project between teams and stakeholders. This gives you complete access to maintain control of the project and ensure all stakeholders receive the necessary vital information. The success of a project depends on this effective communication. Improving communication maximizes success and minimizes the risk of a project.
What are the three main processes in project communication management?
The three main processes in the project communications management plan are planning communications management, managing communications, and controlling communications.
Planning communications management: It involves determining the information and communications needs of the senior management and stakeholders.
Managing communications: It involves creating, distributing, storing, retrieving, and disposing of project communications based on the communications management plan.
Controlling communications involves monitoring and controlling project communications to ensure communication with the stakeholders are met with.
How do you create a communication plan?
- Choose the format of your project communication plan template.
- Identify the purpose or goals of your communication plan.
- Identify your stakeholders according to their interests.
- Identify the methods of communication like video conferences, formal presentations, phone calls, etc.
- Determine the communication frequency for your project communication plan.
- Identify the owner of the project.
What does the Project communication plan include?
A primary project communication plan should include an analysis for the stakeholders you'd reply to and the procedures for what to include in those conversations. You might also have an overview of your business, potential communication challenges, and risk management strategy. Typically the Project Communication Plan includes:
- The purpose of the communication plan.
- Information about the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders.
- The types of information that need to be communicated with stakeholders
- The methods used in communication
- The frequency at which each stakeholder would like to receive the respective information