Communication Plan
Ensure all parties have the information they need to act
The communication plan details who the stakeholder groups are, what their preferred communication methods are, what information they need, and the frequency in which the information is shared.
Creating and documented a clear communication plan can help the team focus their messaging to their targeted audience. For most projects, the goals of communication are to increase awareness, raise buy-in, and solicit input of feedback. Developing a communication plan helps to fulfill these goals in an organized fashion.
When developing the communication plan, the project team should consider the following questions:
- What is the goal of the planned communication?
- Who is the audience?
- What is the message?
- What communication channels should be used?
- Who owns distributing the message?
To download the customizable Communication Plan template (in Microsoft PowerPoint), please add the Communication Plan template to your cart and hit check out.
Communication is an ongoing activity for any organization. As a result, it is essential that the project team periodically revise their communication plan to satisfy any changes in their stakeholder’s need for information. In addition to monitor changes in stakeholder needs, it is critical that the team continually evaluate the effectiveness of their communication and adjust accordingly.
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As suggested above, successful communication is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. As soon as the organization identifies the need for change, it should begin planning project objectives and developing the communication plan concurrently. Energy spent planning on the front-end of the project can help the team avoid unnecessary delays once the project is activated. Developing a targeted communication plan helps ensure everyone who has a need for information has access to the information they need to actively engage in the project. This topic is a core concept of leading change as a change agent. To learn more about sponsoring projects, please visit our Introduction to Change Managment Certification Course.
Change management is about increasing awareness, acceptance, and alignment around an idea. A key focus of change management is to understand who is potentially impacted by the change and to engage that person, or group of people, in the change through effective communication. From a high-level, change management is about addressing the human side of change for any change initiative.
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