1. Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets:Use a spreadsheet to create a simple communications plan template. Include columns for key elements such as communication objectives, target audience, key messages, communication channels, and dates.
2. Microsoft Word or Google Docs:Create a document outlining your communications plan. This can include sections for communication goals, target audience analysis, key messages, communication channels, and a timeline. Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs offer collaboration features.
3. Trello:Trello is a project management tool that can be adapted for communication planning. Create boards for different aspects of your plan (e.g., objectives, messages, channels), and use cards to detail specific tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines.
4. Asana:Asana is a versatile project management tool that can help you organize and execute your communication plan. Create tasks for each element of your plan, assign responsibilities, set due dates, and track progress.
5. Smartsheet:Smartsheet combines the functionality of spreadsheets with project management features. You can use it to create a detailed communications plan with Gantt charts, timelines, and collaboration tools.
6. HubSpot:HubSpot offers marketing and communication tools, including templates for communication plans. It can help you organize your strategy, track interactions, and manage contacts.
7. Airtable:Airtable is a collaborative database tool that can be customized to create a communications plan template. It allows for easy tracking of tasks, deadlines, and team collaboration.

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Here’s an overview on how to develop your own project communication plan:

To develop a project communication plan, there are 5 key steps you should follow.

1. Set Your Objectives

Your first step is to outline the purpose and goals of your project communication plan clearly. Ensure you articulate them in a clear statement.

Here’s an example of how one company decided to begin its communication plan:

2. Create a List of Stakeholders

Now that you’ve clearly outlined your objectives, it’s time to create a comprehensive list of stakeholders.

This list will help you gain a clearer picture of who is involved in your project and how you should communicate with them

3. List Your Communication Channels

Before you begin your project, it’s very important to audit the communication channels that you have available to you.

You could start by using the list of project communication channels and methods that we outlined above. Try to give yourself a spread of options that will satisfy the needs of everybody on your project.

4. Decide What to Communicate

Once you’ve got a better idea about your project and what you’re hoping to achieve, you’ll find it easier to develop a communication plan.

Let’s say that you’re managing a complex marketing project with around twelve members. You might decide that, for this project, you’ll share the following pieces of information:

• Daily updates with the core team
• Weekly progress reports with the management team
• Monthly in-person project updates with the executive team

5. Answer Key Questions for Each Communication

• Set your objectives
• Determine the frequency
• Choose your communication channel
• Choose your communication method
• Determine your audience
• Decide on an owner

I’ve created a comprehensive project communication plan template. If you would like a free copy to start editing and harmonizing communication across your project, please feel free to ask and I’ll send you one.

Top communication plan template tools for strategic planning:

Free & Simple:

• ClickUp: Offers free communication plan templates with various formats (matrix, action plan, etc.) and collaboration features. Great for basic needs.
• Asana: Free template for general communication plans, plus integrations with Slack, Google Drive, and Zoom for seamless workflow.
• HubSpot: Free blog post with a downloadable template and helpful tips for writing an effective communication plan.

Advanced & Collaborative:

• Visme: Visually engaging templates for various communication plan types, ideal for presentations and reports. Paid plans offer data visualization and branding options.
• Praxie: Online platform with interactive templates and collaboration tools for team planning and tracking. Paid plans provide access to extensive change management resources.
• Mural: Visual collaboration platform with built-in communication plan templates and brainstorming tools for creative planning sessions. Paid plans offer real-time collaboration and advanced features.

Bonus:

• Microsoft Office: Familiar tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint can be used to create custom communication plans, though collaboration features are limited.

Tip: Choose a tool that aligns with your specific needs and team size. Consider factors like collaboration features, visual appeal, budgeting, and the type of communication plan you require.

A comprehensive communication plan template typically includes several key components. First is the identification of objectives and target audiences, ensuring messages align with organizational goals and resonate with intended recipients. Next, the plan outlines messaging strategies, channels, and tactics tailored to reach and engage stakeholders effectively. It also incorporates a timeline with milestones and responsibilities to ensure timely execution.

Additionally, a crisis communication protocol is vital, outlining procedures for managing unexpected challenges. Evaluation metrics, such as feedback mechanisms and performance indicators, help assess the plan's effectiveness and inform adjustments. Regular updates and flexibility are crucial for adapting to evolving needs and environments.

When I worked for McGill Bearings in the 70’s, the owner Chuck McGill insisted on a very knowledgeable woman with a good voice to answer any incoming calls. She would stay on the line to see if the person she chose to answer would pick up. If not she had instructions for an alternate. If the alternate was unavailable then she would go up the line to find a recipient. If none were available she had instructions to connect the call to Chuck McGill. At least once a month they had a luncheon meeting hosted by Chuck where he would remind them of the 18 sales engineers in the field, the advertisements in 5 publications they invited a phone call and a potential customer. Further, Chuck paid overtime to educate all employees about the company and the immediate and long term goals. To be a Sales Engineer for McGill I had to have an engineering degree, two years of successful sales experience and complete a six month training program in the factory. I was assigned the Pacific NW territory. I was the first direct man in the territory. I built it from 250K to 2.5 million in 9 years. In 1978, I took a job as chief engineer for a sawmill machinery manufacturing company. The company I was working for sold out to a conglomerate. McGill sold to Reliance. after Chuck died. the Lawyers and Accountants took over and the very capable secretary who answered the phone was replaced by an automatic answering machine. That was the end of good communications and cooperation.

Iguana

1. Risk Prediction: You can predict what type of crises are most likely to happen in your industry. Write down those scenarios and use them as launch points for strategic planning.
2. Escalation Matrix: Define certain conditions that would trigger an escalated response. i.e., A tier-one crisis may not require involvement from senior management or the PR teams. However, more stakeholders should be involved if it crosses a tier-two threshold. Make your tier matrix clear and articulate immediate actions within each escalation tier.
3. Team Roles and Responsibilities: Define who will be involved at every tier. Name them by name, and review them often to update with turnover. Clearly define what each person’s responsibility will be in a crisis. There should be no finger-pointing or question-asking in a crisis.
4. Stakeholder Matrix: Identify who your organization is responsible for informing when something happens, and articulate who owns that stakeholder group. Will all communication come from a press release (hopefully not)? Ensure every stakeholder is accounted for and you know who will communicate with them. This includes internal and external stakeholders.
5. Training Plan: Articulate how and when you will review your plan to ensure you are prepared. Make training an integral component of the planning process, not an afterthought.
6. Review Plan: Completing the plan and calling it good is not enough. Establish a rhythm that perpetually reviews your plans. Update the contact personnel. Update your risk prediction matrix with nuanced crises. Don’t let dust accumulate!

This is not exhaustive, but it will provide a foundation to start with.

A comprehensive communication plan template encompasses essential components to ensure effective strategy execution. It typically includes an executive summary, outlining objectives and strategies. Background and context provide the plan's purpose and relevant factors. Clear goals and objectives, aligned with SMART criteria, guide planning. Understanding the target audience's demographics, preferences, and behaviors is crucial. Key messages ensure consistency and relevance. Identifying suitable communication channels, both traditional and digital, is essential. Timelines, roles, and responsibilities ensure organized implementation. Budget allocation and resource planning facilitate execution. Risk management strategies anticipate and address potential challenges. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms track progress and effectiveness, with feedback informing adjustments. This iterative process ensures continual improvement in communication strategies, fostering successful engagement with the target audience.

Part 1 of 4:Organizing Your Information
1. Gather a team to draft the plan.

You should brainstorm to identify people who should be on your crisis communications team. Once you identify them, ask them to join you in drafting your crisis communications plan. Consider the following:

Does anyone have prior crisis management experience? If so, you’ll probably want that person to participate.

Is someone in your organization already known in the community? Is this person well-regarded? If so, they should be on your crisis team.

2. Clarify the purpose of the plan.

Generally, your purpose will be to lay out guidelines for coordinating a response to any crisis or incident that arises at your organization. By including a purpose at the start of the document, you reaffirm the driving purpose of the plan.

Sample language could read, "This plan creates guidelines for communicating within the company, and from the company to the public and news media, in the event of a crisis, incident, or emergency when providing accurate information immediately is vital."

3. Identify your crisis communications team.

You will need several different people to handle all of the crisis communication during the incident. Once you identify the roles, you should define their responsibilities. Make sure there is as little overlap as possible. You will probably need people to fill the following roles:

Spokesperson. This person should be the only one who speaks to the media.

Assistant to the spokesperson.

Command center coordinator. This person coordinates all responses to the crisis. In a small crisis, this can be the spokesperson. However, larger crises will require someone to act solely as the coordinator.

Liaisons for each of your audiences. Hand out this person’s name for people to contact.

Phone bank workers. They can answer calls and provide scripted information to audiences.

Media coverage collector. This person can gather all coverage of the event on television, in the newspaper, and on the web.

Press release and speech writer.

Scenario planner.

4. Describe how you will name a spokesperson.

The spokesperson is the most critical person. They should have direct knowledge of the events and will communicate directly with the news media. The spokesperson might change, depending on the crisis.

Alternately, you could identify one spokesperson in the crisis communications plan. For example, you could name the head of media relations. However, you should realize this person might not have the best information during the crisis.

You could have your head of media relations choose the person who will act as the spokesperson.

Part 2 of 4:Deciding How You Will Communicate
1. List constituencies to notify.

Every organization has certain audiences it needs to communicate with. The audiences will differ depending on your organization. Generally, every organization has three to eight publics it must communicate with during a crisis, though the exact number will depend on your business. Consider the following sample constituencies:

Employees. You can also subdivide employees into different groups. Full-time employees may need to be a separate unit from freelancers, for example.

News media. Since the news media reaches a wide audience, you’ll want to include them as a constituency.

Customers, or anyone who uses your products or services. If you’re a university, this would be your students.

People located near a crisis site.

Government officials or regulators.

Owners or other stockholders (if you are a business).

2. Compile contact information for constituencies.

You don’t want to be searching for contact information during an emergency, so compile it now. Get as much contact information as possible, including the following:

organization name

name of an individual to contact at the organization

business telephone number

mobile number

email address

fax number

3. Create a checklist for notifying management.

Once you become aware of an incident at the organization, you need to notify management. The crisis communications team will not make decisions on behalf of the organization. Instead, management will need to make those decisions, so they need to be notified as soon as possible. You should come up with a checklist of items to do in the first few hours, including the following:

Notify the CEO or president.

Notify head of marketing or communications about the incident.

Confirm details about the incident.

Notify any other executive board members.

Convene the crisis communications committee.

Alert other team members.

4. Choose a crisis command center.

In an emergency, you’ll want your team to gather at one site, so that you can bounce ideas off each other. This site will be where you coordinate your response to media requests and telephone calls. You can also use this space to hold a press conference, if necessary. Look for the following when choosing a command center:

It should already have telephone lines, Internet connection, and other technology (such as computers, copiers, and a fax machine).

Stock your center with materials you will need, such as building diagrams, pens, paper, clipboards, and white boards.

The space should be available on short notice.

The command center should ideally be centrally located.

You should choose at least two possible sites in case one is not available.

5. Come up with a policy for creating a fact sheet.

Your crisis communications team will want to create fact sheets and distribute them. You can also post them on your website. Fact sheets help prevent misinformation from spreading. Include a provision in your communications plan for creating the fact sheet and having it checked for accuracy before distribution.

For example, a sample provision might read: "A fact sheet shall be prepared soon after the incident. The purpose is to supplement communication with our key constituencies and with the news media. The command center coordinator shall approve the fact sheet and check it for accuracy with those who have direct knowledge of the incident. Fact sheets will be posted or distributed with a time stamp, and will be updated as information becomes available."

6. Explain how you will notify the media.

Spend extra time thinking through how you will keep the media apprised of new developments. Unlike your other audiences, the news media can influence the public at large through their coverage of the incident. Consider the following:

Who will be responsible for briefing the media on extended crises? For example, if you have an on-going investigation, someone may need to talk to the media daily.

Will you create a news media briefing center? News media often have satellite trucks, so you will need an area that can accommodate them.

Will you allow reporters into your organization, and who will decide who to admit? Ideally, you will want to allow some access, since shutting the media out entirely could result in negative coverage.

How will you handle news media requests to talk to people other than the official spokesperson? How will you assure only factual information is given out?

Part 3 of 4:Scripting Responses to Crises
1. Identify common crisis scenarios.

During a real incident, you will probably feel overwhelmed. Calls will come pouring in and the news media will be asking you for any information you can share. Accordingly, you should think through ahead of time how you will handle common crises. Begin by identifying any that might occur at your organization:

Property damage at your facility.

Accidents or incidents that injure employees and other people.

Production or service interruptions, including issues with the quality of products or services.

Natural disasters.

Criminal investigations or other legal actions such as lawsuits against the company.

2. Consider common questions.

Each audience will have different questions based on how the incident may affect them. Thinking about these questions will help you draft template answers to use during the crisis. For example, consider the following questions:

Employees. "Should I report to work? When?" "Is it safe to return to work?" "Will I be paid during the shutdown?" "What happened to my coworker?"

News media. "What happened?" "Do you know who caused the incident?" "Were there injuries or fatalities?" "Who is responsible for this?" "What’s your plan for keeping this incident from happening again?"

Customers. "When will my product arrive?" "Will you compensate me for the inconvenience?"

Government officials and regulators. "What happened and when?" "How is the community impacted?" "When will you be back in service?" "How many employees are affected by this?"

3. Draft scripted templates as answers.

You should write out answers and include blank lines for information that will change (e.g., names). These templates will help you during a crisis, when you might not be able to think clearly.

Avoid "no comment" as an answer. Instead, tell the caller that you will investigate and get back to them.

Some issues should not be discussed, such as personnel matters or issues that relate to ongoing legal cases. In those situations, explain why you cannot give out information.

4. Remember to admit fault.

If the organization is at fault, you should admit responsibility. The public is forgiving. You will also increase your trustworthiness.

Ultimately, however, it’s up to management to decide when to admit mistakes, so have your crisis coordinator in contact with management.

Part 4 of 4:Completing the Plan
1. Provide for an After Action Report (AAR).

As part of continually improving your crisis communications plan, you should convene meetings of your crisis communications team after an incident. Include a provision for creating an AAR.

For example, you can write, "Within 10 days of the crisis or incident, the team will convene to review any lessons learned. These lessons will be included in an AAR, which can then form the basis of a more comprehensive AAR to be shared with management."

2. Test your plan.

You should assess what crisis situations are most likely to strike your company. Have a practice drill and run through the plan to confirm you have not ignored any challenges or opportunities. When you finish the test, convene the communications team to identify any weaknesses. Revise the plan before distributing.

3. Explain when the plan should be updated.

Plans sometimes become outdated. In particular, you will want to constantly update your contact information for team members.

Double check quarterly to make sure contact information is up-to-date for your constituencies.

Assign one person responsibility for updating the plan.

4. Distribute copies of the plan.

Key personnel should receive a copy of the crisis communication plan as soon as it is completed. Make it available in printed form and in electronic format.

You can also post the communications plan to a secured server. Remember to limit access only to those authorized to see it.

Remind people that the communications plan should not be distributed to unauthorized personnel. You can include the label "For Official Use Only" on the plan.

I’d argue that planning communication is the single most important factor for any project. On average, project managers spend an estimated 90% of their time communicating, over the course of the average project life cycle.

That’s a pretty bold statement, but if you think about it, you’ll agree that you won’t even get your project off the ground, without impeccable communication. What’s more, your team members won’t be able to work effectively either, if they can’t communicate.

That’s why it’s critical to underpin your project with a solid communication plan.

What Is a Project Communication Plan (Why/When is it Useful)?

A project communication plan is a critical resource that helps project stakeholders to communicate clearly and effectively with one another.

The communication plan achieves this by establishing clear guidelines for factors, such as:

• What information should be shared
• When information should be shared
• How information should be shared
• Whom information should be shared with
• Who is responsible for sharing information

A great project communication plan brings great benefits. We’ve listed them below.

Move projects forward

Project delays are often caused by breakdowns in communication. All too often, your project members have their work or feedback ready, but they struggle to get in touch with the right colleague(s).

A project communication plan smoothes out those issues. When they’re equipped with a plan, your team members will know right away when, how and with whom to communicate.

Boost accountability

Delays and issues with complex projects can often come down to something as simple as a missed phone call or an overlooked email. That can be a frustrating experience and one that has a knock-on effect on your project. This is especially true when your project involves more than just a few people:

(Source: Sir Ganntalot)

A project communication plan ensures that everybody is reading from the same script. This boosts accountability over the course of your project and ensures that everybody operates effectively.

Elevate transparency

The efficiency of a project can be harmed if certain team members are left out of the loop. This will cause significant delays and inefficiency, so it’s important that project managers create a robust and transparent communication plan.

An open and easily understandable communication plan helps to guarantee that the right information is always shared with the right people. This boosts transparency and, ultimately, results.

If it helps, I’ve created a comprehensive project communication plan template of my own. If you would like a free copy to start editing and harmonizing communication across your project, please feel free to ask and I’ll send you one.

“HOW TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR COMMUNICATION ?

Planning for communication is an eight-step process. The steps are :-

1. Identify the purpose of your communication
2. Identify your audience
3. Plan and design your message
4. Consider your resources
5. Plan for obstacles and emergencies
6. Strategize how you will connect with the media and others who can help you spread your message
7. Create an action plan
8. Decide how you will evaluate your plan and adjust it, based on the results of carrying it out

Accreditation

Chapter 6

Section 1. Developing a Plan for Communication”.

A great strategic communications plan rests on the following:

• Input from all parties involved or impacted.
• Alignment with the organization’s values and business goals.
• Thorough research to understand and validate the task at hand, the audiences targeted, effective ways to reach them, meaningful messaging (ie messaging that caters to the needs of the audience, not just the company), a sequence of how communications activities will be deployed and by whom.

It must also include alternative scenarios (what happens if…) and should be supported by other relevant internal teams or external groups that will help deploy it.

Last, it should demonstrate the value it will bring to the organization through clear KPIs and measurement milestones.

I short, a strategic plan should be carefully developed, focused and should identify and detail the most effective ways to reach your objectives while adding value to the organization. It should be reviewed and adjusted regularly during the deployment process in order to remain strategic.

When I create a strategic plan for my clients, I always start with a discovery meeting, followed by in-depth research. I then create a strategic outline that I review with them before developing the full plan.

I hope this is helpful.

Making a wellbeing correspondence plan includes a few key stages. Here is an overall structure to direct the interaction:

1. Identify Your Crowd: Figure out who your interest group is for your wellbeing correspondence plan. This could be a particular segment bunch, like teenagers, or a specific medical issue, like diabetes.

2. Define Your Targets: Obviously characterize the objectives of your wellbeing correspondence plan. This could be to build familiarity with a medical problem, change conduct, or further develop wellbeing results.

3. Choose Your Message: Foster a message that is clear, brief, and pertinent to your interest group. Use proof based data and keep away from language or specialized terms.

4. Select Your Channels: Figure out which channels you will use to convey your message. This could incorporate online entertainment, email, sites, handouts, banners, or other specialized devices.

5. Create a Timetable: Foster a course of events for your wellbeing correspondence plan, including key achievements and cutoff times.

6. Evaluate Your Arrangement: Lay out measurements to assess the adequacy of your wellbeing correspondence plan. This could remember estimating changes for conduct or wellbeing results, following site or virtual entertainment commitment, or leading reviews or center gatherings.

7. Revise Your Arrangement: In view of the assessment results, change and further develop your wellbeing correspondence plan depending on the situation.

8. Implement Your Arrangement: Send off your wellbeing correspondence plan and screen its adequacy. Make changes as important to guarantee that your message is arriving at your ideal interest group and accomplishing your goals.

By following these means, you can foster an exhaustive wellbeing correspondence plan that really arrives at your interest group and accomplishes your objectives.

I believe using tools like Excel or Google Sheets can help create communication plans with ease, allowing customization for specific project needs. Trello and Asana offer visual boards and task management features for effective collaboration and tracking progress. For more comprehensive marketing and communication needs, platforms like HubSpot provide automation and analytics to streamline efforts and drive results. Canva, Lucidchart, and Smartsheet offer design, visualization, and collaboration features tailored to different planning preferences. Each tool offers unique benefits to support effective strategic planning.

A project management communication plan identifies how important information will be communicated to stakeholders throughout the project. As a project manager, you have the singular gift of being able to handle a hundred responsibilities at once, including delegating tasks, removing any blockers from a project, and making sure everyone has the same goal in mind. As a project manager, you have the singular gift of being able to handle a hundred responsibilities at once, including delegating tasks, removing any blockers from a project, and making sure everyone has the same goal in mind.

To create a project management communication plan: To develop a project communication plan, there are 4 key steps you should follow-

1. Choose a format: Choose a platform where it will be easy to gather feedback on your communication plan and to share or store the plan for your team and stakeholders to reference.

2. Identify stakeholders: Most projects have many stakeholders, most of whom have different levels of interest in and influence on the project. You’ll need to identify the stakeholders with whom you’ll communicate throughout the project and list them.

3.Determine who provides communication updates: Most often, this task will fall on the project manager, but if not, the owner of a specific update needs to be clearly identified in your communications plan.

4.Set a communication goal: Whatever you hope to achieve, the first step to crafting a successful communication plan is to write that goal down. Referring back to the importance of a communication plan, your goal will likely be to keep stakeholders updated on the project status or even to keep stakeholders mindful of the project’s benefits so they’ll continue to advocate for it.

5. Evaluation: If you evaluate your communication plan in terms of both how well you carry it out and how well it works, you’ll be able to make changes to improve it. It will keep getting more effective each time you implement it.

Developing a project communication plan can help focus your message and reach your target audience. A plan can also influence the efficiency and simplicity of your communication methods.

YOU SHOULD DEVELOP A PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR :

• A plan will make it possible to target your communication accurately. It gives you a structure to determine whom you need to reach and how.
• A plan can be long-term, helping you map out how to raise your profile and refine your image in the community over time.
• A plan will make your communication efforts more efficient, effective, and lasting.
• A plan makes everything easier. If you spend some time planning at the beginning of an effort, you can save a great deal of time later on, because you know what you should be doing at any point in the process.

Connect with me on Linkedin (Aachri Tyagi) to ask more questions.

Great question! We’ll keep this super simple. When I create a project communication plan, I always list the following headers: Scope, SCHEDULE, Cost, Quality, Resources, Risk, Communications, Procurement, and Stakeholders. Under each and every header, I list the questions pertaining to the WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, WHO, and HOW (optional). Here’s a super simple example. Let’s say it’s important for our communication plan to include how we will manage the communications regarding the SCHEDULE. My elaborated answers to those questions will be in bold, but these answers will be provided by you and your team collectively.

SCHEDULE

1. WHAT type of communication will take place? We must communicate our project schedule to leadership, stakeholders, and the project team.
2. WHY is it important for us to communicate the schedule? Schedule communications are critical to ensure everyone is aligned on the project schedule and expectations.
3. WHERE is the communication going to take place? All communications will be delivered via email and during meetings. These communications will be stored in MS Teams.
4. WHEN is the communication going to take place? All communications will be delivered via email after each meeting, during our Thursday team meeting, during our bi-weekly Governance call, and in the weekly Friday project status reports.
5. WHO is going to communicate? The Project Manager is responsible for all communications. The Project Sponsor is accountable for all communications. The Project Manager will consult and inform identified stakeholders and subject matter experts when needed in regard to communications.
6. HOW will communications take place (OPTIONAL)? Summarize points 1 - 5.

Feel free to follow me and check out my bio if you need more information. I’m here to help. Good luck!

I assume the context of IT solutioning. It does not matter it applies to general context as well.

It is just as simple as a person who sells Insurance to a salaried :) . Throw weightage on security, risk and compliance.

Other ways are organic, bringing in standardization and scalability to the context. There is no center place, you either be in left or right :) That's it. Don't confuse by emitting signals of no use.

It is always challenging to prove the sweetness of planning because it is primarily done by Finance guys, they know how hard to earn money. Spending or executing things are just matter of minutes, days. It is gone, who will realize the value of it, when it will be realized there only people differs, some says I want to enjoy now today not later 10 years after. :)

It is like doing trade off for centralization vs decentralization, it is a battle often.

Tell them no one can be a Buddha, live in the moment. All the world is advanced tremendously because some one sowed seeds long back by their visualization for human kind that we are enjoying fruits, right from science, medicine, technology everything made possible by only this approach.

A project communication plan outlines how project information will be shared among stakeholders and the general public. Key elements of a project communication plan include:

1. Stakeholder analysis: Identifying key stakeholders, their level of interest and influence, and how to effectively communicate with them.
2. Communication goals: Defining the specific goals and objectives of the communication plan, such as informing stakeholders, gaining support, or resolving conflicts.
3. Communication channels: Identifying the most appropriate methods for communicating with stakeholders, such as email, newsletters, presentations, or face-to-face meetings.
4. Message development: Developing clear and concise messages for different audiences and ensuring consistency across all communication channels.
5. Timing: Establishing a schedule for communication activities, including regular update meetings and other key events.
6. Responsibility: Assigning responsibility for different communication activities, such as writing updates or arranging presentations.
7. Evaluation: Defining metrics for measuring the success of the communication plan and regularly monitoring and adjusting the plan as needed.

Having a clear project communication plan helps ensure that stakeholders are informed and engaged, and helps avoid misunderstandings and delays.

"Essential Elements of a Comprehensive Crisis Communication Plan"

1. Clear objectives and goals

2. Identified crisis scenarios and potential risks

3. Designated crisis management team and roles

4. Established communication protocols and channels

5. Crisis communication strategy and messaging framework

6. Media relations and press release procedures

7. Social media monitoring and response plan

8. Internal communication plan for employees and stakeholders

9. Stakeholder identification and prioritization

10. Spokesperson training and designation

11. Key message development and approval process

12. Holding statement and initial response template

13. Crisis communication timeline and milestones

14. Media and public inquiry management process

15. Rumor management and debunking strategy

16. Employee and stakeholder support and resources

17. Post-crisis review and evaluation process

18. Plan review and update schedule

19. Crisis communication budget and resources allocation

20. Technology and infrastructure support for communication and collaboration

Event

Communication should occur when something impacting others has happened or is about to happen.

Message

Start with the end in mind. What do you want to have happen as a result of this communication? Do you want the recipient to take action, or is this an “information only” situation? Let them know your purpose as soon as possible.

Communicator

You are responsible for whether the communication is heard or not. As communicator, you should…

• Be an effective communicator with great listening skills and an awareness that poor communication puts any business initiative at risk.
• Be a trusted source and be capable of connecting with your audience.
• Ask important questions like: What did you hear me say? Or, what did you think I was trying to say?

Audience

Target communication to those who need the information or from whom you are requesting action.

At the beginning of any project or process design effort, gather the key players in a room. Have participants brainstorm names of individuals or departments that will be affected in any way possible and gather all relevant contact information. Doing so will allow for quick communication and decrease the likelihood of leaving out someone with whom communication is essential.

Communication rarely “trickles down”. If it does, it is usually inaccurate, incomplete and/or untimely, damaging important business relationships along the way.

Timing

Communicate regularly and effectively both internally and externally.

Effective communication should occur over time, not all at once, using a variety of communication formats to reinforce key messages. Never assume you can say something only once. Often people have to hear things multiple times for the message to sink in.

Communicate changes to those most directly affected before announcements are made more broadly, especially difficult or sensitive topics like organizational/personnel changes.

Tools & Format

Repeat the message constantly and in as many different methods as possible, e.g., verbal, written, Intranet, Internet, company meetings, email, message boards, video, etc. Failing to monitor and examine how people use these tools to facilitate relationships would be as naive as not recognizing that we use different personal communication styles.

Audience members’ personalities, preferences and styles vary greatly from person-to-person. Connect first with the audience to open the lines of communication and to identify potential obstacles and relationship barriers.

Follow-Through

Effective communication goes beyond simply relaying information. It means being responsible that what you meant to communicate was actually heard and understood. It means following up and listening.

“They’ll call if they don’t understand”, we might tell ourselves, and that is a big mistake. Did they actually receive or read the message? Did they fully understand what it was you were trying to communicate? Could they have misinterpreted your message?

Maintenance

To figure out kinks in the process, ask audience members to complete the cycle by responding to the communicator to indicate receipt, understanding, opinion and/or agreement to the request.

On a larger scale, provide a forum or other opportunity for people to ask questions, deepen their understanding of the change and express their concerns. Take this time to objectively listen and hear what they’re asking of you and your team. There is gold to be mined through deep and careful listening that will allow you to improve the communication plan and tools.

Accountability

Designate an internal change communication coordinator whose primary responsibility is to manage the development and execution of the communication plan. If no one has this role, communication will fall too low on others’ priority lists.

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When should you have your communication plan defined? You should already have it during the planning stage. It should be done, approved and distributed to the entire project team before you start the construction phase.

Why? So that everyone in the team has clear expectations before embarking on the mission. Not having a communication plan by the time construction phase starts results in ad hoc and reactive communication characterised by improvisation by team members on how they think is best to communicate based on their previous training or experience (which may be different from the expectation of the rest of the team). This can result to team conflict resulting to project delays and possibly cost overrun.

Note that the communication plan is not static and should be updated throughout the project duration to reflect lessons learned and institute improvements that benefit the current project and even future projects.

A project manager is assigned to monitor progress and deal with problems. This involves establishing how to gather data and report to impacted stakeholders and project sponsor. This means there is some form of a communication plan.

Do not go overboard and waste time on work that will not be recognized. Establish what is important. The four metric classifications that affect a sponsor are cost (budget), quality, cycle time and schedule. Define reporting on these and go forward.

Metrics are measures of performance to plan and not data dumps. Often, data is reported without an analysis of the impact to overall performance and becomes simply a data dump.

Internal communication plan can be part of:

• an individual project or
• a part of an organisation’s corporate plan

As a part of an individual project, internal communication plan helps in keeping all the internal stakeholders abreast with the developments in the project and on the same page.

For example, it would be helpful for a team based in NY to know of the survey results conducted in California. This way Californian team could avoid making same mistakes and see if they can improve the survey questionnaire.

Such plans let the stakeholders within the organisation know of the mission, goals and targets of the project as well as the appropriate message that needs to be send to the external stakeholders. It of utmost importance that all the employees of an organisation deliver the same project message to external audiences.

When I worked with a not-for-profit, which was largely a matrix organisation, internal communication plans came in extremely handy in keeping my immediate line-managers informed of all the activities that we were happening in the project.

As a part of an organisation’s corporate plan, internal communication plan plays the role of keeping all the employees informed of the strategies, policies, financial plans and accomplishments of the organisation.

For example: HR uses internal communication to disseminate information about the latest employee policies and plans. Training and Development department uses internal communication to inform employees about any upcoming internal trainings and workshops. Similarly, Marketing and Sales department uses internal communication plans to inform the employees of their latest marketing techniques and sales targets.

A number of organisations have intranet to post their updates and latest developments, especially if they have offices in different geographical regions. Intranet helps the project stakeholders based in different countries connect with one another, share ideas and provide suitable feedback.

Internal communication plans, if developed comprehensively and updated timely, can make the lives of all the stakeholders easy. These can help an organisation or a project run smoothly.

Here’s how an internal communication plan look like:

Source: Google Images.