Communications Plan ©

For [Project Name]

Document Control

Document Information
©

Information
Document Id [Document Management System #]
Document Owner [Owner Name]
Issue Date [Date]
Last Saved Date [Date]
File Name [Name]

Document History

Version Issue Date Changes

[1.0] [Date] [Section, Page(s) and Text Revised]

Document Approvals

Role Name Signature © Date

Project Sponsor

Project Review Group

Project Manager ©

Quality Manager
(if applicable)

Procurement Manager
(if applicable)

Communications Manager
(if applicable)

Project Office Manager

(if applicable)

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. i

Table of Contents

TEMPLATE GUIDE........................................................................................................ 1
1 COMMUNICATIONS REQUIREMENTS.........................................................................2
1.1 STAKEHOLDERS.............................................................................................................................2
1.2 REQUIREMENTS.............................................................................................................................2

2 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.......................................................................................3
2.1 SCHEDULE...................................................................................................................................3
2.2 MATRIX...................................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 ASSUMPTIONS...............................................................................................................................5
2.4 RISKS.........................................................................................................................................5

3 COMMUNICATIONS PROCESS..................................................................................5
3.1 PURPOSE.....................................................................................................................................5
3.2 PROCESSES..................................................................................................................................5
3.3 RESPONSIBILITIES..........................................................................................................................5
3.4 REGISTER....................................................................................................................................5
3.5 TEMPLATES..................................................................................................................................6

4 Appendix.................................................................................................................6

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. ii

Template Guide
What is a Communications Plan?

A Communications Plan is a document which outlines the information to be provided to all

project stakeholders to keep them informed of the progress of the project. A clear
Communications Plan is vital to the success of the project to ensure that all project
resources are working towards the stated project objectives and that any hurdles are
overcome in a well planned and informed manner.

The Communications Plan contains the following information:

 The communication requirements for each project stakeholder

 A schedule of the communication events, methods and releases
 A matrix of the resource involved in each communication event
 A clear process for undertaking each communication event within the project. ©

When to use a Communications Plan

The Communication Plan is documented during the Planning phase of the project to ensure
that the expectations for communication to project stakeholders are clearly set. After the
Communications Plan has been agreed, the Communication Management Process is
invoked to ensure that all communication events are undertaken in accordance with the
Communications Plan. ©

How to use this template

This document provides a guide on the topics usually included in a Communications Plan.
Sections may be added, removed or redefined at your leisure to meet your particular
business circumstance. Example tables, diagrams and charts have been added (where
suitable) to provide further guidance on how to complete each relevant section.

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 1

1 Communications Requirements
List all communications stakeholders and their requirement for information during the project.

1.1 Stakeholders
A ‘communications stakeholder’ is a person or entity within or outside the project requiring
regular information about the project. For instance, a Project Sponsor will be interested in
the overall progress of the project, whereas an External Body may be concerned with
legislative or regulatory compliance. List all communications stakeholder groups who require
information during the project. Examples of stakeholder groups include:

 Project Sponsor
 Project Review Group
 Project Manager
 Project Leader
 Project Member
 Quality Manager
 Procurement Manager
 Communications Manager
 Project Office Manager
 Other Project Resources
 Other External Bodies. ©

1.2 Requirements
For each stakeholder listed above, identify the information required to keep them
appropriately informed of the progress of the project by completing the following table
(includes examples):

Stakeholder Requirement ©

Project Sponsor  Project status information (schedule, budget and scope)

 Understanding of critical project risks and issues
 Information required to approve each project phase
Project  Project status information (schedule, budget and scope)
Review Group  Detailed knowledge of important risks and issues
 Information regarding proposed project changes (for approval)
Project Manager  Detailed project status information (schedule, budget and scope)
 Understanding of current project deliverables' quality
 Detailed knowledge of all risks, issues and change requests
Project Leader  Status of project activities and task status information
 Day-to-day knowledge of issues and risks identified
Project  Status of the activities and tasks they have been asked to perform
Members  Awareness of events which may affect their ability to undertake their role

Quality Manager  Progress of each deliverable against quality standards and criteria set
 Detailed understanding of all quality issues for resolution

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 2

2 Communications Plan
2.1 Schedule
Describe each communication event, its purpose, method and frequency by completing the following schedule.

ID Event Description © Purpose Method Frequency Date(s)

1.1 Project team Meeting involving all team members To keep the team informed of the Verbal Weekly xx/yy/zz
meetings to discuss the work in progress / project status and ensure that issues,
recently completed / coming up risks or changes are raised accordingly
1.2 Quality review Regular meetings involving the To ensure that quality issues are Verbal Monthly xx/yy/zz
meetings Quality Manager and quality review identified early, thereby providing time
staff to ascertain the level of quality of to enhance the quality of the deliverable
all project deliverables and meet the required quality criteria
1.3 Stage-Gate Review Formal meetings held at the end of To control the progress of the project Verbal Weekly xx/yy/zz
Meetings each phase to identify the overall through each phase in the project
status of the project, the quality of the lifecycle, thereby enhancing its
deliverables produced and any likelihood of success
outstanding risks, issues or changes
1.4 Change Approval Formal meetings held regularly to To provide a formal process for the Verbal Fortnightly xx/yy/zz
Group meetings review change requests approval of project changes
1.5 Customer Held with the customer to obtain final To provide a controlled process for the Verbal Following xx/yy/zz
Acceptance Meetings acceptance that the deliverable acceptance of deliverables and ensure deliverable's
produced meets the criteria identified that customer requirements are met completion
1.6 Supplier Performance Regular meetings with each supplier To provide a forum within which to Verbal Monthly xx/yy/zz
Meetings to discuss and resolve performance assess supplier performance and
issues and approve supplier payment resolve supplier issues
1.7 Status reports Frequent reports providing the status To keep all project stakeholders Status Report Weekly xx/yy/zz
of the schedule, budget, risks, issues informed of the status of the project
and changes

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 3

2.2 Matrix
Complete the following matrix table, outlining the people participating in each communication event. Use the Unique Identifier (ID) to link the
participating parties to the communication events listed above.

Key:
A = Accountable for communication event: builds and distributes communication materials, facilitates meetings (as marked in yellow).
R = Receives communications materials provided, takes part in meetings (as marked in white)
M = Monitors communications process and provides feedback (as marked in orange). ©

ID Project Project Project Project Quality Procurement Communications Profit Other Other
Sponsor Manager Leader Member Manager © Manager Manager Office Project External
Manager Resource Body
1.1 - A R R R R R,M R R R
(Supplier)
1.2 - R R - A - M R - R
(Supplier)
1.3 A R - - - - M - - -

1.4 A R - - - - M - - -

1.5 R A R - R - M - - R
(Supplier)
1.6 - R - - - A M - - -

1.7 R A R - R R M R - -

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 4

2.3 Assumptions
List any planning assumptions made. For example:

It is assumed that

 The communications tools will be provided as required

 Adequate communications resources will be available when needed
 The communications resources have the required expertise. ©

2.4 Risks
List any risks identified. For example:

 Key communications resources leave during the life of the project

 The requirements for communication change during the project
 Communications are not undertaken effectively. ©

3 Communications Process
The final stage in comprising a Communications Plan is to identify the process for
undertaking communications events within the project. This needs to be a generic process
for undertaking any of the type of communications event listed within this document. (NB
Refer to the Method123 ‘Communications Process’ for a complete example).

3.1 Purpose
Describe the reason for undertaking regular communications within the project.

3.2 Processes
Provide a diagrammatic representation of the communications processes undertaken to
provide project stakeholders with sufficient information to be able to make timely project-
related decisions.

3.3 Responsibilities
Define the roles and responsibilities of all resources involved with development and
distribution of communications within the project.

3.4 Register
The ‘Communications Register’ is the database which records all formal communications
from within the project. Insert a copy of the Communications Register here. (NB Refer to the
Method123 ‘Risk Register’ for a complete example).

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 5

3.5 Templates
Insert a copy of each of the templates required (e.g. Status Report) to undertake
communications within the project. (NB Refer to the Method123 ‘Status Report’ and ‘Stage Gate
Review’ forms for a complete example).

4 Appendix

Attach any documentation you believe is relevant to the Communications Plan. For example:

 Newsletters
 General correspondence
 Corporate policies, standards and procedures. ©

©2003 Method123 Ltd. All rights reserved. 6