Communication can be a complex task in a Corporate environment. There are many different audiences you need to consider when developing a communication plan.
Effective communication with team members, stakeholders, and other project managers is crucial for successful project outcomes.
Develop a communication strategy at the start of the project
You will need to build a communication plan to outline who, what, when, and how you will communicate with your audiences.
A communication plan is a schedule of messages, the project manager uses to ensure everyone is informed.
- Identify “Who” are you going to communicate to
- Define “What” needs to be communicated
- Share “Why” this information is important to the person receiving it
- Determine “When” or “Frequency of the communication
- Document “How” the messages will be communicated
Identify “Who” your audience is for the communication
Who is your audience? Who are the people being communicated to? If multiple audiences, you will need to decide if one message meets the needs for all or if you will need separate messages for each audience.
When communicating a project status update, for instance, a status report template is populated with the relevant detail and sent to all stakeholders and project team members.
However, if you need to communicate a project risk, resulting in a delay to the project timeline, scope, or budget, this may require multiple versions of a communication.
- The Sponsor will need communication detailing the risk, impact to the timeline, scope and budget, and proposed mitigation strategy. You will want to gain their buy-in on the mitigation strategy or you may need to ask for assistance to push forward depending on the risk.
- The Stakeholders will need to be informed of the risk as soon as possible, how it impacts the timeline, scope and budget, along with what is being done to mitigate the issue.
- The Project Team will need communication providing them with direction on the shift in the project timing, and any changes to the project plan.
Define “What” needs to be communicated
Determine what your audience would want to know from the message. What are the key points you want to make within the communication? Once you know these key points, it will be easier to draft the message specific to each audience.
Why is this information important to the person receiving it
Most people focus on information that matters to them personally. To get the attention you want, it’s crucial to explain why your message is important and how it relates to them. Put yourself in their shoes and anticipate how they may react or what impacts this could have on their work.
Determine “When” or “Frequency of the communication
When does the audience need to be communicated to? Or how often does a key message need to be sent out?
Getting this schedule together for communications helps you plan for stakeholder updates, status reporting, leader reviews, etc. It also allows you to add this task to the project plan so you don’t lose track of when the communication deliverables are due.
It’s important to ask your stakeholders when and how often they want to be communicated to so you can meet or exceed their expectations.
Document “How” the messages will be communicated
What method will you choose to deliver the communication to your audience? Or maybe your stakeholder suggested the best way to communicate to them.
The method of communication can have many forms. Below are some but not inclusive of all the ways you can communicate to your audience.
- Instant Messaging
- Phone / conference call
- Project Status Report
- 1×1 conversation
- Group Meeting
- Project Newsletter / Update
- Website news banner
- Video conferencing
- On Demand Video
- Plus many more options
Once you get the communication strategy documented you are in a good place to manage your project messaging.
Here’s another post relating to this topic. https://sensiblepractice.net/breaking-down-silos-in-the-workplace/
