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What Makes a Good Communication

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Plan*?

• Specific audiences are identified (project team, steering committee, customers...)
• The following is clearly identified for each audience:
  1. Type of communication they will receive (status report, status meeting...)
  2. Purpose of the communication (provide detailed status of project progress....)
  3. Owner (person responsible) of the communication
  4. Frequency at which the audience will receive the particular communication (weekly, monthly...)
  5. The medium to be used to communicate the message (email, live meeting...)
• Gets the reader's attention.
• Gets the point across in as few words as possible.
• Is tailored to the specific audience. Only give them what they need. Make it brief but relevant.
• Uses the medium that is most likely to cause the audience to read the communication. Consider organizational culture of the audience.
• Clearly spells out actions the audience needs to take, if any.

Communication Plans ensure the right people get involved in the project and are kept up to date.

Common Problems

• The people who can torpedo your project are not identified and managed.
• Individuals who can help with project issues are not consulted.
• There is no clear definition of who the customer is.

Warning Signs

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• You are constantly getting questions from stakeholders that are not in your communication plan
• Project issues are taking longer than expected to resolve
• Uninvited stakeholders show up at project meetings

Turning it Around

If you have experienced any of the common problems or warning signs, you can turn things around.

• Get help from your project sponsor
• Be open to adjusting your stakeholder list if you didn't involve the right stakeholders at the the beginning of the project
• Find out who can help you resolve the issue; you don't have to fix every issue on your own

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What Defines Good Communication Content?

• Gets the reader's attention.
• Gets the point across in as few words as possible.
• Is tailored to the specific audience. Only give them what they need. Make it brief but relevant.
• Uses the medium that is most likely to cause the audience to read the communication. Consider organizational culture of the audience.
• Clearly spells out actions the audience needs to take, if any.

Source: The Project Management Advisor