Project Communication Plan

Quick Reference Card

July 2012

Communications Manager: Denis Naranjo

Project Communication Plan Quick Reference Card

Rationale The Project Communication Plan enables you to define the right audiences, messaging, and tactical communication activities to support the project and provides direction to develop and encourage business-wide commitment to the vision of the project. The goals for the Project Communication Plan are to build trust, promote enthusiasm with your audiences, establish and sustain momentum throughout the lifecycle of the project in order to gain user acceptance and positively influence change.

Description The Project Communication Plan includes:

Identifying Stakeholder information needs and information channels. Identifying key messages necessary to effectively communicate the project strategy, goals and

benefits. Identifying tactical communication needs including audiences, messages, channels, responsible

parties, timing and languages needed for the various communications. Creating a detailed communication schedule.

Default information on roles and responsibilities is provided in the following table. See the Roles and Responsibilities, GDL-G-ALL-APM-156, and the Roles Matrix, GDL-G-ALL-APM-157 for additional guidance.

Project Role Responsibility Detail

Business Owner Accountable, Responsible

The Business Owner provides input on communication needs, channels and timing of communications.

Business Sponsor, Portfolio and Project Management Office

Consult The Project Manager consults with the Business Sponsor and the Portfolio & Project Management Office to ensure alignment of communication needs, strategies and goals.

Communications SME Responsible The Communications SME is responsible for ensuring timely and effective delivery of communications.

Compliance / Validation Lead, Business Relationship Manager, and Project Team

Inform The Compliance / Validation Lead, Business Relationship Manager (BRM) and Project Team are kept informed of communication deliverables.

IT Application Owner Consult The IT Application Owner contributes ideas for building communications.

Project Manager Accountable, Responsible

The Project Manager owns the Project Communication Plan and maintains the schedule throughout the entire lifecycle of the project.

Effective: 23-JUL-2012 Information Technology Shared Services Page 2 of 4SDLC-QRC-0009 V 1.0

Project Communication Plan Quick Reference Card

NecessityThe Project Communication Plan is Mandatory for Moderate and Complex/Highly Complex projects. It is Recommended for Simple projects. Refer to Project Classification, FRM-G-ALL-PRJ-030, for guidance on classifying the project.

Sub-activitiesThe following activities are necessary for building the components of the Project Communication Plan:

1. Interview Stakeholders to understand the project vision, benefits and goals.2. Meet with the Project Team and IT Application Owner to gain alignment on communication deliverables.3. Meet with the Communications SME to develop strategies and tactics and to ensure compliance with

communication policies and procedures.

Detailed ProcessThere are four primary steps to the development of the Project Communication Plan. Using the Project Communication Plan template, select each tab and complete the following information. Retain the completed documentation in the project document repository.

1. Stakeholders: Identify and document the information needs and required channels associated with each of the Stakeholders involved with the project.

2. Message Map: Identify and document the key messages involved with each of the project management processes as they relate to:

Business Strategy

What’s in it for the business

How the company is changing

What is in it for IT (benefits)

Project Roadmap

Next Steps

3. Simple Template: For each of the tactics required for ensuring project success, identify and document the following specifics about information to be shared:

The Audience or Stakeholder (person or group to receive the information)

The Key Message (what we want the audience to understand)

Communication Channel (medium to be used e.g., SharePoint, e-mail, portal, meeting)

Team members responsible for preparing, delivering, and reviewing the information

The frequency, start date and due dates for the information

The Languages to use when communicating the information

4. Detailed Template: For each month of the project lifecycle, enter the following details in the Communication Plan to ensure the right messages are being delivered to the right audiences at the right time:

Date that the communication will be distributed

Initiative (What is the "event" being communicated)

Audience (person or group to receive the communication)

Channel (medium to be used; e.g.,. SharePoint, e-mail, portal, meeting)

Key Message (what the audience needs to understand)

Intent (Goal of the message; e.g., Awareness, Inform, Engage)

Contact (Person responsible for the communication)

Effective: 23-JUL-2012 Information Technology Shared Services Page 3 of 4SDLC-QRC-0009 V 1.0

Project Communication Plan Quick Reference Card

Best Practice 1. Best Practice is to meet with the Business Sponsors and Business Owners early in the process to understand

their goals for the project and any change management/user adoption challenges or needs.2. Obtain commitment from the key stakeholders to facilitate user acceptance.3. Be sure to always target your audiences appropriately and always consider “What’s in it for them”.4. Revisit the Project Communication Plan to ensure messages are still appropriate as you receive feedback

and gain further insight as the project progresses through the various stages of the project lifecycle.5. Ensure you appropriately time the development of your communications and allow for reviews, approvals and

changes.

Effective: 23-JUL-2012 Information Technology Shared Services Page 4 of 4SDLC-QRC-0009 V 1.0