One of the most important areas to manage for any project is communication. At the start of a project or any change in project leadership, all major communication activities should be carefully planned and agreed upon.
A sample list of communication considerations on a project may include the following:
Sponsor Meetings
Executive Briefings
Steering Committee Meetings
Project Charter Review Meeting
Budget Review Meetings
Project Kick Off
Status Reports
Status or Progress Reviews
Issues Review
Risk Review
Regular Project Team Meetings
Project Sessions
Project Presentation Meetings
Deliverables Walkthrough
Post Project Review
Each communication category can be defined at a detailed level and include, at a minimum:
Title or Short Description
Owner
Audience/Participants
Purpose
Frequency and Timing
Inputs
Outputs
Method(s)
These are often summarized in a table view. I often create a spreadsheet to share, maintain, sort, and group based on attributes.
The following example highlights the level of detail each communication item should have.
Title or Short Description: Project Kick-Off Meeting
Audience/Participant: All Sponsors, Stakeholders, Project Team Members, Organizational Support Staff (Name them)
Owner: Project Manager (Name)
Purpose: Communicate project purpose, roles, responsibilities, high-level schedule, vital information, and ground rules.
Frequency and Timing: At or near project commencement, the Web Conference will be archived. (Actual dates are suggested)
Inputs: Project Charter, High-Level Requirements, Organizational Chart, Project Resource Chart, RACI, High-Level Project Plan, Human Resources Guidelines (Link to repository or updated reports)
Outputs: Project Kick-Off Presentation
Method(s): Meeting and Web Conference for those who can't attend.
The main goal of this planning is to advise all parties on the expectations and scheduled communication that must go on within a project and the details to go along with it. It is also important to ensure you do not miss inviting the key sponsor or stakeholder that can make or break your project.
With clear communication, project success can be improved. This is especially true when there are geographically diverse teams and mixed teams of consultants, employees, or vendors, although every project can benefit from thorough communication planning. Plan communication early, and you are one step closer to a successful project.
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