What To Include In Communication
Plans
While the specifics of your communication plan will vary depending on the project type
and scope, there are a few key items that should be included in every project
communication plan you create:
Key stakeholders: Note all key stakeholders, including your primary client contact.
Include contact information such as phone numbers and emails, so that anyone who
accesses the communication plan is able to find this information.
Team members: Include the main team members from your project team along with
their roles. This is handy for anyone new to or unfamiliar with the project. List who on
your team is involved in the communication of deliverables, leading strategic discussions,
or how you’ll handle technical conversations between stakeholders and your team.
Communication methods: Outline the main communication methods and different
channels you will be using to contact stakeholders, such as email, phone calls, in-person
meetings, video meetings, Slack, social media, or any others. Include notes on
stakeholder’s preferred channels.
Communication type: Include types of communication, how that communication will be
shared, what will be included, and who that communication will be with. For example,
you might be providing weekly status reports to the client. Think about how you will
provide this, who it will be provided to, and what information needs to be in the report.
Communication style: This can be broken down by stakeholder and communication
methods. Does a certain stakeholder prefer formal communication only, or can you be a
little more casual in your tone?
Meeting schedule: While you can adjust this as needed throughout the project, having an
initial idea of how often you’ll be meeting with stakeholders is helpful. Depending on
the scope of the project, you might also want to outline how often you’ll be emailing the
client. Include internal team meetings as well in your meeting schedule.
Key messages: For each stakeholder, determine the key message or information that will
need to be communicated with them throughout the project. This also includes any
information or feedback you will need from them.
Communication goals: A communication plan that includes communication goals can
help ensure you make decisions based on what you’re trying to achieve.
Communication Plan Example
Based on the items we outlined above, here’s what a sample communication plan or
stakeholder communication plan could look like:
Communication Goals
List the project communication goals at the top of the document, so everyone who
accesses the plan will know them right off the bat. This will help get everyone on board
with decisions that work toward achieving those goals.