What is Communication Management Plan?

Answer 1

This is the document that describes the communication expectations, needs, and plans for the project. It specifies what information will be communicated, when and how it will be communicated, and who will communicate it and to whom. It includes:

• Communication requirements of the project stakeholders

• Information to be communicated: content, format, and level of detail

• Who will communicate the information, who will receive it, and why

• The person responsible for authorizing the release of confidential information

• Methods of communication that will be used, such as e-mail, presentation etc

• The frequency of communication, such as daily or weekly or monthly

• The method and procedure for escalating the issues that cannot be resolved at a lower staff level, such as project level

• A glossary of common communication terminology

• Methods and procedures for updating and refining the communication management plan if needed as the program progresses

• Communication constraints

The communication management plan may also include the technology requirements plan. With all the available technical advancements, it is important that you plan for the communication technology requirements. This planning has two components: the tools that are needed and the usage of those tools. To determine which tools are needed, ask questions such as the following:

• How frequently do you need to update the information?

• Will the team hold face-to-face or virtual meetings?

For the information that does not change often, the written reports will be sufficient, whereas the information that needs to be updated frequently and on a moment's notice needs web communication tools. To plan effective usage of the tools, ask the following questions:

• Are the tools (communication systems) already in place and ready to be used?

• Will the available communication tools change before the program ends?

• Are the team members familiar with the tools or do they need training to use them?