PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN The following are guidelines and options when creating a Project Communication Plan.

Please choose the communication outlets that will work best for your particular project. What
Initiation Meeting Project Request Project Planning Session Project Introduction

Who/Target
All stakeholders All stakeholders Project sub-team leaders All stakeholders

Purpose
Gather information for Project Request Distribute Plan to alert stakeholders of project scope and to gain approval and buy in. Establish the parameters for meeting the project goals Communicate plans and stakeholder roles/responsibilities. Encourage communication among stakeholders. Update stakeholders on progress of the project. To review detailed plans (tasks, assignments, and action items).

When/Frequency
FIRST Before Project Start Date Before Introduction Meeting Before Project Start Date After Project Request Approval Before Introduction Meeting At or near Project Start Date

Type/Method(s)
Meeting Team Dynamix Project Request Meeting Meeting

Status Reports Team Meetings

All stakeholders and Project Office Entire Project Team. Individual meetings for subteams, technical team, and Functional teams as appropriate. Project Advisory Group and Project Manager Sponsor(s) and Project Manager

Regularly Scheduled. Monthly is recommended for large/midsize projects. Regularly Scheduled. Weekly is recommended for entire team. Weekly or biweekly for sub-teams as appropriate.

Distribute electronically via Team Dynamix Meeting

Project Advisory Group Meetings (this may apply only to larger projects) Sponsor Meetings

Update Project Advisory Group on status and discuss critical issues. Work through issues and change requests here before escalating to the Sponsor(s). Update Sponsor(s) on status and discuss critical issues. Seek approval for changes to Project Plan. Update Sponsor(s) on status and discuss critical issues. Seek approval for changes to Project Plan.

Regularly Scheduled. Monthly is recommended.

Meeting

Executive Sponsor Meetings (this may apply only to larger projects)

Executive Sponsor(s) and Project Manager

Regularly scheduled Recommended biweekly or monthly and also as needed when issues cannot be resolved or changes need to be made to Project Plan. Not regularly scheduled. As needed when issues cannot be resolved or changes need to be made to Project Plan.

Meeting

Meeting

What
Post Project Review

Who/Target
Project Office, Project Manager, key stakeholders, and sponsor(s). Project Office, Project Manager, and key stakeholders. Examples: PMT (Project Managers Team), Customer groups, Academic groups, etc. All Project Team Members.

Purpose
Identify improvement plans, lessons learned, what worked and what could have gone better. Review accomplishments. Review overall health of the project and highlight areas that need action. To update external groups to promote communication a create awareness of project interdependencies. Central location to house Status Reports, meeting minutes, Project description, and Project Plan. For any communications that can be shared with all staff. To gain input from special groups and keep them abreast of the Projects status. General communications

When/Frequency
End of Project or end of major phase

Type/Method(s)
Meeting/Report Project Manager will produce report. Meeting/Report Project Manager will produce report using internal template (TBD). Presentation/Demonstrati on

Quarterly Project Review Presentations to Special Interest Groups

Quarterly depending on size and criticality of the project. Scheduled by the Project Manager. At project milestones so as to communicate with other interested parties of changes that will be introduced outside of the Project Team. Update monthly with Status Reports; otherwise, as necessary.

Collaboration Tool

Team Dynamix as canonical tool for Status Reports. Other tools at discretion of the Project Manager. Presentation/Discussion

Periodic Demos and Target Presentations Other

Specific Focus Groups or End Users. To be determined by the Project Team

Once product has enough to show. As you complete critical phases or make major enhancements. As needed

Lunch n Learns, email lists, PPMO home page, announcements, etc.

* adapted from the Princeton Project Management Methodology, 2006.