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Definition: A Communications Management Plan is a document that provides the following:
• Detail on methods to be used to gather and store information related to the project, including the collection and distribution of updates and corrections
• Distribution structure, detailing to whom information will flow, consistent with reporting relationships shown in the Project Organization Chart
• Distribution methods (e.g., written, video, in-person, etc.) to be used, appropriate to each target audience
• Description of information being distributed, including content, format, level of detail, conventions/definitions to be used
• Timeline, showing when each form of communication will occur
• Methods for accessing information between formal, scheduled communications
• Mechanism for updating and refining the communications management plan as needed during the project The communications management plan may be formal or informal, highly detailed or broadly framed, based on the needs of the project. It is a subsidiary component of the overall project plan.
Acceptance Level: Generally accepted
Alternative or Related Terms: Communications Plan
Application Areas/Intended Uses: The communications management plan is the key outcome of the communications planning process and is considered essential for any project or organizational initiative.
Chief Advantages: Establishes unambiguous framework for an orderly flow of critical information to key constituencies; manages stakeholder expectations; and reduces likelihood of problems due to gaps in information.
Additional Reading:
Collaborative Communication: Six Building Blocks for Conversations that Make Things Happen. John M. Cooper. PMI 2000 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA.
Communication Challenges and Guidelines. Thomas W. Grisham. PMI 1999 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
Creating a Visual Reality for Your Project Team. Terry L. Moore, PMP. PMI 2000 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA.
Effective Communication: Stone Age to e-Comm. Silena M. Fox. PMI 2001 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Nashville, Tennessee USA.
How to FIX your Communications. Joan R. Laubmeier, Ms. Kimberly T. Nelson, and Thomas W.
Grisham, PMI 1999 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
Let 'Em Read Ya Like a Book: Utilizing Nonverbal Communication Skills in Project Teams. Troy D. Jowers. PMI 2000 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA.
Practical Guide to Effective Written Communication. Thomas P. Koehler. PMI 2001 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Nashville, Tennessee USA.
Project Communication Management: Five Steps. Michael S. Terrell. PM Network, October 1999, 71-77.
Project Management Communication: A Multi-Cultural Dimension. Olatunji Obikunle. PMI 2001
Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Nashville, Tennessee USA
Project Team Communications: The Grease, the Glue, and the . . . Gum? [Executive Notebook]
Michelle Keiserman. PM Network, May 1999, 17-18.
Schmoozing and Project Management. David L. Davis, PMP. PMI 2000 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA.
Speaking the Same Language. Jane Morgan. PMI 2000 Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA.
Using Project Websites to Streamline Communications. Dan Sikes. PM Network, June 2000, 73- 75.
Virtually Connected: How to Avoid Communication Hang-Ups. Connie L. Delisle. PMI 2000
Seminars & Symposium Proceedings, Houston, Texas USA. |
