Communications

Management
Plan
Demonstration 6.1
Communications Management Plan

• The project communications plan combines a

stakeholder analysis with an identification of
what information is needed by which
stakeholders and how frequently. On larger
projects, stakeholder management plans and
communications are separated into distinct
documents and plans.

(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Covering Memo

• Does the covering memo describe the overall

philosophy of project communications?
• Does the covering memo identify key
stakeholders with whom more frequent or
different types of communication may be
needed?
• Does the covering memo link to the project
triangle to define its overall strategies?
• Is power defined appropriately?
• Is interest defined appropriately?
(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Stakeholder Analysis

• Have you identified the project manager?

• Have you identified the project team?
• Have you identified the project sponsor?
[WET: Likely not applicable]
• Have you identified the steering committee?
• Have you identified your instructor (project
coach)?
• Have you identified who controls resources
(e.g., money, time, space) for your project?

(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Stakeholder Analysis

• Have you identified the customer? (Your day-

to-day contact at the client)
• Have you identified stakeholders that
represent an external constraint? (e.g., AGLC,
SAIT, CWB, OHS, etc.) Hint: Check back to
your SOW
• Can you group some stakeholders together to
simplify your life?
• Is the contribution (what the stakeholder
provides to the project) appropriately
described for each stakeholder?
(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Stakeholder Analysis

• Is the expectation (what the stakeholder

wants out of the project) appropriately
described for each stakeholder?
• Is the level of power appropriate for each
stakeholder?
• Is the level of interest appropriate for each
stakeholder?
• Have you identified the appropriate
management strategy in the log for each
stakeholder, based on the analysis map?
(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Communications Methods

• What information needs are relevant?

◦ Status changes? Authorizations? Coordination?
Marketing and promotion materials?
• Are there interim deliverables that may be
needed to develop the communications
listed?
◦ Target market: The Marketing Ps
◦ Key messages

(Demonstration 6.1)
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Communications Management Plan:
Communications Methods

• Is the frequency appropriate for the

stakeholder management strategy identified?
• Is the medium appropriate for the stakeholder
management strategy identified?
• Which stakeholders require more than one
medium to communicate?

(Demonstration 6.1)
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References

• All page references are to:

◦ Verzuh, E. (2015). The Fast Forward MBA in
Project Management (5/e). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley

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Rev. Aug. 2020 © 2020, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology 12