Department or Program Name

[SYSTEM/APPLICATION NAME]
Communications
Plan
Project Name Communications Pan
Communications Pan
Template Guideline
To aid in the completion of a Communications Plan, please adhere to the following guidelines.
For specific information regarding project deliverables, please refer to the University ervices
Program !anagement "ffice. !emo"e t#ese gui$eines %rom t#e compete$ $ocument.
Purpose # Communication Plan outlines how communication will be done to sta$eholders
and team members throughout the project. # Communication Plan is a proactive
way to communicate effectively. Projects offer multiple opportunities for
communication to $ey sta$eholders. %oth regular and on&going communications, as
well as one&time event&driven communications should be defined in your
communication plan.
O&ners#ip The project manager wor$s with the project team to create the Communications
Plan.
'#en
'(C Phase)
Define
The Communications Plan is done in the 'esign Phase of the olution 'evelopment
(ife Cycle *'(C+. This plan should be reviewed throughout the project life cycle to
ma$e sure you are ta$ing advantage of all communication opportunities.
Tempate
Competion
,ote) Te-t within
( ) brac$ets
need to be
replaced with
project&specific
information.
.. 'o not include the Template Guidelines in your final document. /nter the
project information in the page header and footer, title page, and document
contributors and version control.
0. Complete the document utili1ing suggested te-t where applicable and entering
te-t2fields where shown within 3blue te-t4 brac$ets. Note t#at t#e *ue te+t is
NOT to *e incu$e$ in ,our %ina $ocument- 5ts purpose is to either provide
guidance for completing the document, or to show where te-t2fields should be
entered.
6. "nce changes are made to your document and you7re ready to finali1e, ensure
that you update your Table of Contents *T"C+ section.
8. 5f changes are to be made, update the 9evision :istory information accordingly.
;. The Communications Plan is to be retained with other project&related
documentation and maintained in accordance with the business line7s records
retention policy.
Empo&erment
. Scaa*iit,
This template is provided as a gui$eine to follow in producing the minimum basic
information needed to successfully complete a Communications Plan. The amount
of detail included in the template will depend on the si1e and comple-ity of the
project.
Important
Notices
This template may change without advanced notice. 5t is highly recommended that
you access a blan$ template from the U ervices P!" website at)
www.uservices.umn.edu2pmo
Project Name Communications Pan
DOC/MENT IN0O!MATION AND APP!O1ALS
VERSION HISTORY
1ersion 2 Date !e"ise$ 3, !eason %or c#ange
4-5 6/47/56 Aaron Demenge PMO !e"ie&
DOCUMENT
APPROVALS
Appro"er Name Project !oe Signature/Eectronic Appro"a Date
Project Name Communications Pan
TA3LE O0 CONTENTS
Project Communication Pan O"er"ie&--------------------------------------------------------------4
Sta8e#o$er Ana,sis--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
ta$eholder 5dentification............................................................................................................ .
ta$eholder Participation Planning !atri-................................................................................... .
!eguar or Ongoing Communications----------------------------------------------------------------9
General Communications !atri-................................................................................................. 0
<ey !essages and Themes........................................................................................................ 6
One:Time or E"ent:Dri"en Project Communication------------------------------------------;
Appen$i+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<
Project <ic$&"ff !eeting 5nvitation (ist........................................................................................ 8
Project Name Communications Pan
P!O=ECT COMM/NICATION PLAN O1E!1IE'
This Project Communication Plan describes the approach for providing cohesive communication about the
=Project ,ame> goals and objectives to the $ey sta$eholders and to the project team. This plan addresses
both regular and ongoing project communication as well as one&time and event&driven communication
opportunities.
STA>E?OLDE! ANALYSIS
ta$eholders are the people that are li$ely to be affected by the activities and outcomes of a project. #
sta$eholder analysis determines how those sta$eholders are li$ely to be impacted by the project.
Sta8e#o$er I$enti%ication
The following identifies the project sta$eholders)
Name !oe Tite Comments
Sta8e#o$er Participation Panning Matri+
'epending on the strategic function or activity to be communicated, there could be different communication
approaches used for different sta$eholders. For e-ample, some sta$eholders will have more decision
authority than others.
Strategic
Management
0unction or
Acti"it,
Sta8e#o$ers to Approac# *, '#ic# Means
In%orm Consut In"o"e Coa*orate Empo&er
Promise:
?e will
$eep you
informed
Promise: ?e
will $eep you
informed,
listen to you,
and provide
feedbac$ on
how your
input
influenced
the decision
Promise: ?e
will wor$ with
you to ensure
your concerns
are considered
and reflected in
the alternatives
considered, and
provide
feedbac$ on
how your input
influenced the
decision
Promise: ?e will
incorporate your
advice and
recommendations
to the ma-imum
e-tent possible
Promise: ?e
will implement
what you decide
"rgani1ing
participation
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
%uilding
support around
proposal
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
@ 0A.0 9egents of the University of !innesota. #ll rights reserved. 9evised eptember .., 0A.8 Page .
Project Name Communications Pan
Strategic
Management
0unction or
Acti"it,
Sta8e#o$ers to Approac# *, '#ic# Means
!onitoring and
/valuating
Progress
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
Provide
strategic
interventions
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
Promoting and
enabling
organi1ation
change with
new solution
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
Purchasing
decisions
,ame
and2or role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or
role
,ame and2or role ,ame and2or
role
!E@/LA! O! ON@OIN@ COMM/NICATIONS
9egular or ongoing communications include those opportunities that you have to communicate to your
project team members, sponsors, steering committee members, and other $ey sta$eholders on a regular
basis. These types of communications could include your regular status reports, scheduled project team
meetings, monthly updates with the steering committee, or regularly scheduled updates on a project.
This chart lists the type of communications to consider for your regular and ongoing communications.
@enera Communications Matri+
Communication Purpose Au$ience Aut#or Communication
Location
0reAuenc,
'e* Site (ocation for
$ey project
documents
and
information
ta$eholders
ponsors
Project teering
Committee
Project Team
!embers
Project
!anager
?eb ite #ddress #s needed
Mont#, Project
Status !eports
To $eep
project
leadership
informed of
the project7s
progress.
ponsors
Project teering
Committee
Project Team
!embers
Project
!anager
Posted on project
web site
!onthly
Project Team
Caen$ar
<eep project
team
participants
aware of $ey
project
dates.
Project
!anager
Posted on project
web site.
Updated
as needed
Steering
Committee
Meeting
Provide
project
direction and
feedbac$
teering
Committee
/-ecutive
ponsor&
ship
!eeting !inutes
posted on project
web site
!onthly
@ 0A.0 9egents of the University of !innesota. #ll rights reserved. 9evised eptember .., 0A.8 Page 0
Project Name Communications Pan
Communication Purpose Au$ience Aut#or Communication
Location
0reAuenc,
Project Team
Meeting
Project Team
!embers
Project
!anager
>e, Messages an$ T#emes
This section lists any $ey messages or themes to be used in current and future communication based on the
sta$eholder analysis. Following is a list of possible communication themes for regular and ongoing
communication)
?hat the project is and is not
:ow the project benefits the organi1ation
ONE:TIME O! E1ENT:D!I1EN P!O=ECT COMM/NICATION
'uring the life of any project, opportunities arise for one&time or event driven communications. 9eview this
portion of your communication plan every month with your project team. 9eview the past month, and then
loo$ forward at least B months to ensure that as your project plan changes, you can capitali1e on every
communication opportunity.
This chart lists the type of communications to consider for your one&time and event driven communications.
Opportunit, Date 1e#icesBsC
Met#o$BsC o%
Communication
Au$ience Message !esponsi*e
Part,
>ic8o%% MeetingBsC
!0I !eease
!0I !esponse
!ecommen$ations
!0P !eease
!0P !esponse
!ecommen$ations
Contract A&ar$BsC
Training Dates
Miestone
competion $ates
@o i"e $ates
@ 0A.0 9egents of the University of !innesota. #ll rights reserved. 9evised eptember .., 0A.8 Page 6
Project Name Communications Pan
APPENDID
Project >ic8:O%% Meeting In"itation List
>ic8:O%% Meeting Emai List

Name Department

@enera Distri*ution Lists
''' (ist *'eans, 'irectors, 'epartment :eads+ #ll
Geospatial listserv geospatialClists.umn.edu


Steering Committee

Sta8e#o$ers
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