Communications Management Plan Template

This Communications Management Plan template is designed to support a wide range of project types and sizes. Its’ purpose is to ensure the information needs of the project and its’ stakeholders are met. As a subsidiary plan, it becomes a part of the Project Management Plan.

Specifically, this template:

• begins with a section that captures relevant project information;
• provides for the identification of project roles and responsibilities, as they pertain to project communications management;
• prompts the Project Manager to assess communications needs by reviewing: stakeholder needs, communication requirements, the risk management plan, similar past projects, organizational policies regarding communication and safety, communication technology, organizational procedures for identifying and communicating sensitive and confidential communications, organizational policies regarding social media and mass communications, the project team environment, and project team meetings;
• prompts the Project Manager to specify the types of reports issued and the reporting frequency;
• identifies the format of the project status report and specifies meeting guidelines;
• establishes the process for providing feedback regarding project communications, addresses communications quality, and identifies the work performance information that will be captured and reported on project status reports;
• identifies how requests for change will be managed and how communications will be stored;
• includes places for capturing assumptions, issues, and risks that are identified while planning communications management;
• contains a section for including relevant project documents for approval; and
• includes a section for Communications Management Plan approval.

Who Creates the Communications Management Plan?

The Project Manager is responsible for developing the Communications Management Plan. Effective planning accounts for the input of various project team members, other stakeholders, and the project sponsor.

What Are the Inputs?

There are numerous inputs to the development of a Communications Management Plan, including the project charter and the stakeholder engagement plan.

How Should The Communications Management Plan be Constructed?

The Communications Management Plan varies greatly, depending on project needs. For some projects, the Communications Management Plan is developed in detail and becomes formally approved before the start of project work. For other projects, this highly detailed and rigid approach is unnecessary. It is the Project Manager’s responsibility to consider all relevant factors and develop a plan that fits the needs of the project and the project stakeholders.

Make Work Easier

We know this template will make your work easier. Want an even a better solution? Consider getting The Practitioner’s Book of Project Management Templates. Our e-book contains a complete set of editable, project management templates. It expedites development of project management plans and supports project managers throughout the project life cycle.  By the way, it includes this Communications Management Plan template.

Consider a Set of Templates