Elements of a Communication Plan

A communication plan may be the most critical tool in the overall change management plan.  It ensures key messages are sent and received as planned.  If the communication plan is executed well, it informs receivers of how they are impacted by change and their roles and responsibilities for the change. This will lead to getting results through individual and organizational change.

A communication plan supporting a large project also determines specific ways team members will communicate during the life of the project.  Excellent project communication leads to better quality, and lower cost of project delivery.

Start by Organizing Key Messages

Organizing key messages can be complex.  Using a Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram could be used to sort out the different messages, categories, and the logical order for message delivery.

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Key Message Attributes

Key Message - exactly what are you trying to say? For example "Due to the economic downturn, we are responding with the following changes....."

Goal - messages should align with your business objectives for delivering the message.  "Knock three times" for each message to achieve long term sustainment:

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Category - messages can be aligned with change phases, processes, and individual considerations:

Frequency and Timing - is this a one-time occurrence or is this a communication that will be repeated at defined intervals?  How are key messages timed with project stages?

Level of Detail - the same message can be delivered at varying levels of detail depending on the audience, time frame, and overall succession of how the message will be rolled out.  It may be easiest to think about the attention span of the receiver and the desired impact.

For example one message of "Due to the economic downturn, we are responding with the following changes....." might be delivered in 5 levels of detail, each level taking a different length of time to receive:

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Delivery Method - very often, receivers react not to WHAT the message is, but rather HOW it is delivered, potentially loosing the message's impact.  It is critical to know what method works with various receivers.

Take the audience, timing, risks, and opportunities into account when selecting a delivery method.

Determine the level of intimacy needed to convey a message.  For example, bad news impacting a few individuals, such as an impending layoff should be conveyed with a HIGH level of intimacy (a face to face, 1 on 1 meeting would be a good idea).  Conversely if the message is public and being conveyed to millions of people, such as a press release, the intimacy requirement is LOW.

Note: using the following delivery methods requires coordination with the established practices for content management:

• Employee communication channel
• Customer-facing channel
• Supplier-facing channel
• Public communication channel

Senders, Receivers, and Approvers - and finally when defining key message attributes, determine the participants of a message.  WHO the message comes from and goes to, as well as who approves it, drive the desired impact of the message.  The sender may not be the only one responsible for approval.  Do not underestimate the importance of identifying an approver of a message.  Several considerations come into play when determining the participants:

Schedule and Feedback

Once key messages are developed, they need to be scheduled for delivery.  A method for receiving feedback also needs to be implemented.

# of Receivers - depending on the number of receivers, a message may need to be cascaded through several levels in an organization and through many delivery methods.  A message to 5 people may be scheduled differently than to 5,000 people.

Current Status - make the communication plan a living document.  A message goes through a life cycle.  For complex communication plans, an entire workflow with history of the message may be needed.

Predecessor message - what message must precede this one?  It is very important to think through the logical succession of messages: who gets told first, second, third.  In this example, the sponsor communicates the message to the approver and spokesperson at the same time.  It can then be delivered to the executives and stakeholders at the same time.  Following that, the managers are informed before those directly affected.  Then the message is broadcast internally, followed by an external broadcast.  Determining the proper sequence depends on the norms and practices of the organization as well as the desired impact and urgency of the message.

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Planned and Actual Date for sending message - documenting both the planned and actual dates help schedule the work as well as lessons learned for future work.

Effort to prepare, send, and receive - estimating the number of hours or days is important to depict the overall effort of communication.  This should help in scheduling resources and budget.

Feedback and Notes - documenting responses and observations help craft follow-up messages, clarifications, and lessons learned for future work.  In the age of social media, feedback is sometimes provided even if it is not solicited.  For public messages, it is important to scan public social media for trends.  There are several tools and companies that can assist in summarizing trends.  Sometimes it is desired to send a message and allow receivers to provide feedback through a specific website, hotline, or support group.

Results

Getting back to the reason we communicate within the context of process change:  we are sending a message to receiver(s) with an expectation we are effecting a change.  To determine if the communication met its objective, we should define how to measure the impact at specific intervals.

Key Performance Indicator - what is going to be measured to assure we are meeting the expected goal?

Measurement before and after message is sent and at defined intervals - quantifiable and qualitative measures impacted by message.

And Finally, Managing Noise - sometimes messages aren't received as the sender intends for a variety of reasons.  Make sure you have a plan for mitigating risks and resistance.

Click here for a FREE TEMPLATE (Excel) to manage your next communication plan!