Communication Management Plan
Document Type: PMBOK Management Plan
Project: ICT Governance Framework Implementation
Date: August 11, 2025
Version: 1.1
Status: Baselined
WBS Code: 1.1.2.1.4
Activity ID: A012
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Communication Objectives
- Stakeholder Communication Requirements
- Communication Methods and Technologies
- Communication Matrix
- Communication Flow Diagrams
- Communication Guidelines
- Communication Constraints
- Communication Approval Process
- Communication Repository
- Glossary of Terms
- Appendices
Introduction
This Communication Management Plan defines the framework for effective communication during the ICT Governance Framework Implementation project. It outlines who needs what information, when they need it, how it will be provided, and by whom.
Purpose
The purpose of this Communication Management Plan is to:
- Identify and document communication needs of project stakeholders
- Define the types, formats, and frequency of communication
- Establish communication protocols and guidelines
- Outline roles and responsibilities for project communications
- Provide templates and standards for project communications
Scope
This plan applies to all formal and informal communications related to the ICT Governance Framework Implementation project. It covers internal project team communications, stakeholder communications, and external communications throughout the project lifecycle.
Communication Objectives
The primary objectives of project communications are to:
- Ensure all stakeholders have the information they need to fulfill their roles in the project
- Create a shared understanding of project goals, progress, and challenges
- Facilitate timely decision-making and issue resolution
- Build and maintain stakeholder engagement and support
- Manage expectations regarding project scope, timeline, and deliverables
- Document and share project knowledge effectively
- Support change management and adoption of the ICT Governance Framework
Stakeholder Communication Requirements
The following table summarizes the key stakeholders and their communication requirements:
| Stakeholder Group |
Communication Needs |
Preferred Methods |
Frequency |
| Executive Sponsors |
- Strategic alignment
- High-level progress
- Major risks and issues
- Resource requirements |
- Executive briefings
- Dashboard reports
- Status emails |
Bi-weekly |
| Steering Committee |
- Project status
- Decision points
- Risk and issue management
- Change requests |
- Committee meetings
- Status reports
- Issue logs |
Monthly |
| Project Team |
- Task assignments
- Technical information
- Dependencies
- Day-to-day coordination |
- Team meetings
- Collaboration platform
- Email
- Documentation repository |
Daily/Weekly |
| Department Managers |
- Impact on operations
- Resource allocation
- Implementation timeline
- Training requirements |
- Department briefings
- Impact assessments
- Email updates |
Bi-weekly |
| End Users |
- Changes to processes
- Training opportunities
- Support information
- Benefits of new framework |
- Training sessions
- User guides
- Intranet updates
- Demo sessions |
As needed |
| IT Operations |
- Technical requirements
- Integration points
- Deployment plans
- Support procedures |
- Technical meetings
- System documentation
- Knowledge transfer sessions |
Weekly |
| Compliance/Audit |
- Regulatory adherence
- Control documentation
- Compliance testing
- Audit trails |
- Compliance reviews
- Framework documentation
- Certification evidence |
Monthly |
| External Vendors |
- Requirements specifications
- Integration details
- Schedule coordination
- Performance feedback |
- Vendor meetings
- Contract documentation
- Status reports |
As needed |
Communication Methods and Technologies
The project will utilize the following communication methods and technologies:
Meetings
- Project Kickoff Meeting: Initial meeting with all stakeholders to introduce the project
- Steering Committee Meetings: Monthly governance and decision-making meetings
- Project Status Meetings: Weekly team meetings to review progress and plan work
- Technical Working Group Meetings: Focused discussions on technical aspects
- Stakeholder Briefings: Updates tailored to specific stakeholder groups
- Retrospective Meetings: End-of-phase reviews to capture lessons learned
Written Communications
- Project Charter: Formal authorization document that outlines project objectives
- Status Reports: Regular summaries of project progress, issues, and upcoming activities
- Technical Documentation: Detailed specifications, designs, and implementation guides
- Meeting Minutes: Records of decisions, action items, and discussions from meetings
- Email Updates: Regular communications on specific topics or general project status
- Knowledge Base Articles: Reference information and how-to guides
- Project Management Tool: Microsoft Project for schedule and resource management
- Collaboration Platform: Microsoft Teams for team communication and document sharing
- Document Repository: SharePoint site for project documentation and deliverables
- Issue Tracking System: Azure DevOps for tracking issues, risks, and action items
- Intranet Portal: Corporate intranet for broader organizational communications
- Video Conferencing: Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings and presentations
Communication Matrix
The following matrix defines what information will be communicated, to whom, when, and how:
| Communication Item |
Purpose |
Audience |
Format |
Frequency |
Owner |
Distribution Method |
| Executive Dashboard |
High-level status overview |
Executive Sponsors |
Dashboard |
Bi-weekly |
Project Manager |
Email and Executive Portal |
| Project Status Report |
Detailed progress update |
Steering Committee, Department Managers |
PDF Report |
Weekly |
Project Manager |
Email and Project Portal |
| Technical Briefing |
Technical details and decisions |
Technical Team, IT Operations |
Presentation/Document |
As needed |
Technical Lead |
Teams Meeting and Documentation Repository |
| Change Request Log |
Track and manage changes |
Steering Committee, Project Team |
Spreadsheet |
Weekly |
Change Manager |
Project Portal |
| Risk and Issue Register |
Monitor risks and issues |
Project Team, Steering Committee |
Spreadsheet |
Weekly |
Risk Manager |
Project Portal |
| Meeting Minutes |
Document decisions and actions |
Meeting Attendees |
Document |
After each meeting |
Assigned Scribe |
Email and Project Portal |
| Implementation Timeline |
Communicate schedule |
All Stakeholders |
Gantt Chart |
Monthly |
Project Manager |
Project Portal and Briefings |
| Training Announcements |
Notify about training opportunities |
End Users, Department Managers |
Email/Intranet Post |
As scheduled |
Training Lead |
Email and Intranet |
| Go-Live Communications |
Prepare for implementation |
All Stakeholders |
Multi-channel Campaign |
Per phase |
Change Manager |
Email, Intranet, Briefings |
| Lessons Learned |
Share knowledge |
Project Team, PMO |
Document/Presentation |
End of each phase |
Project Manager |
Knowledge Repository |
Communication Flow Diagrams
Decision Communication Flow
- Issue or decision need identified
- Documented in issue tracking system
- Analyzed by project team
- Recommendation prepared
- Escalated to appropriate decision authority based on impact and scope
- Decision made and documented
- Communication of decision to affected stakeholders
- Implementation of decision
- Follow-up to verify effectiveness
Status Reporting Flow
- Team members report task status in project management tool
- Technical leads review and consolidate team status
- Project Manager compiles overall project status
- Draft status report reviewed by key team members
- Final status report distributed to stakeholders
- Questions and feedback addressed
- Action items tracked in issue management system
Communication Guidelines
Effective Communication Practices
- Be clear, concise, and relevant to the audience
- Use appropriate terminology based on audience technical knowledge
- Focus on facts and data-driven information
- Include context and background when needed
- Clearly identify action items, owners, and due dates
- Follow up on outstanding items and decisions
- Use visual aids when appropriate to enhance understanding
- Maintain professionalism in all communications
- Acknowledge receipt of important communications
Meeting Guidelines
- Distribute agenda at least 24 hours before meetings
- Start and end meetings on time
- Document decisions and action items
- Distribute meeting minutes within 48 hours
- Clearly identify meeting objectives and expected outcomes
- Include only necessary participants
- Use video for remote participants when possible
- Assign a facilitator and notetaker for each meeting
- Review action items at the beginning and end of each meeting
Email Guidelines
- Use clear, descriptive subject lines with project identifier [ICT-GF]
- State purpose and any required actions in the first paragraph
- Use bullet points for clarity
- Highlight deadlines and important information
- Use “Reply All” only when necessary
- Maintain email threads for related topics
- Use consistent naming conventions for attachments
- Set appropriate priority levels (normal, high, low)
- Include contact information for follow-up questions
Communication Constraints
The following constraints may impact project communications:
- Geographic Distribution: Team members across multiple locations
- Organizational Boundaries: Communication across departments with different terminology and priorities
- Technical Complexity: Need to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders
- Security Requirements: Restrictions on sharing sensitive information
- Stakeholder Availability: Limited time for meetings and reviews
- Language and Cultural Differences: Potential for misunderstanding
- Information Overload: Risk of important messages being lost in high volume of communications
Communication Approval Process
Approval Requirements by Communication Type
| Communication Type |
Approver |
Timeline |
| External Communications |
Project Sponsor |
5 business days |
| Executive Communications |
Project Manager and Sponsor |
3 business days |
| Technical Specifications |
Technical Lead and Project Manager |
2 business days |
| Status Reports |
Project Manager |
1 business day |
| Meeting Minutes |
Meeting Chair |
1 business day |
| Training Materials |
Training Lead and SME |
3 business days |
| Implementation Announcements |
Change Manager and Project Manager |
2 business days |
Expedited Approval Process
For urgent communications, an expedited approval process may be followed:
- Requestor contacts approver directly (call or instant message)
- Draft is reviewed immediately
- Verbal approval is granted
- Communication is distributed
- Written approval is documented afterward
Communication Repository
All project communications will be stored in the project repository according to the following structure:
- 01-Project Management
- Project Charter
- Project Plans
- Status Reports
- Meeting Minutes
- 02-Technical Documentation
- Requirements
- Design Documents
- Technical Specifications
- Implementation Guides
- 03-Training and Support
- Training Plans
- User Guides
- Support Procedures
- Knowledge Base Articles
- 04-Communications
- Announcements
- Presentations
- Communication Materials
- Stakeholder Updates
- 05-Governance
- Decision Logs
- Change Requests
- Risk and Issue Registers
- Steering Committee Materials
Glossary of Terms
A glossary of terms is included in Appendix A to ensure consistent understanding of terminology used in project communications.
Appendices
Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
| Term |
Definition |
| ICT |
Information and Communications Technology |
| Governance Framework |
Structure of rules, practices, and processes to direct and control the organization’s ICT |
| Stakeholder |
Individual or group with interest in or influence over the project |
| SME |
Subject Matter Expert |
| Change Request |
Formal proposal to modify any aspect of the project |
| Deliverable |
Any unique and verifiable product or result produced by the project |
| Milestone |
Significant point or event in the project schedule |
| PMO |
Project Management Office |
| RACI |
Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed (responsibility assignment matrix) |
Appendix B: Communication Templates
- Status Report Template
- Meeting Agenda Template
- Meeting Minutes Template
- Decision Document Template
- Stakeholder Briefing Template
- Executive Summary Template
Appendix C: Stakeholder Communication Preferences
Detailed matrix of individual stakeholders and their specific communication preferences, including:
- Preferred contact method
- Preferred time of day for communications
- Level of detail required
- Topics of specific interest
- Frequency preferences
Appendix D: Detailed Communication Schedule
For comprehensive communication scheduling, roles and responsibilities, and detailed timelines, refer to:
Document Status: BASELINED
Approved By: [Project Sponsor Name]
Date: August 11, 2025
Next Review: September 11, 2025
This Communication Management Plan supports Activity A012 (WBS 1.1.2.1.4) and provides the strategic framework for stakeholder communication throughout the ICT Governance Framework implementation project.