Summary

This communication plan describes the methods used in communication and collaboration on the XYZ Business Workflow Project. The plan identifies the project participants (those receiving the communication plan), communication goals, communication methods and response times, and escalation process. This plan will assist in developing effective and coordinated communication among participants in the project (Biafore, 2021).

Project Participants

• • The Project Team, consisting of all members assigned to the project as well as all project stakeholders.

• • Internal Project Personnel to include Project manager, Software architect, User interface (UI) designer, UI developer, technical team lead(s), Software developer, Software testers

• • External Personnel to include Project Sponsor, Product Manager and Users and Beneficiaries

• • Internal Project Stakeholders (Supporting Groups) affected by the project to include the Marketing Team, Customer Service Department and IT Department

Communication Goals

• • To keep stakeholders informed of project needs

• • To provide clear insight on key project elements

• • To identify and communicate potential roadblocks affecting project completion per timeline

Methods of Communication & Response Times

• • All in-person meetings will include an email with a videoconference link for remote workers.

• • The team will be notified of unscheduled meetings via email. A same-day response time expected.

• • Asana or Trello will be used as a project collaboration tool and task management software where the team can view the project timeline, tracking tasks, meeting follow-up and more.

• • Daily standup meetings will be short (less than 20 minutes in total), informal discussions and a way for project team members to discuss their progress and/or concerns during the past 24 hours.

• • Weekly status reports will keep the team informed of updates, progress and potential risks.

• • Action items will need to be addressed within 24 hours, with follow up every two days.

• • A project management survey will be distributed post-project with responses collected within the same week. There will be a discussion the following week to address successes and roadblocks during the project.

Escalation Process

1.  Gather all data and perform an analysis of what is causing the problem as well as its

     potential impact on the project.

2.  Inform decision-making party of findings and possible resolution in the form of a phone call

     or a face-to-face meeting within 24 hours of being notified of or discovering the problem.

3.  Document results of escalation.

4.  Follow up with decision-making party daily on the progress towards resolution and status

     until problem is resolved.

Communication Matrix

Name of the Communication	Communication Sender	Intended Audience	Medium	Frequency	Goal
Kickoff Meeting	Project Manager	Project Team, Project Sponsor, stakeholders	In-person meeting, videoconference	Once at start of project	Review project goals and expectations, management approach, clarify roles & responsibilities
Project Team Meetings	Project Manager	Project Team, Software Development Team, Design Team, Software Architects	In-person meeting; audioconferencing	Every Monday @ 9:30 am	Review overall status of the project, address action items, review of project schedule
Daily Standup Meetings	Project Manager	Internal project Team	Asana, audioconferencing	Daily each morning @ 8:30 am	Discuss project agenda, progress since yesterday, goals for today
Progress Report	Project Manager	All Stakeholders	Email	End of every month	Show project progress, identify issues affecting progress
Project Status Meetings	Project Manager	Project Sponsor, stakeholders	Conference Call	Monthly	Update leadership on project status and opportunity to ask questions
Management Review	Project Manager	Project sponsor, Project Director, all team leads	In-person meeting and email	Bi-monthly	Status update, problem escalation
Quality Audit Report	QA Team Lead	QA Team Lead Project Manager, Sponsor, Project Team	Email	Weekly	Addresses quality management issues, summary of quality control findings, recommendations for quality improvement
Change Control Meetings	Project Manager	Project Team, Internal stakeholders and others affected	In-person meeting and email	As needed	Discuss client request, change assessment, recommendations and next steps
Budget Usage	Financial Manager	CEO, Project Director, Project Manager, Key Stakeholders	In-person meeting and email	Bi-Monthly	Discuss expense approval
Technical Design Review	Technical Team Lead	Design Team, Project sponsor	In-person, videoconferencing	After initial UX design is complete	Discuss app design solutions and suggestions
Action Items Follow-up	Project Manager	Anyone who has an action item, their Team Lead	Conference call and email	Every two workdays after incident	Review specific task(s) with each member to discuss progress and next steps
Team Project Review	Project Manager	Project Team	Meeting	Every Friday	Focus on team coordination to keep project on track
Lessons Learned	Project Manager	Project Team	In-person meeting	At project end	Assess what worked and areas for improvement

References

Biafore, B. (2021, March 29). The Project Communication Plan. MPUG. https://www.mpug.com/the-project-communication-plan/

      

Lucid Content Team. (2022). How to Create a Project Management Communication Plan. Lucidchart.  https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/project-management-communication-plan

Semczuk, N. (2022). Project Communication Plan Examples, Template, & How To. DPM. https://thedigitalprojectmanager.com/how-write-project-communication-plan/#what-to-include

  

Techno-PM. (2021, August 11). Escalation Process – What is an Escalation Process in Project Management and How to handle Escalation?

https://www.techno-pm.com/2021/08/escalation-process-what-is-escalation-process-in-project-management.html