Activity 6
Communication plan

Overview

A communication plan is a popular way of developing a schedule of proactive communications for a category project. It formally defines who should be given specific information, when it should be delivered and what communication channels should be used to convey key messages. The plan may also be the repository of the category project glossary and approved channel templates, such as ‘team briefs’ and ‘executive reports’.

It should be noted that the term ‘communication plan’ can be confused with ‘communications planning’, which is an integral part of the marketing communications process rather than category management.

Elements

The communication plan should capture all intended written, spoken and electronic interaction across the category team and its stakeholders, addressing the following:

assessment of the information and its flow in and out of the category project;
identification of the recipients of the information;
decisions on time frames for information release;
agreement on the format of the information;
allocation of responsibility for transmitting and providing the information.

The key elements of a communication plan will classically revolve around these main areas:

Stakeholder – Individuals who need to be aware of the communication. These should be subdivided between those that are internal and those that are external to the organisation.
Category – This is the category or subcategory which the communication relates to or affects.
Communication – This is the message content that needs to be communicated (e.g. progress, risks, milestones, meetings).
Method – This details the way in which the message will be communicated (e.g. project status reports, face-to-face briefings, minutes, conference calls, blogs, social media, etc.).
Frequency – This denotes how often the message needs to be communicated (e.g. one-off, monthly, weekly, etc.).
Owner – These are the individuals delegated with the responsibility for ensuring that the communication is activated.
Completion date – This is the date by which the communication will have taken place.

So what?

Developing a communication plan is a systematic way of ensuring that key messaging surrounding a category project is handled appropriately. Depending upon the size and complexity of the category project, it may be that a team member is dedicated solely to undertaking this task.

There are many communication frameworks which can assist with the building of a successful plan. A popular methodology is PACE, an acronym which stands for primary, alternate, contingency and emergency; it is often used to help project team members understand the most fitting communication channels internally. For example, the primary mode of communication could be web based or e-mail, alternate could be landline telephone, contingency could be via mobile, while emergency could be face to face. The mode selected will be dependent upon the information technology available and culture of the organisation.

Category management application

Provides a recognised way of managing and controlling project communication
Provides a disciplined project management approach
Is a mechanism for allocating ownership of messaging
Helps identify suitable ways of interacting across the organisation
Protects against last-minute/‘seat-of-the-pants’ miscommunication

Limitations

A communication plan is viewed as best practice when it comes to the dissemination of project information, and there are very few limitations to speak of, other than the size and flexibility of the document. For instance, it should be capable of expansion should the project scope need to increase; however the range of headings within the plan should be contained to those suggested, as the purpose of it can become confused with other category documents, such as RACI and the risk register.

It should also be noted that poorly constructed communication plans can lead to more questions than they answer, especially where a ‘one size fits all’ approach is instituted, which can mean that many stakeholders are copied in to updates that they needn’t be, which can become frustrating to those involved and lead to inefficiency and ineffectiveness from a communications perspective.

One of the biggest risks associated with communications planning is the assumption that all recipients will want to receive the message. Category managers should consider a variety of methods and include innovative communication methods (e.g. setting up project blogs or bespoke social media sites). It must also be remembered that effective communication is two way. Category management requires cross-functional engagement, and so consultations also need to be built into the communication plan.

Template

The following template can be used to support communication mapping:

Template 6: Communication plan