The purpose of the communication management plan is to define the format and rules by which information will flow throughout the project. Communication management also defines the content, roles, and responsibilities of the information products that will be developed during the project.
The communication management plan includes:
Types of communication
The types of information required to report to project management, Reference: “Communication strategy in project management“, https://ossalumni.org/communication-strategy-in-project-management/
The sources of information and ways of extracting them
The methods of sending and receiving information including frequency, content, level of detail, standards, and conventions to be used
Determination of responsibilities related to the exchange of information
Methodology of periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of the communication plan and improvements to it if necessary
Types of communications
For communication management, the following types of communication are defined in the project:
Formal, in written form – all documents related to the implementation of project activities are included in the archive. These are Concepts for implementation, Concepts for migration, Protocols of conducted tests, protocols of conducted training, etc.
Informal in writing – all project communication and documentation are done in writing only. E-mail is used for this purpose. All letters are addressed to project managers and coordinators.
Formal verbal communication – these are meetings between the two teams and/or team members. All meetings are documented with minutes. The meeting is recorded by the project coordinator. The minutes of the meeting are sent to the management team, project managers, and coordinators. If there are no written comments on the sent protocol within five working days, then the decisions and tasks described in it are considered accepted. Reference: “How to Create a Project Management Communication Plan“, https://www.islandjournal.net/how-to-create-a-project-management-communication-plan-example-template/
Informal verbal communication – these are telephone conversations between team members, conference calls, and other types of remote communication. The team systematizes the conversation and sends it in electronic format to the team leaders, modules and coordinators, and participants. If a conference call has been held, with a previously specified program and participants, it is recorded and considered a formal verbal communication.
Meetings
All project meetings are carried out with a previously specified meeting schedule and participants.
Types of meetings
Meetings of the Steering Committee for the project
The Steering Committee will meet regularly every month, at least at the end of each stage of the project. The management board can also be convened when necessary. Minutes will be kept at each meeting of the Management Board.
The following rules shall apply to the decision-making of the Board of Directors and the keeping of minutes:
The Management Board will make decisions by agreement, after reaching a consensus
The Chairman of the Management Board and the sponsor will have the right to use the “per rollam” procedure in making the decisions
The Coordinator will provide the minutes of the meetings of the Governing Board. The protocol will be sent to all participants. After its approval, it will be sent to all members of the management board. Reference: “Communication process in management“, https://www.mmrls.org/communication-process-in-management/
Meetings of the Main Project Team
The meetings of the Main Project Team will be held regularly, at least once a month. Minutes will be taken at each meeting.
The following rules will apply to decision-making within the Project Core Team:
The core project team will make decisions by agreement.
If members of the Project Core Team cannot reach an agreement, the issue will be presented to the Project Steering Committee for resolution.
The project managers will have the right to use the “per rollam” procedure in making decisions.
Team meetings
Implementation teams will meet regularly, at least once a month. If necessary, meetings can be convened on specific occasions. The number of meetings depends on the stage of the project. Meetings will be held more frequently in the beginning due to the need for greater coordination. All meetings will be held according to a specific agenda, which will be communicated to all participants. This will be ensured by the project coordinator.
The project coordinator will also inform the managers of all project participants about the planned tasks and training in advance via e-mail.
The following rules will be applied when making decisions by the teams on individual processes:
The team will make its decisions by agreement
If the team members cannot reach an agreement, the team leader will have the right to make the final decision
If team members cannot reach an agreement, the issue will be presented for resolution by the Project Lead Team
The team leader will have the right to use the “per rollam” procedure in making decisions
General meetings
All teams and the Management Board will meet regularly with the following tasks:
To discuss the status of the project
To determine new operations and follow-up measures
To report on progress, problems, and outstanding issues
Conducting the meetings
The minutes of the meetings of the Steering Board, the Main Project Team, and the Project Teams will be developed by the Consultants. The minutes must clearly show the topic of the specific meeting, the resulting tasks, the responsible persons, and the deadlines for their resolution; this means they must include no less than the following:
Date, time, and place
List of participants and those who have been further informed
Description of the meeting, comments
Tasks (including responsible persons and deadlines) and verification of the execution of tasks
Attachment: List of Attendees
Recommended meeting structure:
Defining the host protocol
Updating the information on the unresolved issues from the previous meeting
Discuss the status of the project
Discussion (preliminary) of the results of the assigned tasks
Presentation of the discovered problems
Distribution of discovered issues among project team members
Approval of the results of the meeting for the minutes
The agenda items for the meetings of the Main Project Team and the Steering Board should be prepared by the Project Manager. Meetings will be conducted in such a way as to lead to decision-making.
