How to write an Effective IT Communication Plan?
An effective IT Communication Plan
Introduction
Strengthen your organization’s IT communication with a well-structured plan. This blog provides step-by-step instructions to optimize communication channels, ensure transparency, and enhance teamwork in your IT projects. We also delve into the process for managing communication that supports the Customer Platform. It describes the different types of communication and the individuals responsible for each type.
Purpose
The purpose of the a IT Communications Plan (Communications Plan) is to define how the program collects, assesses, reports, and acts on information about the progress of the project, as measured against project plans.
Scope
The goal of the IT Communication Plan is to outline the overall strategy for communicating and sharing project information. This includes documenting and agreeing with key stakeholders on:
- What to communicate
- When to communicate
- With whom to communicate
- Using what medium (e.g., reports, meetings, email)
- Content to be communicated (include a template, if needed)
Types of communication levels
The following levels of communication are expected throughout the program to inform customers of the overall performance as well as to discuss various topics related to the program:
Build a list of stakeholders as required by your organization and spell out their responsibilities. This is required to define a proper IT communication plan as it delegates and sets responsibilities of each person and the time frames when they need to be triggered.
| Role | Responsibility | Stakeholder Information Requirements | Time frame/Frequency/ Trigger |
| Customer Sponsor | Provide resources to enable the project, provide high-level requirements, provide overall approval for the project and results, and reach agreement through consensus | Receive written program updates | Monthly |
| Provide input into requirements | Prior to completion of significant program milestones and functionality | ||
| Receive demos and provide feedback | Upon completion of significant program milestones and functionality | ||
| Escalation point to help resolve program level issues and risks | As required | ||
| Attend Quarterly Business Reviews | Quarterly | ||
| Customer Relationship Manager | Coordinate overall program activities across all projects in the program | Receive updates on program progress | Weekly |
| Provide an update on program status to sponsors | Monthly | ||
| Escalate program impacting issues/risks to sponsors | As needed | ||
| Attend SLA monthly meeting | Monthly | ||
| Attend Quarterly Business Reviews | Quarterly | ||
| Project Management Office (PMO) & Customer | Coordinate overall project activities between PMO and Customer | Receive updates on program and/or project progress | Weekly and as needed |
| Provide an updated schedule to team members | Weekly | ||
| Direct communications appropriately | As needed | ||
| Attend Quarterly Business Reviews | Quarterly | ||
| Operations Manager | Provide day-to-day M&O direction and requirements for the program | Receive updates on program progress | Weekly and as needed |
| Provide input into requirements | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Direct communications with the Platform Operations team | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Attend Platform Governance meetings | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Security (Security Advisor) | Provide day-to-day direction for security aspects of the platform | Provide and receive updates on program and project progress | Weekly |
| Direct communications with the security team | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Attend Platform Security meetings | Weekly | ||
| System Owners | Liaison to the business | Provide and receive updates on program and project progress | Weekly |
| Direct communications with the business and customer teams, coordinate business testing | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Attend Platform Governance meetings | Weekly and as needed | ||
| Provide input into requirements | Prior to completion of significant program milestones and functionality | ||
| Enterprise Architect | Give architectural advice on the Platform | Receive update on program and project progress | Weekly and ad hoc as needed |
| Provide input to requirements or design reviews | Weekly and ad hoc as needed | ||
| Attend/support the Technical Committee | Monthly | ||
| Technology Committee Chair | Review technology strategy for the Platform | Review requests for new technology components and strategic direction for the Platform | Ad hoc as needed |
| Attend/chair the Technical Committee | Monthly |
