Corporate Services for the
Natural Resource Sector
<Note: Replace (or delete) bracketed
and/or Green text with required information>
<This is an interim template that will be reviewed and revised as time and resources
permit. In the meantime, it is available to use and change as desired.>
[Project Name]
[Name of Ministry]
Communications Plan
Project Manager:
Creation Date:
[Date – YY/MM/DD]
Last Updated:
[Date – YY/MM/DD]
Document Number: 6450-25/[Project Name]
Version:
0.0.1
Approvals:
Project Sponsor
Signature
Date
Signature
Date
Signature
Date
[Name]
[Title]
Project Manager
[Name]
[Title]
[optional others]
[Name]
[Title]
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 2 of 10
VERSION HISTORY
Version
Date
Responsible
Notes
0.0.1
2014-04-04
Ronda Cunningham
1st Draft for interim NRS template for posting
on the SDLC
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 3 of 10
Purpose of the Document
The Communications Plan (MPP) identifies the types of messages to be communicated,
responsibilities, audience, and methods of delivery and schedule for each communication.
<For smaller project, the communications plan may be incorporated into the master project
plan.>
The communications plan should provide:





How various types of information will be gathered and from whom.
A structure which shows how information will flow and to whom. This structure must be
compatible with reporting relationships on the project organization chart.
A description of each kind of information to be produced and distributed.
Schedules showing when each type of communication will be produced, with procedures
for obtaining feedback.
A method for updating the communications plan.
Related Documents:



<add/delete as appropriate>
Master Project Plan
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 4 of 10
Table of Contents
Purpose of the Document .............................................................................................................................. 4
1.0
Purpose of the Communications Plan ................................................................................................ 6
2.0
Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 6
3.0
Key Messages ..................................................................................................................................... 6
4.0
Audience/Stakeholders ...................................................................................................................... 6
5.0
Schedule of Communications Activities ............................................................................................. 7
6.0
Communications Tools ....................................................................................................................... 8
7.0
Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 8
8.0
Vulnerabilities/Potential Issues .......................................................................................................... 8
9.0
Measures of Success ........................................................................................................................... 9
10.0 Evaluation ........................................................................................................................................... 9
11.0 Reviews and Document Control ....................................................................................................... 10
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 5 of 10
1.0
Purpose of the Communications Plan
<Provide a concise statement of the purpose of the communications plan.>
The purpose of this communications plan is to describe how communications will occur for
<insert project name>. <describe more about the reason for the communications plan – how
the strategy will create awareness, understanding and support from those being
communicated with.>
2.0
Objectives
<This section should describe the communications objectives, not project or program
objectives. They should be specific, describe what is to be achieved, or what action the team
wants stakeholders to take.>
<Examples: to inform, to encourage participation, to increase use, to promote, to solicit
support, to gain acceptance, to listen, to get input, to educate.>
The objectives of the communications plan are to:

<list>

3.0
Key Messages
< The key messages should include three to five succinct statements that will be used
repeatedly in project communications. These are the key messages that the project/team
wants the stakeholders to know and remember. These messages should clearly state the
benefits of the project or program.>
The key messages of the project are:

<list>

4.0
Audience/Stakeholders
< This is a list of the groups of people that have a vested interest in the project, would benefit
from knowing of it, or whose support/understanding is required to ensure success. The
stakeholders should have been identified in the stakeholder analysis. These
audiences/stakeholders groups (i.e., employees or customers) could be sub-divided into smaller
subsets so that communications strategies can be developed that better address the needs of
the specific target audience.>
The primary audiences and stakeholders listed below will benefit from communications about
<insert project name or other relevant description>.

<list>

NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 6 of 10
5.0
Schedule of Communications Activities
<This section provides a schedule of communications activities to be performed during the
project. This schedule need only be in point form including activity name/description,
responsible individual/group and the targeted completion date. The activities should be
grouped by audience and describe how the communication will be done and, to some extent,
what will be communicated.>
<A communications matrix format has been provided as a suggested format with some
content examples. Communications tools can be included with the mechanisms or a separate
section can be added to the communications plan so they can be documented.>
The communications matrix below identifies target stakeholders and interested parties, the
messages they need to receive, the mechanisms and timings of the messages, and the
responsible person/group for ensuring the communication is conveyed.
TARGET
Sponsor
MESSAGE
1.
2.
3.
Steering
Committee
1.
2.
MECHANISM
Status (schedule,
progress, issues).
Issues/Resolutions.
Special Reqmnts.
1.
Content, Progress,
Invite ongoing
communications.
Special Requirements
TIMEFRAME
Status Report (HC or
Email).
Decision request
Email, in person
1.
Weekly
2.
3.
As Required.
As Required.
1.
Monthly mtgs.,
Email bulletins.
1.
Monthly.
Bi-weekly.
2.
.
1.
Email, mtgs., in person
2.
As req’d.
Sponsor (Project provides
supporting docs.).
1.
At sponsor's
discretion, as
req'd.
2.
3.
Executive
1.
Overview, Status,
Issues
Project
Team
Members
1.
Context, Overview
1. Project Kickoff Meeting,
Project File. .
2.
Status, Issues
2.
3.
Special Requirements
3.
Team meetings, Status
Reports, Issue Log, Email notes
Email, mtgs., in person
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
1.
At Project
Start
Ongoing access
2. Weekly, or as
required
3.
RESP
Proj Mgr.
Proj Mgr.
Sponsor
Proj Mgr.
Project
Team
Members
One-off ASAP.
Page 7 of 10
Users/
System
Owners
6.0
1.
Context, Overview
1.
Project Kickoff meeting,
Master Project Plan
1.
2.
Technical Reqmts,
Input and Update
2.
Meetings, E-mail,
Deliverable Reviews
2.
3.
Project Status,
Deliverable Status
3.
Meetings, E-mail, Reviews
3.
4.
Issues/Resolutions.
4.
(In) E-mail, Mtgs., In
person; (Out) E-mail,
Letter
4.
At start of
project, as
available
Based on
project
schedule
Biweekly/
Monthly, as
necessary
ASAP, as
necessary
Proj. Mgr.,
User Rep.
Communications Tools
<This section contains a list of the communication tools that will be used to implement the
communications action plan. Examples of tools are: e-mail, brochure, newsletter, static
displays, on-line bulletin boards, demonstrations, presentations, meetings, status reports,
etc.>
A variety of communications tools will be used including:

<list>

7.0
Resources
<This section includes the resources that are required to implement the communications plan.
The resources should be split into human resources and financial resources. The financial
information should be integrated into the overall project budget.>
The human resources required to implement the communications plan include:

<list>

The financial resources required to implement the communications plan include:

<list>

8.0
Vulnerabilities/Potential Issues
<These are point form statements of the issues that could hamper the success of project
communications. An action plan should be defined to avoid these potential issues. These
issues should be derived from and related to the project risk analysis and critical success
factors.>
<This information may be included in the Risk Management Plan or in the Risk Management
section of the Master Project Plan instead of the Communications Plan.>
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 8 of 10
The table below shows potential risks that could hamper the success of the communications
plan and actions that could be initiated to mitigate the impacts.
POTENTIAL RISKS
9.0
POTENTIAL IMPACT
ACTION PLAN
Measures of Success
<A point form list of measures against which the success of the project communications
strategy will be evaluated. This should include a measure of actual performance against
planned schedule and budget, and some means of verifying the effectiveness of the strategy on
the audience (i.e. customer satisfaction surveys, etc.).>
The communications plan will be considered a success when:

<list>

10.0 Evaluation
< The communications strategy for the project should be evaluated in terms of the measures of
success identified in the section above. This evaluation should be done at key milestones
throughout the project and again at the end of the project. Any corrective actions that result
from the interim evaluations should be added to the action plan.>
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 9 of 10
11.0 Reviews and Document Control
Reviews
This document has been sent to the following for their review and comment.
Name
Position
Project Management
Name
Position
<name>
Project Manager
Document Control

<Drafts start at 0.1 whereas a document ready for signature becomes version 1.0. >
Date
Version Change Reference
<date>
0.1
Reviewed by
Original document
NRS Communications Plan <insert project name>
Page 10 of 10