Communications Management

Introduction

Communication is one of the keys to a well-run project. But communication requires planning, especially when it comes to digital projects. In this article, we'll explore the importance of effective communication in digital projects and outline what you need to know about communications management.

What is communications management?

Communications management is the process of planning and organizing the flow of information among project team members and stakeholders. It's a key component of project management, along with cost control, quality assurance, and risk management. The communications plan includes who needs to be kept informed about what issues or problems at what times; where they can find this information; how often they'll receive updates on it; and how long it will take for them to receive new information once an issue has been resolved.

Communications management helps establish clear lines of communication between stakeholders (those affected by a project), managers (who oversee projects), team members (who carry out projects), vendors (who provide products or services for use in projects), customers (who purchase products or services produced by vendors), suppliers (providers of goods or services purchased by customers), regulators/regulatory agencies (agencies that set standards for environmental protection)

Planning communications management

• Communicate effectively with your team
• Communicate effectively with your stakeholders
• Communicate effectively with your project manager
• Communicate effectively with your project sponsor
• Communicate effectively with your project team

Stakeholders and communication needs

One of the most important aspects of communication management is understanding your stakeholders. When you are planning and executing your communications strategy, it's important to keep in mind that each stakeholder has a different set of interests, preferences, and needs when it comes to communicating information about a project.

Stakeholders can be internal or external to your organization. External stakeholders are people who are affected by or interested in the project but do not have an ownership stake in it; for example, clients who need results from a research study conducted by your company will be external stakeholders for this project (although they may become internal stakeholders if they become customers). Internal stakeholders have greater interest than others because they contribute directly to the success of projects or programs through their actions and decisions; for example, members on an advisory committee may be considered internal stakeholders because they will provide guidance on how best execute certain elements within project planning stages.

While each stakeholder may possess some similar characteristics (e.g., having knowledge about how things work), there will also be key differences between them based on what kind of communication requirements each has during different situations throughout the process (e.g., timeframes)

Developing a communication plan

• A communication plan is a document that defines the project's communication strategy. It should be updated as the project progresses and should be approved by the project manager, client and relevant stakeholders.
• The following are some of the items that need to be in a good communication plan:
• goals
• roles and responsibilities
• action items for each stakeholder group (i.e., team members)

Tools for digital communication planning

• Email
• Chat
• Project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello)
• Video conferencing (such as Zoom)
• Social media platforms

Managing project communications

Project communications are managed through a communication plan that is part of the overall project plan. The communication management process includes planning, implementing and managing all aspects of communication with project team members, customers and stakeholders. In some organizations, these activities are called "comms".

Communications management is one of the most important elements in your project success because it can have a direct impact on how successful your projects are. It's important to understand what makes up effective communications on a project and how to implement them effectively so you get better results.

Successful digital project teams have an effective communication and information dissemination mechanism.

Successful digital project teams have an effective communication and information dissemination mechanism.

• Communication is key to project success. Communication management is a key skill for all project managers and team members (including stakeholders).
• The organizational structure of your team should be based on the nature of your projects, as well as on who needs what information at what time. It is important that everyone has access to the right people or groups with whom they can exchange ideas, get input or make decisions.
• The type of communications channels you choose depends on your target audience:
• For internal audiences: Email / messaging apps / intranet portals are suitable; face-to-face meetings may be necessary if there are specific issues requiring clarification or decision making within small groups; other types of content may include newsletters etc…
• For external audiences: Social media platforms provide interactivity while public speaking events which bring together people from different departments are helpful in establishing and maintaining relationships between stakeholders from various organizations

Conclusion

Now that you have all the information you need to understand what communication management is and how it can help your project, why not go ahead and try out one of the tools mentioned above? Share this guide with a friend or colleague in need of communications assistance, or let us know if we missed anything!