The success of any project (in any industry) depends on the effectiveness of communication among those involved. Projects are, by nature, group efforts, and in order for any group to work together successfully, it's crucial that participants in the project be enabled to clearly communicate with one another. Below are a few crucial factors to consider when developing a project communication plan.
Set Measurable Objectives
What are you trying to achieve? What is the purpose of the project? From the beginning, you must be able to articulate not only what the project is trying to achieve, but how you will measure that success. Are you trying to increase sales? Set a target and work toward it. Are you building a new system? Specify key features that you will aim to deliver with your new system.
Identify Stakeholders
Next, you need to know who is involved in all aspects of the project. Who is managing the process? Who is responsible for research, for building, and for testing? Who are the people who will use and benefit from the outcome of your project? Each type of stakeholder will need be kept in the communication loop, and what they know will differ depending on their role in the project.
Identify Communication Barriers
Is everybody located in the same place, or spread across the city, state, country, or world? Does everybody speak the same language, and does everybody understand the clear meaning of industry and project specific words and jargon? What might make communication less than ideal, based on your unique situation?
Set a Method of Communication
How frequently will you communicate with stakeholders? Will you hold meetings, phone calls, or send emails?
Which Updates Will You Give?
You'll need to send different types of information to different stakeholders, including scheduling information, status updates, meeting summaries, presentations, demonstrations, etc. It's important that you not overload your stakeholders with information, and that your communications are specific and meaningful.
Once you know these answers, you can tie your communication plan to the overall project schedule. You'll be prepared to establish your audiences, the different types of communications different stakeholders will need, the frequency of communication, and the methods. Below are some more detailed readings to take you beyond this overview.
https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/the-essential-role-of-communications.pdf
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management-communication-plan
https://www.quickbase.com/blog/how-to-create-a-project-communication-plan
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