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Project Communication Matrix

The document provides guidance on creating a project communication matrix. It explains that a communication matrix allows planning communication efficiently and effectively to various stakeholders. The steps include determining stakeholders, their communication needs, and how to fulfill those needs through different communication types like mandatory, informational, or marketing. Examples of different communication formats, frequency, and delivery methods are also provided. Finally, a sample completed communication matrix template is shown to demonstrate how the planning would be organized.

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aldeto71
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
324 views

Project Communication Matrix

The document provides guidance on creating a project communication matrix. It explains that a communication matrix allows planning communication efficiently and effectively to various stakeholders. The steps include determining stakeholders, their communication needs, and how to fulfill those needs through different communication types like mandatory, informational, or marketing. Examples of different communication formats, frequency, and delivery methods are also provided. Finally, a sample completed communication matrix template is shown to demonstrate how the planning would be organized.

Uploaded by

aldeto71
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Project Communication

Matrix

COMMUNICATION MATRIX
Key Knowledge Area Purpose Proactive communication is important on all projects. The project
manager must make sure that team members, customers, and stakeholders have the information
they need to do their jobs. Communication is also a vital way to manage expectations about how
the project is going and who needs to be doing what. This can be as simple as talking to your
team members about how they are doing on their assigned work, or holding a regularly
scheduled status meeting. However you do it, proper communication can go a long way toward
ensuring project success.
On smaller projects, communication is simple and does not require much proactive effort.
However, communication gets much more complex the larger a project gets, and the more people
that are involved. Larger projects require communication to be planned in advance, taking into
account the particular needs of the people involved. This is where a Communication Matrix is
useful. A Communication Matrix allows you to think through how to communicate most
efficiently and effectively to the various constituents. Effective communication means that you are
providing information in the right format, at the right time, and with the right impact. Efficient
communication means that we are providing the information that is needed, and nothing more.

Creating a Communication Matrix


Determine Project Stakeholders
There can be many types of customers, users, vendors, managers, and stakeholders. First
determine what people or groups of people you want to include in the Communication Matrix.
Determine the Communication Needs of Each Stakeholder
For each of the stakeholders identified above, determine what their communications needs are.
For instance, certain managers have a need for ongoing status information. Steering committee
members need ongoing status, plus a dialog on strategy and vision. Your users might need
awareness communication, mentoring, question-and-answer sheets, promotional information to
build enthusiasm, etc. For large projects especially, the project team should be creative in
determining how, what, to whom, where, and how frequently the communication takes place.
Determine How to Fulfill the Communication Needs of Each Stakeholder
Project communication can take many shapes and forms. In this step, brainstorm how you will
fulfill the communication needs for each stakeholder. When possible, look for types of
communication that can cover more than one stakeholders needs.
Mandatory: The types of communication are required by your agency, OCIO, ITC, ITOC, or by
statute. This information is pushed to recipients.

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Project Status Reports

Regular voicemail updates (of status)

Status meetings

Meetings with steering committee

Regular conference calls and videoconferences with remote stakeholders

Government-required reports and other information

Financial reporting such as budget vs. actuals, or any other required financial information

Informational: This is information people want to know, or that they may need for their jobs.
This information is made available for people to read, but requires them to take the initiative, or
pull the communication.

Awareness-building sessions that people are invited to attend (These are not meant as
training, just to build awareness.)

Project paper-based deliverables placed in a common repository, directory, or library that


people can access

Project information on a Web site

Marketing to Service Providers or Constituent Stakeholders: These are designed to build


buy-in and enthusiasm for the project and its deliverables. This type of communication is also
pushed to the readers.

Project newsletters, with positive marketing spin

Meeting one-on-one with key stakeholders on an ongoing basis

Traveling road shows to various locations and departments to explain project and benefits

Testimonials from others where value was provided

Contests with simple prizes to build excitement (corny but it works)

Project acronyms and slogans to portray positive images of the project

Project countdown till live date (this is affective)

Informal (but purposeful) walking around to talk up the project to team members, users, and
stakeholder

Celebrations to bring visibility to the completion of major milestones

Project memorabilia with project name or image portrayed, such as pins, pencils, Frisbees,
cups, T-shirts, etc.

Publicizing accomplishments

Determine the Effort Required


Determine how much effort is required for each of the communication ideas surfaced previously.
Some of the activities might be relatively easy to perform. Others will require more effort. If the
communication is ongoing, estimate the effort over a one-month period. For instance, a status

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report might only take one hour to create, but might be needed twice a month. The total effort
would be two hours.
Prioritize the Communication Options
Some communication activities provide more value than others. In the previous exercise, you
brainstormed lists of communication options. Now you need to prioritize the items to determine
which provide the most value for the least cost. If a communication activity takes a lot of time
and provides little or marginal communication value, it should be discarded. If a communication
option takes little effort and provides a lot of value, it should be included in the final
Communication Matrix. Of course, if a communication activity is mandatory, it should be
included no matter what the cost. If a mandatory activity is time consuming, you may be able to
negotiate with the stakeholders to find a less-intensive alternative.

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Communication Matrix
Name/Nature of
Communication

From

To

Content Provided By

Type
(Man/Mktg/Info)

Frequency

Format
Used

Delivery
Media

Comments

Sponsors
Urgent Issues

Program Manager,
Program Director

Executive
Sponsor, Program
Sponsor

Program Manager, Project


Managers, External
Stakeholders

As needed

E-mail

The Program Manager will


collect this issue and add an
entry in the Issues Log.

Issues Updates/
Resolutions

Executive Sponsor,
Program Sponsor

Program Director,
Program Manager

Executive Sponsor,
Program Sponsor

As needed

Verbal updates,
E-mail, Memos

The Program Manager will


update the Issue and
associated Log.

Status Report

Program Manager

Program Director

Program Manager,
Project Managers

Mandatory

Monthly

Status Report
form

E-mail or
Shared Storage

The Program Manager will


pull information gathered
from the program status
reports.

Special
Presentation or
Meetings for
Updating
Executives

Program Manager

Executive Team

Program Manager,
Program Director

Informational

As needed

To be
determined,
based on
requirements

Meeting

(1) Weekly
(via the
Project
Status
Report)

(1) Project
Status Report
form

(1) E-mail

Team Members
New Program
Issues or Action
Items

Program Manager,
Project Managers
and Team members,
and other persons

Program Manager

Project Managers, Project


Team Members, and other
persons

(2) As
needed (via
Program
Manager)
(3) As
needed (via
Stakeholder
Meeting
minutes)

(2) Standard
Issue or
Action Item
Submission
form by
Program
Manager
(3)
Stakeholder
Meeting
Minutes
document

(2) Lotus Notes


Issues/Action
Items
databases.
(3) Meeting
Minutes within
Program
Manager.

(1) If new issue/action item


is received through the
Project Status Report, the
Program Manager will log
it after discussing them
during the Program Status
meeting. (Persons outside
the team can only use the
project log new
issues/action items.)
(2) If new issue/action item
is Submitted the Program
Manager will approve the
issue and also bring it up
for discussion during the
Program Status meeting
(3) The scribe from the
Stakeholder Meeting will
submit these issues; the
Program Manager will
approve the issue and
also bring it up for
discussion during the
Program Status meeting

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Communication Matrix
Name/Nature of
Communication
Issue Items
Status / Updates /
Resolution

From
Program Manager,
Project Managers

To

Content Provided By

Program Manager

Program Manager, Project


Managers, Project Team
Members

Type
(Man/Mktg/Info)

Frequency
(1) Weekly
(via the
Project
Status
Report)
(2) As
needed

Change Requests

Project Managers

Program Manager

Project Managers

Project Status
Reports

Project Managers

Program Manager

Program Status
Report

Program Manager

Program Manager
database

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Mandatory

Format
Used
(1) Project
Status Report
form
(2) Lotus
Notes
Response
form

Delivery
Media
(1) E-mail
(2) Lotus Notes
Issues/Action
databases

Comments
(1) If the
status/update/resolution is
received through the
Project Status Report, the
Program Manager will
enter it into program log.
Status/updates will be
submitted as Responses
to a main-topic record in
Program Log. If a
resolution is received as a
Response to a main-topic
in the databases, the
program manager will enter
the resolution in the main
record and close out the
issue/action item.

As needed

Standard
Change
Request form

E-mail

These change requests will


be submitted to the
program manager,
discussed at the weekly
Program Status meetings,
and captured in the control
files database.

Project Managers and


Team Members

Weekly (by
Tuesday
12:00 PM)

Standard
Status Form

E-mail

These reports will serve as


inputs for discussion at the
weekly Program Status
meeting

Program Manager, Project


Managers

Weekly

Standard
Status Report
Form

Program
Manager
control file

This will be developed as a


result of the weekly
Program Status meeting
and will also serve as the
meeting minutes

Communication Matrix
Name/Nature of
Communication

From

To

Content Provided By

Type
(Man/Mktg/Info)

Frequency

Format
Used

Delivery
Media

Comments

Stakeholders
New Issues/Action
Items

Stakeholders

Program Manager

Stakeholders

Bi-Weekly

Discussions
during biweekly
stakeholders
meeting

Issues/Action
Items section of
meeting
minutes

The scribe will capture


issues/action items and
maintain a running log
through the meeting
minutes document. The
scribe will also submit
these issues/action items
via the Program Manager
database.

Issues/Action
Items
Status/Updates/Re
solutions

Program Manager

Stakeholders

Program Manager, Project


Managers, Team Members

Bi-Weekly

Program
Management
update during
stakeholders
meeting.

Stakeholders
Meeting

The program manager will


review the open
issues/action items with the
project teams and provide
update, capturing all within
the Program Manager
database.

Urgent
Information
Impacting Team
and External (I/S)
Stakeholders

Program Director

Team & External


Stakeholders

Program Manager,
Program Director, Project
Managers

As needed

TBD

E-Mail/Voice
Mail, as
appropriate

As critical information such


as newly developed issues
arise, a communication will
be distributed to ensure
immediate knowledge
transfer.

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