Stakeholders and Change · tool 2 of 8
Communication Plan
Communication Plan: gets the right information to the right people, at the right time, through the right channel.
Best for: Projects with many audiences · Time: 1 hour
Domain: Stakeholders · Focus area: Planning
| Audience | What | Channel | When | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering committee | Status, decisions | Meeting + RAG report | Monthly | PM |
| Project team | Tasks, blockers | Stand-up | Daily | Scrum master |
| Sponsor | Risks, budget | 1:1 | Weekly | PM |
| End users | Changes, training | Newsletter | At milestones | Change lead |
How it works
A simple table listing each audience, the information they need, the channel, the frequency and who is responsible for sending it. It turns communication from ad-hoc into a routine.
- Starts from the stakeholder map.
- Distinguishes information that needs a decision from information that just informs.
- Each line has one owner.
How to apply it
- Take each group from your stakeholder grid as a row.
- Ask: what do they need to know or decide, and what format do they prefer?
- Choose channel and frequency, and name an owner for each line.
- Put the recurring meetings in calendars right away.
- After a month, ask two or three stakeholders whether it works, and adjust.
Pro tip
Over-communicating to the wrong people is noise. Senior stakeholders want exceptions and decisions, not task lists.
Use it
- Template: Communication Plan (blank), filled example
Quick check
What should the steering committee mostly receive?
Sources
- PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition, and The Standard for Project Management (PMI, 2025)
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made