Building a successful project communication plan is much like learning to swim—it requires mastering a few essential techniques to keep afloat. At Trenegy, we recognize that communication is one of the most vital aspects of change management. Internally and with our clients, understanding and executing certain techniques fosters two-way communication that ensures people stay up to date and understand their role in a project.
Entering the communication waters may feel overwhelming, but utilizing these four fundamental techniques will soon have your organization swimming with confidence.
When learning to swim, it’s important to be precise and know where you’re headed. Dive in without a plan and you’ll flail around just trying to stay afloat. The same holds true for communication: targeting the right audience is crucial. Defining the target audience and customizing the message accordingly ensures the right people receive the information they need, preventing confusion and ensuring clarity.
When building a communication plan, think about your project’s core team and stakeholders—the people you collaborate with daily, like consultants, internal team members, and the project sponsor. There’s also a broader group, such as the steering committee, involved in big-picture decisions but not the day-to-day. Tailoring communication to each of these groups ensures the right people are informed without drowning in a flood of unnecessary details.
Timing in communication is like setting the rhythm for swimming strokes. Too fast and you’ll burn out. Too slow and you risk falling behind. Likewise, a communication plan needs to be well-paced. The goal is to keep people informed without overwhelming them and ensure they aren’t caught off guard when big decisions are made.
Setting expectations and outlining the cadence of communication at the outset is essential. Regular updates at key intervals offer reassurance that everything is on track, even during quieter phases. Timely and relevant communication helps the entire team swim in sync and keeps the project moving forward.
Just like different strokes suit different swimming styles, messaging isn’t one size fits all. Some stakeholders may need detailed, comprehensive updates, while others prefer concise, direct communication.
Crafting your message involves thinking about who will receive it, how it affects them, and who should deliver it. It’s important to keep in mind that people care about messaging that directly impacts them in the moment. Sometimes, it’s more effective for a someone like a project sponsor to deliver certain messages, even if they didn’t create them. Changing the messenger can elevate the impact of the message. Tailoring communication based on audience involvement and project impact ensures it resonates and delivers maximum effect.
Swim gear like caps, goggles, and the right suit can streamline the practice and increase efficiency. In communication, the right tools are just as critical. Whether emails, meetings, or face-to-face conversations, a combination of communication methods ensures your message reaches the right audience effectively.
A blend of active communication (like email) and passive tools (such as project dashboards or calendars) offers the flexibility clients and team members need. Tools like OneNote, Asana, or just a simple calendar ensures that no one misses a stroke. At Trenegy, we understand that our clients juggle full-time roles. Presenting messages in a way that suits their schedules helps them absorb information without feeling submerged. The goal is to be impactful, using multiple channels and creating an open dialogue where people feel comfortable asking questions.
Success comes with practice and a plan that accounts for short-term wins and long-term growth. Mapping out a communication plan in two-week cycles with a clear breakdown of tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines can help keep everyone above water, especially in stages of growth. Additionally, an overall communication strategy is essential from the get-go.
At Trenegy, we help companies through any major project that requires technology, process, and people changes. This includes project and communication planning, training, change readiness assessments, program management, and more. For more information, email info@trenegy.com.
