Project Communication activities should be established at a high level.  This can be done as a pre-planning strategy to ensure the big picture is addressed.  In a larger project, the initial engagement with your customer is through project communication activities.  These activities are designed to organize and prepare your customer starting at the very early stages of engagement.  As the project goes through it's natural project steps, will also unfold a series of "just-in-time" communications activities.

Example of a phased project communications strategy

At the highest level, our primary communications strategy is to help facilitate the 'people' element associated with the project.  Some of the goals you could establish in the project strategy could include:

• Build understanding and acceptance for the project, including its scope, impact, benefits, end user participation, delivery and closure.
• Build commitment to one set of leadership principles and objectives.
• Keep stakeholders updated, involved, motivated and engaged throughout the project providing just-in-time information specific to their needs.
• Establish an open and constructive dialog about the project among key stakeholders.
• Facilitate migration from the old way of doing business to the new thought the adoption of new tools, processes and partnerships.
• Maintain employee productivity during the project timeline.
• Reduce employee anxiety and fear of the "unknown."
• The strategy should be designed to create a positive "pull" from all stakeholders to welcome the project impact on programs, processes, tools, and its respective benefits.
• Ensure close integration of all key stakeholder groups and to know "what's in it for them."
• Sequence through a phased approach resulting in a "just-in-time" release and the correct "dose" of information.
• Balance the technology and process changes with the appropriate attention to all the impacted cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ensure a governance for all project communications is established before the project begins.
  

The strategy should also address the pre-conditions required.  These include:

• The project has an appropriate and committed champion.
• Use multiple channels to reinforce messages.
• Use formal channels to pro actively communicate project milestones, concerns, status and upcoming events.
• Disseminate information sequentially from the highest level of the organization to the lowest.
• Use face-to-face channels from the supervisor to direct report whenever possible.
• Repeat important messages at least three times to make sure it sinks in.
• Coordinated messages to ensure integration across all project frameworks.
• The project owners clearly understand the principles, process and approach for project communications.
• There are sufficient resources assigned to support the communications strategy.

Most projects impact human behavior, relationships, and a process.  The key is to understand the level of impact and design the communications approach and plan to meet the real needs of the stakeholders.