The goal in this course is to ensure you have an understanding of all the considerations needed to create a project communications management plan (PCMP). The final project (due Class 13) will consist of the following deliverables:

1) Project Charter (Attached Excel) due class 6.
2) Project Communications Management Plan (PCMP) (attached Excel) due class 9
3) PowerPoint Presentation addressing the attached topics due class 13

Project Charter

I ask for a project charter (due Class 6) so I can see what project you are going to base your communication plan.  If there is no underlying project, what are you going communicate?  For the project itself, this can be real or hypothetical (not real).  BUT it must be REALISTIC. You can envision what the project may look like in the future but not yet have started it.  You can choose a project for any company. The key is to have detail.

Think about a project that you have the most interest and would like to use this course as the basis for your communications plan. T choice of project can be a realistic project that you are currently executing, or a future one.  The project can also be something that you may never actually execute but IF YOU DID, how would you plan for that project?  What would be the key communication messages/channels/stakeholders of that “wish list” project?  Choose a project that interests YOU, then capture all the information as best you can (research, thinking analytically and hypothetically etc) in the PROJECT CHARTER. 

Project Communications Management Plan (PCMP)

After the project charter, you then start to populate and fill out the Excel PCMP (stakeholders, key message, channel, frequency, timing). I ask for the actual PCMP due class 9 so I can see how you are creating the project communication plan for your project charter.

I give you feedback on both project charter and PCMP.  You will update your charter and PCMP based on my feedback. After you update your charter and PCMP you will then resubmit a FINAL version for grading in Class 13, IN ADDITION to a FINAL PRESENTATION (PowerPoint).   

PowerPoint Presentation addressing the attached topics due class 13

You will create a PowerPoint presentation to address the TOPICS below:

What are you asking from us, the Steering Committee (assume the class plays the Steering Committee role)?

What should we know why should we support your project?
Who are your key stakeholders?  Why?
What information/key messages do they need to know?  Why and how?
Any communication risk/issues you anticipate with stakeholders? How do you address?

Imagine you are presenting your project for a Steering Committee and would need to convince this Steering Committee (me and the class) that it should approve your project and give us the confidence that you will cover all those topics adequately supported by your PCMP.  You are crafting a story and you can be as creative as you would like when creating the PowerPoint presentation.