Communications Management Plan Template: Fill & Download for Free

We published an article about 50+ project management templates and where you can find them. Here are some insights:1. Work Breakdown StructureBefore you can define the intricacies of your team’s work schedule, you’ll need to develop the work breakdown structure. The work breakdown structure is a process by which the overall project is separated in descending tiers of deliverables further defined by tasks, subtasks, action items, etc.It’s hierarchical, with the overall project listed at the top followed by a tree structure branching out to product, data, service, or combination sections, each with its own lists of deliverables. Work breakdown structures get into the specific “hows” of accomplishing the overall project goal while delineating specific areas of responsibility as it pertains to each deliverable.WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE TEMPLATESWork Breakdown Structure Template by CreatelyAs you can see from this example, work breakdown structure templates are highly individualized based on the tasks being completed and the complexity of the project. They may resemble simple trees with only a few branches or more complex ones that take up the entire page. Organize your work breakdown structure how you best see fit.Work Breakdown Structure Template by MindjetThis template from Mindjet is an example of the creativity you can put into a work breakdown structure. This animated template expands as you need it to so you can examine each level of work breakdown in detail. Icons are used within each branch to denote certain characteristics of the work breakdown.Work Breakdown Structure Template by WaterlooThis document style work breakdown structure template provides background information around the project before delving into the traditional breakdown chart. It also includes a dictionary for the work breakdown so that all stakeholders can interpret the data from the same or similar perspective. The chart itself is simple and relies on the dictionary for a more in-depth interpretation.2. TimesheetsOne of the integral components in calculating actual project cost is achieved through the accurate and complete record of time spent on specific project components. While traditional timecards or time entry systems allow employees to clock-in and out of work, project management specific timesheets allow each team member to breakdown their work by project, or even by task and subtask within a project.Having this kind of transparency in labor allows project leaders to accurately assess whether or not they are allocating time effectively. It also gives them a clear idea where they are in terms of the overall budget for labor.TIMESHEET TEMPLATESTimesheet Template by HubstaffAnyone who has access to Google Docs or can download a PDF can use this simple timesheet template from Hubstaff. It does the job well regarding breaking a team members day down by task or project so that you can get a precise idea of how much labor is being dedicated.Timesheet Template by Vertex42This timesheet template by Vertex42 is the monthly equivalent to the template provided by Hubstaff with a few additional details. Employees can enter projects or tasks with associated codes and track each part of their day in hourly or quarter-hourly increments for up to a month at a time. This excel spreadsheet can be customized for your specific needs.Timesheet Template by OrangescrumThis timesheet template by Orangescrum allows the user to enter both project and task. For team members involved in multiple projects and tasks at any one given time, this timesheet template is an excellent way to keep the chaotic nature of this kind of work organized in terms of hours worked.3. Communication PlanOne of the biggest obstacles to efficient project management is poor communication. Having a clearly defined communication plan in place assures there are clear guidelines and expectations regarding how, when, and to whom team members should communicate depending on the task or need.Communication plans are collaborative efforts that involve all stakeholders. You’ll need to define the purpose of the communication plan, identify the roles of individuals involved such as the project lead, project sponsors, or team members, designate the primary method of communication, and detail what meetings are necessary when they will be necessary, and exactly which team members should be involved.COMMUNICATION PLAN TEMPLATESCommunications Plan Template by CDCThe CDC provides one of the most comprehensive communication templatescomplete with a table of contents and version history. This type of communication plan allows for very detailed input regarding meetings, reporting, and regular communication, in addition to other types of communication necessary to make their project a success long term.Communications Plan Template by CoscheduleCommunications plans can also be externally facing, and speak in terms of outreach to stakeholders, no matter the number. This particular plan is presented in .ppt format, dedicating one slide per focus. If your project has an external component that’s a key part of your project, consider incorporating two communications plans and differentiate the two appropriately.Communications Plan Template by The Digital Project ManagerCommunications Plans are as specific and unique as your project. The method by which you choose to communicate, the frequency communication is accomplished, and the nature of communication will be determined by the scope of the project itself and the individuals invested in the outcome. This template from Digital Project Manager lists the types of communication and how each type shall be conducted.4. Risk Management PlanWhile surprises are bound to come up over the course of a project, managers can do what they can to anticipate potential problems via a risk management plan. A risk management plan identifies all foreseeable risks and analyzes the potential impacts of those risks. Based on these risks and their impact, managers will determine and record the planned course of action to mitigate these unexpected events as much as possible.Risk management plans should be living documents that are reassessed on a regular basis throughout the life of the project. New risks may appear that were not previously identified and need to be added to the plan.RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN TEMPLATESRisk Management Plan Template by Meliora PartnersThis template was created for larger organizations. As such, it is formal in nature. Generally speaking, though, risk management plans are more formally written than some of the other documents in the project management toolkit. This particular template augments textual information with infographics for quick risk management reference.Risk Management Plan Template by Creative CommonsThis risk management plan template is written with an explanatory emphasis so that no question is left as to whether all possible risks have been assessed adequately. The wording is comprehensive and precise, which makes it an excellent choice for government agencies, other public institutions, or non-profit organizations.Risk Management Plan Template by Government of GeorgiaAnother example of the formal nature of risk management plans, this templatefrom the government of Georgia spells out in detail each component of the risk management process to include process, risk identification, risk analysis (qualitative risk analysis and quantitative risk analysis), and so on. You must assess the needs of your particular project.11. Project BudgetGoing over-budget is one of the biggest threats to successful project management. Without a clear idea of how much each project stage should cost, your estimates and more importantly, stakeholder expectations, may wildly inaccurate.Project budgets include detail estimations of cost for every aspect of the project from start to finish. It may be broken out by phase or task but should consist of labor costs, operating costs, overhead costs, and material costs. Budgets are by no means static. They can be updated as the project progresses, as long as all appropriate stakeholders are kept abreast or are involved in the changes.PROJECT BUDGET TEMPLATESProject Budget Template by Corporate Finance InstituteProject budget templates can get quite down in the weeds of project finance. So, a well-presented template is essential to keeping all of the data organized and easy to digest. This particular template from the Corporate Finance Institute makes use of strategic color play, bolding, and shading to display data clearly.Project Budget Template by CABHIProject budget templates may be full of detailed information and row after row of numbers, but the design and appearance of the template can vary greatly depending on the organization, project, and purpose. This particular template focuses on the expenditure needs of clinician and researcher teams, so much more explanation is given regarding the details.Project Budget Template by ClicktimeJust because a good number of project budget templates are detailed in design, doesn’t mean yours has to be. If your budget is simple and your project is small, try this template on for size. It provides all the information and fields needed to fill in costs associated with your project from start to finish.If you are interested in more insights, feel free to follow the link to the whole article: 50+ FREE Project Management Templates for Your Creative Projects in 2019 | Filestage Blog.

Stakeholder management refers to the processes and techniques that project managers use to engage, manage, and guide the various stakeholders involved in a project. Stakeholders can be any internal or external groups that might have a positive or negative impact on the outcome of your project.Stakeholder management is no easy task. An experienced project manager understands the difficulties that can arise when managing people. This can happen because, individually, each team member has their own personality, perspective, and priorities; and, as a group, they are impacted by broader trends within the workplace.They also know that without a clear vision and harmonious communication, complex marketing projects are doomed to fail. If these two key factors are missing, team members will become frustrated and demoralized, and your results will suffer.There are a number of techniques available to effectively manage your stakeholders. Have you read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie? It’s a great option that’s definitely worth picking up.Here is a post which takes a deeper look into the key steps that project managers can take, to coordinate effective stakeholder management. You can learn more on key tools and get a free stakeholder management plan template here too: Stakeholder Management | The Project Success Blog

In one of our latest blog articles, we published 50+ free project management templates. Here are some suggestions:1. Project CharterThe foundation of all project management documentation lies in the project charter, a document that clearly defines the purpose and objectives of the project, the project’s scope, roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, and other vital elements. A well established and comprehensive project charter will ensure that no high-level questions are left unanswered.The project charter serves as the reference document during the duration of the project management process so that all those involved can access critical pieces of information necessary for keeping the project on track, such as project constraints, authorities, high-level budget figures, risks, and justifications for undertaking the project in the first place.PROJECT CHARTER TEMPLATESProject Charter Template by FilestageThis free project charter template from Filestage keeps all the essential information in one simply stated spreadsheet. Sections include General Project Information, Roles And Responsibilities, Project Outcomes/Constraints/Risks/Contingency Plans, Schedule of Deliverables, Project Methodologies and Resources, and contact Information For All Parties Involved. Each section includes expandability for additional entries and notes.Project Charter Template by Excellence In Financial ManagementOn his website, Excellence in Financial Management, Matt Evans provides a free excel project charter template. This particular template is filled in with examples, a feature that is especially useful for people new to project management. The basic headers include all of what one may expect in a project charter template and a little extra.Project Charter Template by Memorial UniversityThis two-page project charter document template provided by Memorial University has a much softer look while still containing sections for entering the essential information relevant to your project. Relevant points of contacts are listed first, followed by the stated need (project justification), and the project description and budget. All other relevant information follows.2. Project PlanA project plan is related to a project charter but in a much more detailed way. Where project charters stop, project plans begin. A well thought out project plan will take all conceptual details of the project into consideration before any actual execution begins.A project plan is your tool for thinking the project through from start to finish, taking into consideration all factors and stakeholders such as stages, and steps within stages, needed to achieve the project goal, task scheduling, responsibilities assignment, protocols formulation within each stage of the project, quality control measures, comprehensive cost estimation, and phase by phase risk assessment.PROJECT PLAN TEMPLATESProject Plan Template by FilestageFilestage’s document-based project plan used varying colors to denote different key sections necessary for an effective project plan. Fields are populated by responses to key questions intended to drive towards the essential components of each category. For example, the primary question for the Task Scheduling section is “What are the phases, tasks, and subtasks?”Project Plan Template by ProjectManagerThis nine-page project plan template is an appropriate choice for complex project planning. The table of contents appears on the second page, after the document control portion of the project plan. Document control provides a chain of custody from document owner to approvers so that all the appropriate boxes can be checked before the plan proceeds.Project Plan Template by AtlassianA simple and straightforward project plan template provided by Confluence provides all of the primary, most necessary components. This is an appropriate template for small or individual projects not requiring an enormous amount of detail.The document first identifies the team members, then defines the problem space, the hypothesis, and relevant background information.3. Project ScopeThe bounds of the project are delineated within the project scope, a statement that defines scope inclusions and exclusions, or in other words, what will happen and what can’t happen. In the process of using a template to determine scope, the shape of the project boundaries will begin to form as the scope becomes more specific.A good template will help you make your scope specific and measurable. Project stakeholders must have a tangible measure to determine what is within or outside of scope. Once you’ve identified and defined the project scope with specificity, it is ready to be approved or revised.PROJECT SCOPE TEMPLATESProject Scope Template by MyPMThe scope statement template provided by MyPM identifies the boundaries of the project and allows space for some other detail as well. This template is an excellent choice for managers who may not see the need for a whole suite of project management documents and would prefer some to be consolidated into dual-purpose items.Project Scope Template by NHS EducationThis NHS Education template illustrates a good example of an organization-specific project scope template. Each category is accompanied by an explanation and directions for what kind of information to provide. This type of template is most suitable for a project that’s low risk and more conceptual in nature.Project Scope Template by The State Of ColoradoThis comprehensive seven-page project scope packet provided by the state of Colorado complete with table of contents shows how detailed project scopes can become. While not all the information in this particular example is necessary in project scope, the additional information makes communication and expectation maintenance easier to achieve.4. Project Status ReportThe key to communication during the iteration of a project is a well defined, but not cluttered, project status report. A project status report is a dynamic document produced or updated on a regular basis that provides critical information to stakeholders and keeps communication fluid between all team members.A project status report serves as an indicator of progress made throughout the project, identifies hiccups along the way, and avoids missed steps via clear and updated documentation. It is one of the best ways to keep all parties involved accountable. A well-written project status reveals helpful information while avoiding extraneous, irrelevant detail. The following project report templates will help you get started.PROJECT STATUS REPORT TEMPLATESProject Status Report Template by The California Department Of TechnologyThe comprehensive status report template created by California Department Of Technology investigates every component relevant to whether or not a particular project is on track. It asks critical questions such as “Is the project on track to achieve the objectives in the approved timeframe,” while also providing data tables to be populated with relevant supporting information.Project Status Report Template by Ontario Local Health Integration NetworkA concise, yet detailed project status report template provided by Ontario Local Health Integration Network highlights the most essential information needed to get a concrete idea of the project’s status. This easy to use template begins with a color-coded project progress estimation that ranges from “on track” to “not started”.Project Status Report Template by MicrosoftThis Microsoft Office project status report template uses color and shade to quickly highlight the essential elements of the project concerning progress status in areas such as project overview, budget overview, and risk and issue history. A good option for small business with smaller scale projects, this template is clean and straightforward.5. Project ProposalOften, your project requires approval or sponsorship, financial or otherwise, from stakeholders. To adequately inform key participants about your prospective project, and supply them with all the information necessary to make an intelligent decision regarding approval, a project proposal is needed.A project proposal usually comes in a document or pdf format with a table of contents listing all sections included. A typical project proposal will consist of components discussing requirements, scope, budget, and any other pertinent information needed for stakeholders to decide on the project. Proposals can be as short as one to two pages or as long as hundreds of pages.If you are interested in more templates, feel free to read the whole article: https://blog.filestage.io/project-management-templates/.