Project Management for Communications
Most communication plans require some form of project management.
Even the best thought-out communication plan can become useless if it is not carefully executed — most communication plans require some form of project management. Project management refers to process of planning, organizing, implementing, motivating, monitoring and evaluating a project to achieve specific goals, objectives and/or outcomes. It is not a science, but a process to increase the chances of success.
Project management helps determine the beginning and the end of a project, as well as provide the framework for management of all the work in the middle. It assesses the scope of the project and balances the time, cost and quality of the work to implement.
All projects need some level of project management — even if it’s in your head. However, the larger the project, the more people involved, the more there is a need for a more formal, standard, structured process.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROCESS
While the process may vary for different organizations and projects, the basic principles of each area of project management remain consistent for communication projects.
1. Situation Analysis
- Collect relevant information
- Reconfirm strategic goals
- Brainstorm options
2. Scope of Project
- Set clear, measurable objectives and deliverables
- Define target audiences (stakeholders)
- Craft messages
- Liaise with management to align with organization’s overall mandate and communication strategy
3. Resource Allocation
- Define project plan
- Brief suppliers
- Establish timelines and available budget
- Present communication plan and receive feedback and approvals where necessary
4. Implementation Strategy
- Review and revise supplier (writers, designers, etc) proposals
- Implement communication tools as per timeline
- Monitoring of time and budget, risks, relationships, documents and quality.
5. Execute Evaluation
- Receive structured feedback
- Debrief project team
- Finalize invoicing and payments
- Provide feedback to suppliers
- Finalize measurements and research
- Share results with management and organization.
BENEFITS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- Complete projects in better time and more cost-effectively. Includes re-use of processes, procedures and templates. Reduced start-up time and shortened learning curves, results in time-savings.
- Manage scope of project more effectively.
- Target needs more effectively — make sure there is agreement before implementation.
- Resolve future risk — identify potential problems and manage them before they occur.
- Team communication — limit surprises.
- Deliver excellent quality the first time. Needs are defined and team is able to implement quality control.
- Improved financial management. Result of project definition, better estimates, formal budgets, better training, and actual costs against the budget. Better financial predictability and control. More ability to stop a bad project quickly.
- Greater focus on evaluation. Clear objectives and measurement path in project planning. Detail effectiveness of team and quality of deliverables.
- Improved work enrolment. Successful projects improve moral. Celebrate the teamwork.
Dive deeper on this topic
More in Communications
The Communication Plan
A communication plan helps an organization establish a day-to-day focus for its communication, set priorities, be proactive and build support from boards and other staff.
Determining Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives should be developed to state what communications can do to support your business or organizational objectives.
Defining Key Messages
Communication involves sharing a message which will get your target audience to think, feel or act.
Defining Target Audiences
One message does not fit all, so determine your tools based on what would best appeal to or persuade that audience segment.
Project Management for Communications
Most communication plans require some form of project management.
Areas of Communication Strategy
Larger organizations that have a variety of target groups with different needs may have a number of strategies in motion at once.
Communication Tools
The communication tools are not an “end,” they are the “means” to conveying a message to a target group.
Evaluation of Communications
Evaluation is an important way to find mistakes and improve your communication efforts into the future.
Communications Competencies
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) divides the communications competencies into three categories: communication skills, management skills and knowledge skills.
Managing the Non-Profit Communications Function
Managing the communication function involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and maintaining channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations.
Anti-Spam Legislation
If your organization uses email as part of its promotions, you need to be aware of Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL).