Server Installation Project: Communications Management Plan

Introduction

This Communications Management Plan outlines how the information will be communicated among the stakeholders of the Server Installation project. This document explains the communications management approach and constraints, establishes stakeholder requirements, and describes the roles of individuals involved in the project. A project team directory with contact information of the stakeholders is provided. Communication methods and technologies are discussed, and a communications matrix with primary requirements is included, along with a communication flowchart. Besides, this plan provides guidelines for meetings, defines communication standards, and describes the communication escalation process.

This Service Installation Project involves globally interconnected stakeholders located in San Jose, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; St. Louis, MO; Nashua, MA; Rhos-on-Sea, Wales; and Ljubljana, Slovenia. Hence, time differences between time zones must be considered, and time frames are indicated for Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This Communications Management Plan will be updated and is subject to change in accordance with the project needs throughout the process and changes in employees, budget, and other resources.

Communication Goals

• improve the communication strategy;
• provide the project team and other stakeholders with relevant and consistent data and keep everyone updated about any changes made (Horváth, 2019);
• present critical communication requirements and contact information;
• ensure a productive and smooth flow of the project.

Communications Management Approach

The communications management approach for this project is based on two primary communication methods, such as interactive and push communication. They involve phone calls, emails, instant messaging, face-to-face meetings, videoconferencing, presentations, memos, and reports. The primary team collaboration software includes WebEx, Skype, Trello, and Google Workplace. Daily meetings are scheduled for 8:00AM-8:30AM PDT (3:00PM-3:30PM UTC).

Weekly meetings will occur at 9:00-10:00AM PDT (4:00PM-5:00PM UTC). The Project Manager is responsible of ensuring efficient communication flow for this project, and its compliance with the requirements documented in the Communication Matrix indicated below. Furthermore, it is the PM’s responsibility to manage all changes, update the plan, and ensure appropriate documentation. All stakeholders should remain informed of all the critical information and adjustments to communications management. This plan determines what information will be shared between different stakeholders, how frequently, and in what manner.

Communications Management Constraints

All stakeholders should be aware of the fact that this Server Installation Project is subject to time, scope, and cost constraints. All communication activities are planned within the project’s approved schedule, budget, and resource allocations. The plan is set in place to ensure that the restraints are eliminated in an efficient manner and the project can be completed successfully in time. Communication plays a primary role in the monitoring and control steps of the plan, and the discussion of each project phase’s result must be ensured for positive outcomes. It is the PM’s responsibility to confirm that the team operates within the authorized budget and prevent any deviations from the set time frames, which can result in schedule delays and additional costs.

Stakeholder Communication Requirements

The PM is to contact all stakeholders of the Server Installation Project to determine their preferred method of communication. The table below displays the roles and responsibilities of the internal and external project stakeholders, identifies the primary communication needs, and indicates preferred communication methods. As the project implies globally interconnected parties, time differences must be considered to prevent meetings outside the regular working hours.

Roles

Internal Stakeholders
Role	Responsibilities	Communication Needs	Preferred Communication Methods
Project Sponsor	provides business context and guidance for PM and team members	approves the PM plan, changes to the budget, receives status updates from the PM	face-to-face meetings, WebEx conferencing, presentations, memos, up-to-date project status reports. Available 10AM-15PM PDT
Resource Manager	plans and allocates resources, supports the PM, hires new employees	ensures sufficient resources capacity	Skype meetings, memos, emails. Available 9AM-17PM PDT
Project Manager	leads the project, responsible for the high-level vision, ensures smooth communication	communication with the whole project team and all stakeholders	face-to-face meetings, calls, emails, Skype conferencing, reports. Available 9AM-17PM PDT
Project Management Office (PMO)	gathers project progress data, produces reports	receives updates and monitor the project progress	WebEx conferencing, email, reports. UTC-7 time zone
Technical Lead	manages software development, testing, delivers solutions	Provides communication among the technical team, requires updates on project progress	email, WebEx meetings, calls. Available 8AM-17PM UTC
Project Team	perform the work on the project	clear understanding of the tasks and the project framework	Skype meetings, instant messaging, email. Different time zones
External Stakeholders
Customers	accept the final deliverable	need to be informed of the project status and potential changes and delays	emails, phone calls
Suppliers	supply the individual machines required for server installations	need to be updated on project requirements and any resource and budget changes	emails, phone calls. UTC-7 time zone
Business Partners	influence decision making, participate in maintaining the project	receive project status updates	email, face-to-face meetings, videoconferencing. Business hours only, 8AM-17PM PDT

Project Team Directory

The table below presents contact detail for all the shareholders involved in the Server Installation Project and presented in the Communications Management Plan. Project shareholders should be advised that the table is subject to update, and email addresses and phone numbers might change in certain circumstances.

Role	Name	Organization/ Department	Email	Phone
Project Sponsor	A. Levy	IT
Resource Manager	C. Costa	HR
Project Manager	K. Bryant	PMO
Project Management Office (PMO)	A. Cobb	PMO
Technical Lead	J. Edge	IT
Project Team	M. Wolf	IT, Production
Customers	T. Peterson J. Lane	XYZ Inc. J. Lane Ltd.
Suppliers	E. Coulson	J. Doe XYZ Inc.
Business Partners	O. Brown A. Smith	A. Copper Corp. Tech Solutions Inc.

Communication Methods and Technologies

The Service Installation team will utilize the agile methodology during the entire duration of the project, which considers the specifics of cross-cultural communication. Daily kick-up meetings will be conducted to ensure clear communication between the team members and the project manager and discuss pressing issues. Instant messaging, Google Mail, and Trello software will be utilized for day-to-day communication and updates between the team members, as well as for assigning responsibilities and organizing the activities. Consistent communication between system engineers and system testers must be ensured, and reporting to the PM is obligatory in case of any changes or issues occurring.

All project team members are encouraged to share any relevant information they deem necessary to share with the project group. WebEx tool will be utilized for communication with the project sponsor. PMO is responsible for contacting all the stakeholders to obtain relevant data and produce reports for the board and external stakeholders.

Communication Matrix

The table below presents the communications requirements for this project based on the project scope, budget, and resources, as well as the stakeholder requirements and communication preferences.

Communication Type	Objective of Communication	Medium	Frequency	Audience	Owner	Deliverable	Format
Kickoff Meeting	Aims to present the project goals and objectives, introduce the team, identify the management approach and clarify the stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities	Video Conference over WebEx	Once, at the beginning of the project	Project Sponsor Project Manager Technical Lead Project Team External Stakeholders	Project Manager	Agenda Meeting Minutes	Recording of the conference held on the company’s website and a link emailed to the participants
Daily Kick-Up Project Team Meetings	Improve communication, identify daily objectives, discuss issues, ensure fast project flow.	WebEx/Skype Trello	Daily 8:00AM-8:30AM PDT (3:00PM-3:30PM UTC)	Project Team Project Manager	Project Manager	PowerPoint slides with critical info	PowerPoint slides available to project team members Documents sent as needed
Weekly Project Team Meetings	Oversee the status of the project with all the team members.	Video Call	Weekly 9:00-10:00AM PDT (4:00PM-5:00PM UTC)	Project Team Project Manager	Project Manager	Agenda Meeting Minutes Project schedule	Recording of the conference archived on the company’s hard drive Documents sent as needed
Technical Design Meetings	Discuss technical aspects and develop technical design solutions for the project.	Face to Face	As Needed	Project Technical Staff Project Manager	Technical Lead	Agenda Meeting Minutes	Agenda available to the participants Slides available to participants
Monthly Project Status Meetings	Discuss the progress and report the status of the project to the management.	Conference Call via WebEx	Monthly	PMO	Project Manager	PowerPoint Slide updates Project schedule	Recording of the conference on company’s hard drive
Project Status Reports	Discuss and report the status of the project. Present activities and progress, discuss costs and issues.	Email	Monthly	Project Sponsor Project Team Suppliers PMO	Project Manager	Project Status Report Project schedule	Report for Stakeholders

Communication Flowchart

The flowchart for this project is presented in Figure 1. It identifies the processes that contribute to the understanding of how the project operates.

Note: This chart showcases the data flow for the Server Installation Project.

Guidelines for meetings

Meetings will occur on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis; besides, emergency meetings might be scheduled by the project manager. The meetings will be held over Skype, WebEx, or face-to-face, depending on the objectives and stakeholders involved. All classified or sensitive data should be shared in personal meetings or via WebEx as a secure platform. Classified information should NOT be sent over email to prevent leakage and misconduct. PowerPoint presentations and meeting material will be available to the project team members on Google Drive.

Communication Standards

The data obtained and produced during the project will be stored on the company’s website or internal hard drive to prevent misconduct. All project team members are to follow the standardized procedures prescribed by the project management plan, including this document.

Communication Escalation Process

Priority	Definition	Decision Authority	Timeframe for Resolution
1	Significant impact to the project that affects business operations. If the issue is not resolved quickly, a major adverse impact to the revenue and schedule delays is expected.	Vice President or higher	Within 3 hours
2	Medium impact to the project or the flow of business operations that might cause impact to revenue and delay schedule.	Project Sponsor	Within one business day
3	Slight impact to the project which might result in minor scheduling complications. No impact on the business operations or revenue is expected.	Project Manager	Within two business days
4	A minor or insignificant impact to the project might occur. A possibility of a better solution.	Project Manager	The workflow should not be interrupted. Recommendations or insights should be submitted via email in accordance with the project change control process

Glossary of Communication Terminology

Term	Definition
Communication	The process of sending and receiving data and information.
Stakeholder	An individuals or organization involved in the project whose interests might be impacted by the project’s outcome.
Communications Management Plan	Part of the Project Management Plan that deals with project communication and defines the parties involved, the frequency, and methods of communications.
Escalation	A procedure that establishes how issues must be escalated up the management chain to ensure that no damage is caused to the project budget and time frame.

References

Horváth, V. (2019). Project management competence: Definitions, models, standards and practical implications. Vezetéstudomány-Budapest Management Review, 50(11), 2-17. Web.

Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: PMBOK Guide (6^th ed.). Author.