Stakeholder Communication Strategy
A stakeholder communication strategy defines the approach for sharing information with each stakeholder or stakeholder group, including what to communicate, when, how, and by whom.
Explanation
The stakeholder communication strategy bridges the stakeholder engagement plan and the communications management plan. For each stakeholder or group, it defines the content (what information they need), the frequency (how often they need it), the method (meetings, reports, emails, dashboards), and the responsible party (who delivers the communication).
Different stakeholders require different communication approaches. Executives typically need high-level summaries focused on status, risks, and strategic alignment. Team members need detailed task-level information. Customers may need progress updates tied to deliverables. Regulatory stakeholders may require formal compliance documentation.
The communication strategy should consider stakeholder preferences and the organizational culture. Some stakeholders prefer formal written reports, while others prefer informal face-to-face conversations. The project manager should also plan for two-way communication, ensuring stakeholders have channels to provide feedback and raise concerns.
Key Points
- •Defines what, when, how, and by whom for each stakeholder or group
- •Tailored to stakeholder needs: executives need summaries, team needs details
- •Should enable two-way communication, not just status broadcasting
- •Aligns with both the stakeholder engagement plan and communications management plan
Exam Tip
The exam expects the project manager to tailor communications to the audience. If a question asks what information to share with the sponsor versus the team, the answer always involves different levels of detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Topics
Stakeholder Engagement Plan
The stakeholder engagement plan is a component of the project management plan that identifies the strategies and actions required to promote productive involvement of stakeholders in project decisions and execution.
Stakeholder Expectations Management
Stakeholder expectations management is the ongoing effort to understand, document, communicate about, and align stakeholder expectations with what the project can realistically deliver.
Manage Stakeholder Engagement
Manage Stakeholder Engagement is the process of communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and expectations, address issues, and foster appropriate stakeholder involvement.
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Part of
Stakeholder Management
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