How to create a project communication plan: Template and examples

In project management, one of the most effective ways of keeping stakeholders and teams aligned is through the use of a communication plan. But what is a project communication plan and how does it help keep projects running smoothly? 

In this article, we’ll cover the key components of a project communication plan, including identifying stakeholders, defining communication goals and strategies, determining communication channels, establishing a communication schedule, and assigning communication responsibilities.

Learn these need-to-know communication plan details and discover a prebuilt project communication plan template that will help you get all of your collaborators on the same page.

Why effective communication matters

Effective communication matters because breakdowns often occur when goals are not aligned, emails get lost, and the right tools aren’t created. 

One PMI survey found that 30% of respondents identified “poor communication” as the primary reason for scope gap and project failure. And, according to Forbes, more than 40% of workers lose trust in leadership when communication is poor. Considering the cost of failure, it’s no wonder a communication plan is necessary for every project you launch. 

Creating an effective communication plan means setting your team up for project success. 

What is a project communication plan?

A project communication plan is an agreement between collaborators and stakeholders that outlines what, when, and how information will be shared at key intervals.

Information like status updates, task-related questions, and meeting details should all be included in this written guide. The goal is to define and streamline team communications as much as possible. 

Why is a communication plan important in project management?

A communication plan is important in project management because it helps get stakeholders, clients, freelancers, and project team members all on the same page.

Communication plans fail if there is excessive discussion around the project or the scope of each interaction (like detailed copy notes versus big-picture suggestions) isn’t defined. These issues can have a significant effect on deadlines and budgets. 

A project communication plan also establishes professional boundaries between team members and stakeholders. For example, your project stakeholders may want to limit their interaction to email, whereas your freelancers may be comfortable with texting when the conversation is time sensitive. As many workplaces have migrated to a hybrid or fully remote working model, teams are now widely dispersed across locations and time zones, meaning communication has to be a top priority. A good project communication plan ensures that every stakeholder, no matter where they are based, is updated with the information they need when they need it.

Finally, using the latest communication tools can make teams more productive. According to McKinsey research, well-connected teams that use social technologies can boost productivity by 20-25%.

What goes into a good communication plan in project management?

Now you know why you need one, you may be wondering: what’s included in a communication plan? Here’s a brief overview of the key components:

• Communication goals
• Project information
• Stakeholder identification
• Communication schedule
• Feedback protocol
• Meeting agenda
• Escalation process
• Confidentiality guidelines
• Roles and responsibilities matrix
• Approval workflows
• Contact information 

All of these components will help you create a communication plan that ensures real-time updates and smooth day-to-day project coordination.

If you’re looking for a more detailed guide, head to the next section.

How to create a project communication plan

Follow these five steps to create a communication plan for a project:

1. Prepare your contact sheet

A project contact sheet contains collaborator roles and relevant contact information that highlights project phase owners. This means collaborators can reach the right person for their needs. Your project contact sheet should include:

• Collaborator names and roles
• Email addresses
• Backup contact for each role
• Working hours
• Project start and end dates

Remember — effective communication management starts with clear contact points. This will help you avoid confusion during later project phases. 

2. Apply the five Ws of virtual communication

List what needs to be communicated throughout the project, like meeting updates and content outlines, and determine your preferred communication type. For each major communication type you choose, use the five Ws of virtual communication (who, what, where, when, why).  

Ask yourself:

• Who needs to be involved in each communication?  
• What information needs to be shared?  
• Where will the communication take place?  
• When should the communication occur?  
• Why is the communication necessary?  

By consistently applying these five Ws, you can define and organize your project planning so everyone involved stays aligned and informed.

3. Highlight communication preference

Be sure to highlight good things to know, such as formality level, personal pronouns, or any special requests from team members or collaborators. Addressing these needs helps create a more inclusive environment, where everyone feels respected.

4. Assign roles and responsibilities

Designate the types of status updates needed, their locations, and who will handle them. Begin by identifying all key tasks and milestones within your project, then assign each one to a specific team member. This makes it easier to identify any gaps or overlaps in responsibilities. 

5. Schedule regular check-ins

Establish a schedule of events for any preplanned phone calls, virtual status meetings, and digital check-ins. Define the communication method, date/time, and frequency of communication. Make sure to specify where these updates will be shared. For example:

• In a shared document
• Via project management software
• During team meetings

You can also create a project timeline with key communication points so everyone on the team knows when to give an update.

Communication plan examples

Your unique roadmap to an effective communication plan will vary depending on your client, team, and project scope. Use these examples to inspire and inform your next outline.

Project update protocol

Agree with the client on how often they’d like to be updated on the project status. As a project manager, clarify with your clients the most preferred type of communication.

• What will the project update include (relevant stats, milestones, and next phases)?
• Will this project update be delivered via email, Zoom call, or Wrike task?
• What will be the frequency of communication?

 Iron these details out to enable more transparent and professional communication.

Customer complaint resolution

Label the communication “Customer complaint," assign a goal and timeline, then add an approver. Designate the next steps for the approval in the task itself. Have the approver update the task status from “Open” to “Closed” once the complaint is resolved.

Here’s how a communication project plan for a customer complaint resolution might look:

Order fulfillment

Manually enter the order, add name and description (including items, SKUs, location, etc.), then assign it to a team member. Automate supply chain operations by creating task dependencies for every new order, like triggering the completion of the order task to notify a member of the customer service team when they should email the customer with an update. 

Web copy creation

Add a list of review process statuses that include “Webpage outline," “Webpage in progress," and “Webpage ready for review." Ask team members who draft the copy to @mention reviewers when they have completed each page to keep the project moving forward. 

What are the benefits of a good project communication plan?

The benefits of a good project management communication plan include staying in line with budget, timeline, and scope expectations, to name a few. The right strategy can solve most major communication breakdowns before they even happen. 

Having a project plan upfront makes it easier to focus on task completion instead of forgetting who said what at the last meeting or sifting through dozens of email chains for the latest update. 

An effective project communication plan also saves you the effort of having to answer individual “What’s the status?” emails. When there is a plan to ensure that all stakeholders are kept appropriately informed, your project team can respond to change, ensure good client management, and maintain a high standard of communication. 

Introducing Wrike’s communication plan template

Ready to build your project communication plan? Consider using Wrike. 

With Wrike, you can create a project timeline, track status updates, and keep all stakeholders in sync — no matter where they are. In addition to Wrike’s tailored project management capabilities, we have yet another resource you can use to maximize team productivity: the communication plan template.

Add this template to your workflow, plug in your most important information, and kick off your project with an efficient system for sharing and requesting updates. Inside Wrike’s communication plan, you’ll find designated areas for:

• Stakeholder analysis summary and roles they will play in the project
• Key project interests or goals
• Team leads for the project
• Preferred communication channels with proper protocols
• Expectations for communication frequency
• Recurring task creation

Each of these features makes it easy for stakeholders to stay informed and involved while heightening your team’s ability to function, even over long periods. Try Wrike’s two-week free trial and see how our communication plan template helps unify teams and stakeholders.