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Chapter 2 – Communication and engagement

2.4. Communication and engagement

Through communication and engagement activities, projects create awareness of the change; communicating the vision and case for change and the likely impact on the way the organisation needs to operate in the future.

This activity ensures that the right messages are delivered at the right time to the right people, taking them on the journey from unaware to aware and from buy-in to commitment.  Activities include:

Identifying and understanding the starting point for communication and engagement activities

  • Preparing a communication strategy and plan with tailored interventions and activities to:
    • Develop a holistic approach and defined key messages to maintain consistency throughout the project lifecycle
    • Proactively distribute critical information in a logical manner to targeted audiences to prevent confusion
    • Incorporate “What’s in it for me” as defined from the stakeholder assessment in messages so they are relevant and meaningful
  • Leveraging diverse communication methods (i.e., videos, one-on-ones, town halls, social media) to maintain employee engagement
  • Tracking and monitoring reactions and buy-in across the programme or project lifecycle and updating the approach to focus on what works.

2.4.1. Communication and engagement – the process

1. Understand your communication and engagement needs

  1. Understand the vision and goals of the project
  2. Analyse communication channels and make recommendations to feed into the communication plan
  3. Determine the guiding principles for communication and engagement for the program to feed into the communication strategy and plan
  4. Draft the key messages, leveraging the purpose, vision, case for change and other workstream inputs
  5. Create and agree on a visual identity: leverage the GOJ | MDA or project brand identity.

2. Create a communication plan

Analyse the stakeholders, communication channels by running a “communication planning,” workshop

The workshop session

  1. Identify the audience and communication objectives
  2. Define the timing, frequency and method of deploying key messages to target stakeholder groups in a logical order
  3. Explore diverse communication methods (i.e. videos, town halls, etc.) to increase engagement levels throughout the programme, project, or initiative
  4. Validate the plan with programme or project leads and sponsors to ensure alignment with overall programme or project timelines and objectives. Create communication synergies, leveraging existing venues or channels wherever possible to avoid information overload
  5. Include the communication plan in the overall change plan so key activities are captured.

3. Implement, monitor, and review communication effectiveness

From the workshop output:

  • Deliver programme or project communication and engagement activities in keeping with the plan
  • Evaluate on an on-going basis to inform future communication and engagement activities and to refresh the plan based on what’s working
  • The communication and engagement strategy and plan is a working document and this document and its supporting materials will need to be reviewed and updated as the dynamics of the project or programme communication needs change.