Communications Management Plan - Overview
Digital Learning Environment Implementation Project
UW Stevens Point
Approved by UWSP DLE implementation committee 11/10/2017
DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
Introduction
The Communications Management Plan serves as a guide for communications throughout the
life of the project and will be updated as communication needs change. Roles involved in the
project, a communications matrix, a guide for conducting meetings, a guide for decision making
and escalation, and a project team directory/structure are included. This plan will closely
coordinate with the Digital Learning Environment (DLE) Institution Implementation Project
Communications Plan that will be run within the same program.
Communications Management Approach and Constraints
The communication matrix will serve as the guide for all project communications. The project
manager will work with the communication owner to verify the communication is complete and
make updates to the plan. The communications specialist will assist the communication owner in
executing the individual communications. Changes to the communication plan, including
frequency, objective, and owner for planned communications and additions to the
communications plan will be reviewed with the project executive sponsors at the monthly status
update meetings. Updates to the plan will be distributed to stakeholders as needed. Individual
communications to stakeholders or stakeholder groups to complete deliverables within the
project plan will not be recorded in the project communication plan.
Stakeholder Communication Requirements
The stakeholder register is used to define the communications requirements. Each stakeholder or
stakeholder group was identified along with their project requirements, expectations and
communications goal. The communication goal was determined by understanding their level of
power on the project and level of interest in the project. Based on the scores, the stakeholder is
aligned with one of four goals for communications: Keep Satisfied, Monitor, Manage Closely
and Keep Informed. The communications mechanism and content will align with the goals and
expectations for each stakeholder. See the Stakeholder Register for the breakdown. The project
manager and communications specialist will ensure the stakeholders have access to the
communication channels identified.
Roles
Institution Project Teams
The institution project team is comprised of the institution sponsor, institution project manager
and the institution project team.
Communication Constraint: The institution sponsor and project manager should be made
aware of key decisions, changes or new updates before the institution project team or
stakeholders so they understand how the information will be communicated along with their role
in communicating the information. Having the information ahead of other stakeholders will
allow thoughtful time to support the message by communicating in a positive and forward
looking way to their institutions. Decisions made within working teams will be communicated to
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DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
the institution sponsor and project manager prior to general communication. This will help in
aligning the UWSA and institution communications plans.
The members of the UWSP Project Team are:
Institution Sponsor, Greg Summers
The institution sponsor is the champion of the project and responsible for the institution
project charter including funding and outcomes. The institution sponsor is expected to
take an active role in the communication and leadership on the project. The institution
sponsor is responsible for providing the resources and support for the project, and will
ultimately be responsible for the project success at each institution. The institution
sponsor is responsible for faculty engagement and faculty inclusion on the institution
project team.
Institution Project Manager, Sean Ruppert
The institution project manager has responsibility for the execution of the project with
authority from the institution sponsor. Institution project manager is responsible for
leading the institution's technical and instructional project team to meet the project
objectives. Institution Project Manager is responsible for coordinating the completion of
project plans and documents, leading the institution project team to complete the project
work and providing the institution's progress updates.
Institution Project Team: Sean Ruppert, Al Bond, Wayne Sorenson, Eric Simkins,
Carey Elza, Joy O'Neil, Mert Kartal, Amy Riggs, Mindy King
The institution project team is comprised of representatives from impacted departments
who have a role performing work on the project. They are expected to participate in the
creation of deliverables and complete the tasks and action items as agreed to in the
project schedule. All project team members are expected to identify and communicate
risks and issues with the institution sponsor and institution project manager.
Constraint: Each institution will identify their project team. Faculty representatives must
be included on the institution project team for this project. The institution provost and
CIO must both sign-off on the institution project team members.
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DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
Project Organization Structure
Digital Learning Environment Implementation Project – Team Organization
Executive Sponsors
James Henderson
Robert Cramer
UWSA Project Organization
Service Owner –
Renee PfeiferLuckett
Steering Committee Committee chairs are the
Executive Project Sponsors
Other members:
Service Owner
CIO Council Designee
LTDC Chair
OPID Designee
Student Designee
Accessibility Designee
Learning Analytics Designee
Faculty Designee
Project Manager –
Stacy Scholtka
Project Team
•
•
•
•
Governance for Digital
Learning environment
including processes,
applications and
integration
Fixed/flexible approver
Metrics and adoption
Strategy and
prioritization
Institution
Sponsor – Greg
Institution
Sponsor
Summers
Subject Matter Experts (SME)
Functional
team
Technical team
Responsibilities:
• Create standard training materials
• Review and feedback on fixed/flex
model
• Develop test cases and perform
testing
• Develop standard course templates
• Create standard flexible configuration
documentation
Project Manager – Stacy Scholtka
Service Owner – Renee Pfeifer-Luckett
Budget Manager – Olga Turkina
Security – Nick Davis
Communications – Stephanie Marquis
Functional Analyst – vacant
Vendor Team
DoIT/Learn@Utility Development Teams
Responsibilities:
Institution Project
Project
Institution
Organization
Organization
Responsibilities:
• Project, vendor, communications and
budget management functions
• Initial definition of fixed/flex model
• Develop and implement fixed
integrations and authentication (SIS,
BbC, Kaltura, other)
• Create standard support structure
• Configure fixed areas of application
• Coordinate testing
• Archive/retire D2L
3
Institution PMInstitution
PM
Sean Ruppert
Institution Project
Institution
TeamProject
Team
Sean Ruppert
Eric Simkins
Al Bond
Joy O’Neil
Cary Elza
Amy Riggs
Mert Kartal
Wayne Sorenson
Mindy King
Responsibilities:
• Develop and manage
institution course
migration plans
• Manage institution
training and
communications plans
• Implement institution
level support structure
• Perform institution
testing
• Configure flexible
areas of application
• Implement project
change request
process
DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
Communication Methods and Technologies
The communication methods are based on several factors: stakeholder communication
requirements, available technologies, and organizational standards.
All project communication will be maintained as agreed to in this plan. There will be an approval
process for communications distributed to the broad group of stakeholders or any
communications posted to large audiences (email, website, other). Tactical or activity based
communications may require review depending on the content. If the communication content is
noteworthy, controversial or breaking news, then the Project Manager and Service Owner will
assess and determine the level of review needed. All normal project communications for status
and deliverable follow-up do not need the review.
Common methods of communication on the project will be:
• Website with general project information, status updates, project documents (including
deliverables) and decisions
• Email for status updates, deliverable updates and task follow-up/completion
• Project management/activity tracking software - Microsoft Teams
• Meetings including using the standard meetings for various groups for project updates
and project meetings that are schedule to complete the work of the project. This can
include face to face and web conference meetings
• Chat, informal conversations and phone calls for individual discussions. If there are
significant findings during the call or chat that could impact the project, the details should
be recorded in the appropriate project location
• Face to Face informational meetings on campus for faculty, staff, and students
• Booths at information fairs, etc.
4
DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
Communications Matrix
The following table identifies the communications requirements for this project. The table will be updated as the communication
needs change.
Communication
Type
Project website
Objective of Communication
Medium
Frequency
Audience
Owner
Deliverable
Provide project updates
focused on the stakeholder
groups with the goal to keep
informed. Collect and answer
questions and comments from
campus community.
Inform all stakeholders the
website is available and the
website purpose. This will be
after the letter of intent is
issued. Project charter, high
level timeline and project
organization structure will be
explained on the website.
Review status of the project
with the team and institution
project sponsors and project
managers
• Website
Once,
content
updated
weekly
• All stakeholders with a focus
on the “keep informed” group
Project Manager
• Website
• Email with
Website link
Once
• All stakeholders
Project Manager
• Website
• Email
• Face to Face
As needed,
at least
monthly
• Project Team, institution
project sponsors and
institution project managers
Project Manager
•
•
•
•
CIO update
Review project status and next
steps
• Face to face,
email status, or
Web conference
Monthly
• UWSP CIO
Project Manager
Institution Project
Sponsors
Review project status and next
steps
• Email, face to
face
Quarterly
• Project Sponsors
Project Manager
LTDC Team
Updates
Share the status of the project
• Email
Monthly
• Steering Committee
Service Owner
Project website
launch
Project Team
Status Meetings
5
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Status report
Meeting Minutes
Risk register updated
Communication plan
updated
Project plan updated
Status update
Risk register updated
Communication plans
updated
Project plans updated
Status update
Risk register updated
Communication plans
updated
Project plans updated
Status report
DLE Implementation Project Communications Plan Overview
UWSP Campus
Share the status of the project
• MOD, SMOD,
website update,
Monthly
UWSP Campus
Share the status of the project
Biannually
UWSP
administrative
updates
Share the status of the project
• Face to Face info
sessions, Info
fairs
• Email or Face to
Face
UWSP IT
Share the status of the project,
identify action items needed
from IT
Share the status of the project
• Face to Face,
email
As Needed,
at least
Monthly
Monthly
Share the status of the project
• Email, Face to
Face
Faculty
Governance
Supporting Units
• Email, Face to
Face
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Monthly
Monthly
6
Instructors
Students
Staff
Instructors
Students
Staff
Chancellor
Provost
Deans
CE director
CIO
IT Managers
Service Desk Manager
ITC
Faculty Council
Common Council
Council Exec Committee
Advisors
Registrar
Disability Services
Library
Project manager
• Status report
Project manager
• Status report
•
Project manager
• Status report
Project manager
• Status Report
• Project Plans updated
Project Manager,
• Status Report
Project manager
• Status Report
Risk Register Workbook Instructions
This template is to be used for identifying risks and creating plans for how to avoid them (negative
risks) or how to make them happen (positive risks) and what to do if they happen (contingency plans)
and managing them throughout the project.
The first sheet, titled Risk Register, shows a number of fields to use for gathering the following
information about risks.
Risk ID is some unique value that identifies the risk.
Risk Name is a short description of the risk.
Risk Description "If this risk occurs, then what impact will it have on the project?" It should be
Impact as rated on a very low, low, medium, high, and very high scale.
Probability as rated on a very low, low, medium, high, and very high scale.
Risk Ranking: Using the risk matrix found on the right on the Risk Register sheet, detemine the color
Positive/Negative: Is this risk a positive risk (an opportunity) or a negative risk?
Proactive Response Plan is a detailed plan of what changes will be made to the project, project
scope,
and/or
proactively of
to how
try toyou
make
risk if
happen
(positive
risk) ororstop
it if ittoisoccur.
a
Trigger
EventWBS
is a description
willthe
know
the risk
has occurred
is about
Reactive Contingency Plan is the description of what you plan to do if the risk happens. How will
Form P-4
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
Form P-4
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
Risk Register
ID
Risk Name
Risk Description
Impact
VH,H,M,L,VL
Example: please remove
before completing
1 document. Critical
equipment does not
arrive on time.
If critical pieces of
equipment do not arrive
H
on time, the project will
fall behind schedule.
Probability
Risk Ranking
VH,H,M,L,VL
What is the risk color code ?
H
Red
2
3
4
Form P-4
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
Positive/Negative
Proactive Response Plan
Is this a positive or negative risk What proactively can be attempted to make
from the risk matrix?
the risk happen or prevent it?
1. Add activities to the WBS to ensure with
the manufacturer that the equipment is
being built or shipped as required. 2. Have a
member of project team go to the
Negative
manufacturing plant to ensure equipment
parts are in progress and on schedule. 3.
Add steps to the WBS to ensure the
manufacturer ships on time. 4. Add steps to
WBS to track the shipment as needed.
ID
Risk Name
Form P-4
Risk Description
Impact
Probability
Risk Ranking
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
Positive/Negative
Proactive Response Plan
Trigger Event
Reactive Contingency Plan
What do you think will What are your backup plans if the risk
trigger the event?
should occur?
Parts do not ship on
assigned date.
If possible, have a backup supplier
identified and standing by.
Impact
Very high
High
Medium
Low
Very low
Very low
Low
Medium
Probability
Risk Matrix
Form P-4
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
High
Very high
Trigger Event
Reactive Contingency Plan
Form P-4
Project Manager: Name
(816) XXX-XXXX
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