Types of Communication Documents
There are several types of communication documents. A description of the document, the purpose, and the frequency of communication should be detailed in a communications plan. During a project kickoff meeting, bring an example of each one of the communication documents so that team members can become familiar with them.
The following tables detail some common project documents. Not all of these documents are required. Many projects may only use one or two. This is a great reason why a project manager should bring examples of these documents to a kickoff meeting to decide what each member would like to see. If nobody signs up to see a specific document, then why take additional time to create it? Unless of course, in your judgment, you need to.
Audience |
Sponsors, stakeholders, project team |
Frequency |
Weekly or bi-weekly |
Timing |
Same time each week (typically on Friday). |
Method |
E-mail, informal document, or formal template |
Purpose: |
Communicate weekly progress of project. |
Description |
The status update is a weekly communication for overall project status. It is intended to inform the team of any progress made on the project. It can be a formal document or an informal bulleted list. It does not have to communicate the five main ideas as required of the status report (discussed in the next section). This is just an informal update of what has occurred on the project. |
Audience |
Sponsors, stakeholders, project team |
Frequency |
Weekly |
Timing |
Same time each week (typically on Friday). |
Purpose |
Communicate weekly progress of project. |
Method |
Status report template or formal document |
Description |
The status report is a snapshot of the project's progress for the prior week. It communicates the issues, risks, deliverables, completed items, and upcoming project tasks. It is intended to show weekly progress as well as serve as a vehicle to bring the core issues of the project to the forefront. |
Audience |
Absent team members, project team |
Frequency |
As needed |
Timing |
As soon as possible after the meeting. |
Purpose |
Documentation of what occurred in the meeting. |
Method |
Formal document (status or one-off meetings), or on status report (one-off meetings) |
Description |
Meeting notes are intended to be a snapshot of what occurred in the meeting. They convey what decisions were made and document the discussions that took place. The main audience for this document is the team members that were unable to attend the meeting. Additionally, a historical record is created for reference. Utilizing the PM's best judgment, if it is a highly political or involved meeting, formal notes should be recorded. If it is a one-off meeting, the key points and decisions can either appear in a formal document or in the Notes section of the status report. |
Audience |
Project Team |
Frequency |
As needed |
Timing |
1–2 days prior to meeting. |
Purpose |
Prepare team members for which topics will be discussed in the meeting. |
Description |
Agendas are intended to establish the meeting flow and ensure that all items pertinent to the project are discussed. The agenda should give the attendees ample notice of the expected update items and allow them to prepare their responses. |
Audience |
Entire project team |
Frequency |
Weekly |
Timing |
As soon as possible after the weekly status meeting. |
Purpose |
Communicate action items and issues. |
Description |
Issues, risks, and deliverables logs can serve multiple purposes. It is an itemized list of items that require the attention of the project manager. It can help prioritize tasks and help communicate to the team the impact of the items. Logs are not a required communication, but are the most effective at quickly updating status received in weekly status meetings and communicating to the team what needs to be done. |
Audience |
Project team |
Frequency |
Weekly |
Timing |
Normally sent at the time the status report is sent. |
Purpose |
Show current time frames and tasks. |
Description |
Some team members and sponsors like to see the project plan. It is good practice to make it available to the team upon request or based on the communication plan. |
Audience |
Project team |
Frequency |
Weekly |
Timing |
Normally sent at the time the status report is sent. |
Purpose |
Itemized list specifically for each resource. |
Description |
It is good practice to send out the to-do lists to the project team members. It is an effective way to communicate what each resource will need to complete for the project. Many project team members dislike the project plan because it can be difficult to understand and the information is not concise. |
Audience |
Project sponsor |
Frequency |
Weekly/monthly |
Timing |
As needed. |
Purpose |
Communicate the financial status of the project. |
Description |
Depending on the project, the project manager may need to keep the financial records of the project. |
