[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-239993-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-239993-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","communications-planning-template-comms-plan-outline-background-objectives-and-tactics","Communications planning template - Comms plan outline - Background, objectives and tactics","","Communications planning template outlining how to design an effective stakeholder communication approach for organisational change. It guides drafting the background and rationale, defining SMART objectives, selecting strategies, and tailoring key messages with approval to ensure consistency across channels. The template also supports choosing communication tactics for internal and external audiences, listing practical channels such as emails, meetings, intranet, and press activity, and planning timescales with an activity timetable including owners and responsibilities.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/","Presentations",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/communications-planning-template-comms-plan-outline-background-objectives-and-tactics/239993/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/communications-planning-template-comms-plan-outline-background-objectives-and-tactics/239993.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Asher","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-09-11",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",19,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What should be included in the background section of a communications plan?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Describe what led to the project or change, why it was decided, who made the decision, when it happened, and the initial impact. Include any prior activities and the people involved so the need for the comms plan is clear.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How should communications objectives be written?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Objectives should be clearly defined and, where possible, tailored to specific audiences. They must be SMART: Specific, Measureable, Achieveable, Agreed, Realistic and Timebound, ideally limited to no more than 5 or 6.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do you decide on communication channels and build a timetable?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Choose channels based on the audiences and what you need to say, using multiple complementary channels while avoiding a scattergun approach. Then highlight key dates and create an activity table that includes activity, timescales, owner, and comments for tracking responsibilities.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},239993,1791731945,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,93,98,103,108,113,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},11,90,"presentations",{"id":89,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":90,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":85,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":26},687197207639,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","Communications planning template  \n1. Background:  \nInclude background around what has led to the project/change that requires the comms plan. For example, if there is to be an organisational change, why was the decision made, by whom, when and what was the initial impact.  \nThis could include information about what activities may already have taken place and when, and who was involved. Thinking about the background to the project, makes you really think about whether there is actually a need for a comms plan.  \n2. Objectives :  \nClearly define what the purpose of the comms plan will be. Sometimes the detail may be more specific to a particular audience.  \nFor example (for an organisational change):  \n• To provide both internal and external stakeholders with a clear understanding of the decision that has been made.  \n• To highlight how the decision will impact on these audiences  \n• To ensure internal staff have a clear understanding of the process for making the change, timescales etc  \nThe objectives must be SMART (Specific, Measureable, Achieveable, Agreed, Realistic and Timebound) and you should have, ideally, no more than 5 or 6.  \n3. Strategy:  \nThe following few sections explain how you will communicate your objectives.  \nFor example, you may meet your objectives by :  \n• Preparing a range of communications to various audiences – internal and external  \n• Creating a timetable for release of messages  \n• Continuing to provide regular communications to staff as appropriate  \n3.1 Target audiences:  \nThink about all the internal and external stakeholders that may be affected by the development/change, whether directly or indirectly.  \nFor example:  \n• Humanities staff  \n• Specific Institute or department staff  \n• Other internal stakeholders  \no PSS Leadership Team, Faculty leadership team, Uni SLT  \no Other central teams  \n• External stakeholders – Partners, potential students, alumni, trade unions, media, student union  \n3.2 Key messages:  \nIt is important to decide on a set of key messages and to get these approved by the relevant senior member of staff. These will then be used across all channels of communication which ensures consistency and avoids mixed messages. These should be tailored to each audience.  \nYou may also decide to have a basket of messages-some to be used proactively and others which you prepare for reactive use (so not something you necessarily want to highlight but information that you may need to have to hand should senior staff be asked other questions at open meetings.). These may include FAQs.  \nFor example:  \n• The decision was made in the best interests of the University, the School, the team etc  \n• The University is committed to maintaining the high standards that students have come to expect  \n• There is a commitment from the University that work/the service will continue as normal  \n• A meeting for staff to ask questions has been arranged for xxxxxxxxx in the xxxxxx Building.  \n4. Channels of communication (Tactics)  \nOnce you know your audiences and you know what you want to say to them, you need to decide on what channels/ tactics you use to deliver your messages and meet your objectives. It is always advisable to think about a number of channels that can complement each other, rather than relying on a sole activity. Equally it is not advisable to take a scattergun approach – your plan needs to be targeted.  \nFor example:  \n• Emails to internal staff, external stakeholders and specific Uni internal stakeholders  \n• Open meetings  \n• Newsletters  \n• Intranet/website  \n• Reactive statement – Humanities Media Relations Officer  \n• Press conference  \n• Monthly staff meetings to keep staff informed  \n• Roadshows/launch events  \n• Printed/online marketing content  \nAt this stage, depending on the scale of your campaign/activity, you may also need to consider your budget and resources.  \n5. Timescales  \nHighlight any key dates  \nIt is also worth creating a table of activity which is clear to vie","cbCaiibsDtQZ09oD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiibsDtQZ09oD","pdf",464998,"English","# Background\n# Objectives\n# Strategy\n## Target audiences\n## Key messages\n# Channels of communication (Tactics)\n# Timescales","[{\"question\":\"What should be included in the background section of a communications plan?\",\"answer\":\"Describe what led to the project or change, why it was decided, who made the decision, when it happened, and the initial impact. Include any prior activities and the people involved so the need for the comms plan is clear.\"},{\"question\":\"How should communications objectives be written?\",\"answer\":\"Objectives should be clearly defined and, where possible, tailored to specific audiences. They must be SMART: Specific, Measureable, Achieveable, Agreed, Realistic and Timebound, ideally limited to no more than 5 or 6.\"},{\"question\":\"How do you decide on communication channels and build a timetable?\",\"answer\":\"Choose channels based on the audiences and what you need to say, using multiple complementary channels while avoiding a scattergun approach. Then highlight key dates and create an activity table that includes activity, timescales, owner, and comments for tracking responsibilities.\"}]","Communications planning template - Comms plan outline - Background, objectives and tactics | PDF",1789155961]