Series 2: Project Management Understanding and Using 6 Basic Tools

1. Series 2: Project ManagementUnderstanding and Using 6 Basic Tools From the CIHS Video Series “Ten Minutes at a Time” 9/2013

2. Module 4: The Project Communication Plan Overview • Communication Plan – Benefits of “formalizing” Communication Processes • Performing the two critical functions for project communication • Getting the right data at the right time • Disseminating the information to the right people in a timely manner • Building in feedback mechanisms

3. Communication Plan Purpose and Objectives • Purpose • Identifies communication requirements based on role • What information is communicated? • How is it communicated? • When is it communicated? • Who transmits the information? Who receives it? • Objectives • Sets expectations and facilitates change management • Supports appropriate involvement • Identifies desired behaviors

4. Critical Function #1 • Right data • Progress – what data demonstrates it is happening? • Budget – how are you tracking costs? • Complications and setbacks – how do you know they are happening and what are the implications? (Risk Management Plan) • Right people • Lines of authority and lines of responsibility • Role of finance department • Role of project team members • Appropriate stakeholders • Identified and incorporated in plan

5. Critical Function #2 • Dissemination • Email/social media/surface mail/fax • In-person, virtual meetings • Conference calls/Webinars • Targeted to audience characteristics • Appropriate time frames • Frequency • Hard and soft schedules

6. Set-ups for Communication Failures • Routine meeting – Ad hoc email or paper-based invitations, scheduled when problems are happening. Reactive. • Attendance ambiguous – Staff who need to be engaged are unaware of the meeting, not pulled into the communication loop. Staff who don’t need to be there are in attendance. • Structure and agenda – Structure is defined by reaction to issues, agendas are not available • Expectations – Individuals arrive late, leave early, check emails, answer phones, talk to each other in subgroups. • Facilitated – If there is a person in charge, they do not have the authority or are uninterested in requiring compliance with ground rules, and may even break the rules themselves • Recorded – Everyone takes their own notes, reflect only what they believe they understood and is important • Action Steps for Follow Up: Forgotten, or just not taken because other issues were given priority

7. Building the Communication PlanCommunication Matrix • Project Roles (Module 1) • Project Sponsor(s) – Authorizes the project and provides funding • Steering Committee – Authorizes changes in organizational and technical infrastructure required to implement project • Program Manager – Oversees multiple projects • Project Manager – Overall responsibility for project execution • Project Team – All persons having a role in performing the work of a project • Stakeholders – Impacted by project, includes staff, patients, peer support specialists • Communications Directory/Groups • Name, email, phone #s including conference call #s and codes

8. Communication Formats, Inputs/Outputs • Format and content are matched to role • Input and Output Integrated as Process • Examples: • Webinar: Visual and Narrative, transcends time and geography; supports stakeholder involvement • Document template: Those responsible for project progress, ensures reporting clarity, relevance and comparability • Slide deck: In-person presentation to a group with Q & A; steering committee, board of directors, conference • Team Meeting: In person and task-oriented; facilitated, with agenda and minutes

9. Communication Plan Matrix Communications Management Plan

10. Set ups for Communication Success • Routine meeting – On Outlook calendars for Project Duration (Team Meetings are every Monday at 10:00 AM and every Thursday at 2:00). • Attendance required – Standing invitation on calendar. • Structure and agenda – Monday AM confirms activities for the week. Thursday PM used for follow up (Friday used for corrective action). • Expectations - Arrive on time and prepared, 100% of attention on meeting (not emails or phones). • Facilitated – Enforces ground rules. Runs the meeting from the agenda, adhering to structure and time constraints. • Recorded – Identified responsibility for meeting notes. • Action Steps for Follow Up: Informs the next meeting agenda. Everyone receives a timely copy (same day)

11. Summary • The tendency is to assume that good communication is happening and the breakdowns in communication can be attributed to almost anything except the lack of a communication plan • The Communication Plan must consider the two critical functions of all communication efforts. The right data must get to the right people at the right time and in the right format. • A Communication Plan Matrix is the vehicle for ensuring actions fulfill these functions • Communication Plan implementation requires continuous feedback – the mechanisms for this are built into the communication process itself.

12. We Have Solutions for Integrating Primary and Behavioral Healthcare Contact CIHS for all types of primary and behavioral health care integration technical assistance and training needs 1701 K Street NW, Ste 400 Washington DC 20006 Web: integration.samhsa.gov Email: integration@thenationalcouncil.org Phone: 202-684-7457 Prepared and presented by Colleen O’Donnell, MSW, PMP, CHTS-IM for the Center for Integrated Health Solutions