Creating a Communications Plan

Earlier this year…• New duties within IST• Attended CANHEIT conference and

learned that very few IT departments have a communications role/position

• Many starting to recognize the value

IT=client focus

Gaining valuable knowledge• Lots of great sessions, networking opportunities, info to

bring back with me• Only a couple of sessions with focus on Communications• Before “The CANHEIT presentation…”

Invigorated!• Attended

5 Things You Need to Know to Become an IT Communications Rockstar

• Confirmed I had lots to do!

Practice = Plan

Fans = Audience

Tour = Channels

Music = Content

Reminisce = Evaluate

After the presentation…

New IST Communications

Officer ready to tackle anything and everything!

Communication Officers just want to have fu-un.

As the Communications Officer• Goal to improve communications within IST and

from IST to the campus community• Proactive role to inform our audiences of issues, outages, new

services, general communications, etc. • Draft, edit communications to be sent• Offer a second set of eyes and feedback• Assist with project communications and documentation• Assist with Service Level Agreements (SLAs)• Foster relationships with those in communication positions

across campus

What is communication?• “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or

behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone” –Merriam-Webster

• Sharing IT focused ideas and information with clients and colleagues (maintenance, new service, general info, courses, etc.)

• Clear, easy to understand (plain language), and shared in a timely manner

What does it look like?• Can take many forms, including:

• Email• Meetings• Word of mouth • Website(s)• Blogs• Display screens• News bulletins • Posters and brochures• Open houses and information sessions• Social media• SLAs…

IT + communication• Creating and sending communications at an ever-

increasing rate, through a growing number of channels• Can begin to feel like a mess of words, dates, action

items=frustrated and overwhelmed

Getting on track

• The Plan!• Organize, track and ensure communication

efforts are effective• Sat down and began this labour of love

1. What do we currently do?

2. What could we be doing better?

3. Where are the gaps?

What to consider

• Why are we communicating to our clients? Purpose?

• What do we want to communicate?  Message? – Info only? – Asking them to do something? – Looking for support/buy-in?

• Who is our audience? Expectations?

What to consider

• How should we communicate it? • Who should send the message?

– IST Comm Officer? Project Lead? Group contact?

• Lots of questions, but not all had/have answers!

Where we are today

• Final draft of a Communications Plan that has been reviewed by VP Academic & Provost, CIO, IST Directors, and Management team

• Carleton University + University of Michigan • Final version was approved in mid-November

Plan includes• Purpose, goals and objectives• Clients• Messaging• Communication scenarios (planned, unplanned,

emergency)• Service contacts• Communication tools/channels

Plan includes• Detailed steps for planned and unplanned

communications• Frequency• Conclusion• Appendices

– Communication matrix– Glossary of terms– Alignment with university plans and guidelines (IT Strat Plan,

Mass Email guidelines, and Emergency Preparedness Plan)– Communication plans/guidelines for LEARN, WCMS,

Telecommunications Services

What this looks like

Campus display screens

What this looks like

Email templates

What this looks like

uWaterloo Connect IT bloghttps://collaborate.uwaterloo.ca/connect-it

Why having a plan is important

• What happens if we don’t have a communications plan…

Why having a plan is important

• Provides a structure to determine who, how, when, and what

• Consistent, efficient, effective, and lasting• Builds trust and provides outwards view• Achieves other goals (client service experience, increase

collaboration within and external to IST, more efficient use of resources)

• Ties projects/initiatives/work together• Small investment time saved + larger pay off 

Next steps

• Continue to implement, evaluate and adapt as needed

• V1.5 – operationalizing plan, other methods of communications with our clients (websites, stories, positive vs. negative)

• Will live on IST internal site

Questions/Comments?

• Existing communication efforts getting out to the right people?

• Is it a step in the right direction?• Is content understandable?• Tool/channel that works for your users?• How much notice would you like before a

planned service change?

Contact me!

Natasha Jennings

njennings@uwaterloo.ca

Ext. 37951