Milwaukee County Enterprise Platform Modernization

Milwaukee CountyEnterprise Platform ModernizationProjectCommunication PlanAugust, 2016Version: 1.2

Table of Contents1.0INTRODUCTION . 32.0COMMUNICATION PROCESSES . 33.0PLANNING . 44.0INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION . 55.0STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT . 7Stakeholder Analysis .7Communication Approach . 8Managing Resistance . 8Project Start . 9Problem Exploration . 9Solution Development . 10RACI Assignments . 106.0PERFORMANCE REPORTING . 10Weekly Project Team Reporting . 11Executive Management . 11End User Community Reporting . 11APPENDIX . 13Revision History . 13Validation History . 13

1.0INTRODUCTIONThe purpose of the Milwaukee County (County) Enterprise Platform (ERP) ModernizationProject Communication Plan is to provide an overall framework for enabling successfulcommunications to the various project stakeholders and impacted County employees. TheCommunication Plan employs processes that ensure timely and appropriate generation,collection, distribution, receipt, and ultimate disposition, of project information. Thecommunication processes provide the critical links among people and information that arenecessary for project success.The plan also ensures that the appropriate information about the project is communicated tothe right audience at the right time. Doing so effectively helps reduce overall project risk andcontributes to greater buy-in and user acceptance in the end.This plan addresses the types of communication that the ERP project will deploy, the individualresponsible for communicating the information, the person or groups who will receive theinformation, communication format (e.g. written/oral), information about how thecommunication will be distributed (e.g. email, in-person, presentation), and the frequency ofthe communication. It also contains the names of the project stakeholders and their role(s)that have been identified to-date. Finally, this Communication Plan contains a RACI matrixwhich explains who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who will be Consulted, and who willbe Informed for each type of communication outlined in the plan.The purpose of this plan therefore is to define the overall project communication process. Itmay be supplemented where needed by project or process specific action plans such as thosedeployed by external consultants, other legal entities, or a County specific event. These actionplans are likely to be much more specific to the timing, audience, and content of the specificcommunication and are therefore not included within this document. They are optional basedupon the needs of the project.2.0COMMUNICATION PROCESSESSeveral processes have been identified below that compose the overall Communication Planobjectives: Planning – determining the basic information and communications needs ofthe stakeholders Information Distribution – making that needed information available in atimely manner and in an appropriate format, as well as responding to requestsfor information Performance Reporting – collecting and distributing performance informationsuch as status reports, forecasts, delays, etc.3 P a g e

Stakeholder Management – managing communications to satisfy therequirements of stakeholders along the way.This plan addresses each of those four processes as described below. Where the data neededfor specific processes is intended to be documented outside of this particular communicationplan, it is thereby noted.3.0PLANNINGAs part of the communications planning process, it is important to know who the stakeholdersare and their communication requirements. The chart below represents County and third partygroups of stakeholders and their high level communication objectives.StakeholderRole/NeedCounty Management /LeadershipMonitor and respond to project status, risks, and issuesCounty Project ManagerInformation gathering, summarizing, and reporting allproject status to the County management teamPlante Moran ProjectManagerInformation gathering, summarizing, and reporting allproject status to the County project teamOrganizational ChangeManagement (OCM)LeadExecute the Communication Plan during theImplementation Phase of the project.Project Team MembersIdentification of task status, issue escalation, anddepartmental communicationCounty EmployeesReceive project updates via appropriate channels atspecific points along the project and provide feedback(concerns, questions, etc.) as neededThroughout the implementation project, the OCM Lead executes communication sharing viathe stakeholder planning guide above. The OCM Lead also reports any communication issuesto the project manager for resolution or escalation. It is the responsibility of the OCM Lead tomonitor compliance with the plan and correct gaps if they are uncovered along the way.Prior to the implementation phase, the County PM, Sponsor, and Plante Moran PM willperform the duties assigned to the OCM as best fits the communication message. For example,the Plante Moran PM will communicate status of vendor responses; the Sponsor willcommunicate status to the Board; and the County PM will communicate project status relatedto tasks, issues, and risks to various stakeholders as deemed by the message.4 P a g e

4.0INFORMATION DISTRIBUTIONInformation distribution is concerned with making information available to project and nonproject stakeholders in both a pre-planned manner as well as being ready for as-neededrequests for information. The communications matrix below documents the types ofcommunications (e.g. status reports, meetings), how they will be delivered (e.g. email, phone,face-to-face), frequency of delivery, responsibility assignments, and purpose of thecommunication.5 P a g e

AudiencePurposeVehicleSubjectContent eStatus and issue Meeting withescalationagendaManagement dashboardstatus, approval,recommendations, issuesPlante Moran ProjectManager / CountyProject Manager(PM)SponsorBi-weeklyBoardStatus andimpactsBriefingProject status / changerequestsSponsorBoardAs-neededProject Team Deliver andreceive statusTeam meetingsand SharePointfoldersProject task status, issues, and Team membersrisksNAWeeklyDepartmentManagersStatusTeam Leads: oneon-one or emailProject status - activities thatimpact their areas – peopleand processCounty PM, Team Leads, NAOCM LeadMonthlyGeneral endusersStatus andfeedbackCounty intranet,blog, emailsStatus and impacts to theirjobsCounty PM, Sponsor,Executive SteeringCommittee, OCM LeadExecutiveSteeringCommitteeAs neededOutsidevendorsImpact tocurrent stateprocessesEmail, letters, one- How the new system maySponsor, Departmenton-oneresult in different relationships Heads,or different processesCounty PM, PlanteMoran PMExecutiveSteeringCommitteeAs neededGeneralpublicImpact tocurrent stateIntranet, mailingsSponsorAs neededHow the new system willOCM Leadimpact their current way ofcommunicating / working withthe County6 P a g e

5.0STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENTStakeholder management refers to managing communications to satisfy the needs of, andresolve issues with, project stakeholders. Actively managing stakeholders increases thelikelihood that issues will be more quickly identified and addressed, reducing risk of projectdelays, stakeholder dissatisfaction, and public disapproval. Within the project’s OrganizationalChange Management plan, specific communication sub-plans/action plans are built-in thataddress stakeholder communications. However, within the overall project communicationplan, a high level description of stakeholder management is included below. The threecomponents of stakeholder management included are 1) Stakeholder Analysis, 2)Communication Approach, and 3) RACI AssignmentsStakeholder AnalysisThe chart at the end of this section represents a Stakeholder Network Analysis diagramwhich is intended to reveal the communication links between the various stakeholderson the project. It is useful in identifying communication gaps and in guiding thedistribution of project information. Once it is developed, the communication processneeds to be executed to address every relationship in the diagram throughout theproject. In developing and executing the networking relationships, the followingactivities need to be performed. Stakeholder Identification - Identifies people, groups, or organizationsthat could impact or be impacted by a decision, activity, or outcome of theproject. The OCM Lead analyzes and documents the constituents’interests in, and influence on, the project. Stakeholder Management – Executes communication processes tosuccessfully manage stakeholder expectations. Stakeholder Engagement - Communicates and works with stakeholdersto meet their needs/expectations, address issues as they occur, andsupports stakeholder engagement. Stakeholder Communications Controls - Monitors overall projectstakeholder relationships, adjusts strategies and plans for engagingstakeholders, and executes communication approaches to addressidentified issues.Stakeholder management is owned and executed by the project OCM Lead with inputfrom the County project management team. The OCM Lead takes a proactive role in‘listening’ for stakeholder feedback and addressing issues both on an immediate basisand through long range monitoring. The OCM Lead is responsible for reporting status ofproject communications to the project management team and the Executive SteeringCommittee.7 P a g e

Stakeholder Network Analysis DiagramBelow is a communication flow diagram (not an organization chart) that represents themultiple communication channels on the project. The highlighted OCM Lead boxrepresents the ‘owner’ of the communication monitoring and execution process.Communication ApproachCommunication is a two-way street. While it is required that the project team communicate allrelevant information to stakeholders on project outcomes, it is critical that they also provideand monitor feedback loops from stakeholders. Constantly being told what is going onwithout having the ability to respond back, can create self-defensiveness in the usercommunity. The goal of the ERP project is to deploy a continual two-way communicationstrategy to be executed by the OCM Lead, the project sponsor, the project management team,and the functional leads throughout the project.Managing ResistanceWhile communication is key to a project’s success, it involves both dialogue as well asrecognition of resistance to change. The goal of good project communication is to createpositive change in the user community. Below, a high level approach has been documented8 P a g e

that is based on proactive recognition of resistance and planned exploration and solutiondevelopment to manage that resistance.To better break down (and communicate!) the process for enabling a successful ‘two waystreet’, a three-prong approach has been identified. This approach addresses both outwardand feedback communication channels. The three prong approach is grouped into projectstart activities, problem exploration, and solution development. The County has alreadyidentified owners of several of these communication objectives.Project StartProject Launch (Executive Steering Committee) Define clear aimNo to status quoAssign a project championProject Champion (Steven Kreklow) Committed to successHas power, prestige, and staff respectUnderstands impact of changes on staffLinkage and Communication – Senior Leadership (Executive Steering Committee) Endorse solutionAllocate time and resources to remove barriersBelieve project will advance strategic goalsBe informed and be involvedProblem ExplorationFinancial and Human Resource Leadership (Michelle Nate, Mike Blickhahn) Assigned champions ensure project meets goalsEndorse solution publicallyProvide time and resources to projectInvolve and inform departmental leadershipStaff (Module Leads) Project Leads ensure that user goals are metAllocate time and resourcesTension for Change (OCM Lead) Identify informal staff opinion leadersIdentify disagreement with current processIdentify ways to create positive change9 P a g e