Project Management - Communication Plan

2.6 FORMAL AND COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT PLAN

Communication Plan:

• Details regarding the person of contact, for those who wish to attend and register for the program will be given in the advertisement, invitation and the website created for this event.
• All interested participants will be requested to send an itinerary of their travel plan to the people in communications committee and plans will be made accordingly as to pick up & drop services, etc. The participants will also be asked to provide information as to their email address, telephone numbers and the desired way of reaching them in case something as to be communicated to them.
• Each person on their arrival will be given a welcome kit which will include details relating to – the directions for in and around campus areas, the attractions in and near Springfield, the schedule for the conference including dinner plans( provided by the host), a list of people with telephone numbers -they may contact in case of questions or doubts.
• Apart from this, a help desk can be setup to answer questions 24x7 to answer and help the people who are attending the conference in all possible ways.
• On the day of the event volunteers will be arranged to guide people and assist them in reaching the destination.
• Flyers, printouts of information & directions etc. will be done in copy this and kept available for the participants.
• The projector, screens, remote control, speakers, microphones and other related technical items will be ordered from the conference services. Apart from this two technicians will be hired to arrange these things and stay during the course of the conference. (4 days from 7.30am – 4.30pm)
• A separate guide with directions to mall , taxi services, maps to different places, travel agencies will be also be provided to entertain the guest or spouse if accompanied.

Risk management plan:

• Have alternate arrangements for vehicles scheduled for pick up and drops, in case of break down.
• Book extra rooms to accommodate last minute additions
• Arrange for alternate locations that is suitable for seminar
• Have back-up guest speakers – if someone who is to deliver a speech is sick or delayed and also plan for other events to entertain guests
• Check the safety plans for the buildings and make sure a copy of the evacuation steps is given along with the welcome kit in case of emergencies
• Also have back up for technicians, volunteers, and systems
• Have a clause or condition included in the invitation & website – as to what are policies if the event is cancelled due to natural calamities or other unavoidable situations

Quality plan:

• Transportation – The quality of the vehicles to be used and the driver’s license of people assigned should be checked.
• Accommodation- Whether the plaza provides the participants with all the facilities as promised (good internet connection, taxi-services, parking- if requested, etc.) and the quality of their services
• Venue requirement- Does the different venue selected meets the requirements of holding such conferences, steps to reduce previously mentioned difficulties in conferences- if mentioned(lack of space or writing facilities), and also take a look on the recommendations on how to improve such conferences from feedbacks already received.
• Technical equipment – Rent the best equipment and check it at least two days before the event for quality apart from hiring good technicians to be there during the event just in case something goes wrong.
• Other checks – Try to ask or get information from the speakers as to whether they may need any special requirements or software, get a listed of approved speakers from ASC and their papers, have back up plan or extra speakers, etc.
• Feedback / Suggestions – Can give a feedback sheet to keep a record of any inconvenience or appreciation of some aspects - for future quality purpose.

Resource Management plan:

• Make sure enough vehicles are there to pick up people and in case we may have to have a tie up with a local car rental firm both in Springfield and in Branson.
• There must be enough rooms to accommodate all the people attending the conference and should also have a special room for the key speaker.
• Since we are outsourcing the food from chart-wells, we should provide the groceries list as per the chart-wells requirement.
• Get as much as office supplies needed for the event.
• Computers, printers, mike, scanners, projectors etc. much be readily available and there can be a standby for the above mentioned items in worst case scenario.
• PSU ball room, Carrington Theater, Juanita K Hammons hall and university plaza should be booked much earlier and should be readily available during the conference.
• The attending members, student ambassadors, TCM department head, other speakers, MSU president and key speaker should be informed much ahead of time and can be reminded before the day so that they are available.

Change Management plan:

• Any changes made, should be intimated to attending members immediately through any medium of communication.
• Logs should be maintained for those changes and must be accessible by the members of change management team.
• While making a change in the scheduling, budgeting or risk management or any other section, it’s better to have a team and evaluate the changes.
• This team should be diverse in such a way to make better decisions immediately.
• Information kiosks must be set up for the conference and it should be back up by the change management team to disclose any immediate changes.

Apart from we can also have student volunteers to deliver information regarding any important changes if need be.

2.7 Conduct processes to obtain project plan approval

• Get permission from Mr. Larry combs, from Safety and Transportation department to park the cars of the attendees.
• Apart from that can also get the additional permits for the rental cars to be parked near the PSU ball room, Carrington Theater, Juanita K. Hammons hall and the University plaza.
• Appropriate parking lots should be made available on appropriate days, to accommodate the attendees.
• Rental car services must be reserved in Enterprise, Hertz and budget one week before time, to make sure it’s available for the entirety of the program.
• Adequate number of computers, printers, projectors and scanner s should be obtained from Computer Services department and we need to get prior approval from Mr. Matthew Stublefield in that department.
• Apart from this we should also get the guest wireless network connection to the attendees, this should also be obtained from the computer services department.
• To print the appropriate size of flyers and banners we need to approach and obtain permission in Meyer Library – Microforms from Mr. Nathan Neuschwander.
• Need to book the university plaza hotel much ahead of time to accommodate the participants and a special suite to be booked for the key note speaker.
• Welcome kit should be made ready at least 2 days before the program.
• PSU ball room, Carrington Theater and Juanita K. Hammons hall should all be booked much ahead of time in PSU’s conference services department.
• Equipment’s needed for the program such as microphones, audio/visual, projectors and technical equipment’s should be booked in the conference services department.
• For the catering services we should give the menu and other details to Chartwells and book accordingly with Mr. Jaffery VanCamp throughout the program.
• All other speakers must be contacted couple of days before the program and make sure they are available in accordance with the program.
• Get the list of office supplies needed much ahead of time for the event and it should be ordered via university procurement team to get the best price.
• Attending members list should be prepared with all the contact details in case if we need to intimate anything immediately.
• Adequate number of student volunteers must be involved to manage the program effectively, their details must be gathered.
• Should also get permission from the fire department and safety and transportation department in order to make sure things are ok to conduct the program.
• Apart from that we may also have to get permission from the provost, president or any other higher authority to conduct the program.

4.1        Obtain final acceptance of deliverables from appropriate stakeholders

Permission – Office of President and Office of provost has approved and granted permission to conduct the program. We have also informed the Springfield fire department and Springfield Police Department about the event and they have already checked the location and made a mock drill if in case something goes wrong.