If you’re leading a major project, you may need to consider how its progress and outcomes are communicated to key stakeholders and the wider community. If so, you will need to develop a communications strategy.
 
The framework below can be used to think through the communication needs for any project. The approach is based on the idea that for communication to be effective, the audience must want to do what you want them to do. It involves considering what people need to know, think and feel in order to be motivated to act in the desired way.

​WHO?
The start point is identifying the key stakeholders: those whose opinions are most important and whose actions will have the biggest impact on the success of the project.
 
DO?
The next step is to consider each stakeholder (or group of similar stakeholders) and decide what you want them to do as a result of the communication. Do you want them to make a certain decision? Advocate a course of action? Express a particular point of view in order to influence others?
 
THINK, FEEL AND KNOW?
This is the most important stage in the process. It requires putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, and imagining what’s actually important to them and what would make them want to act in the way you desire. Consider what they’d need to think and feel, and what new knowledge might help.
 
SEE, HEAR AND TRY?
The next step is to establish the experiences people need to have in order to think and feel in the desired way. What messages are relevant?  Which media would work best? Do they need hands-on experience with something to shape their opinions?
 
HOW, WHEN AND WHERE?
The final step is to define the channels, develop the creative content and agree on the timeline that will deliver the communication plan most effectively.

​See also Communications Plan Template.