A worksheet to help plan a communications strategy

1. Section Description
1. Business Objectives (1) What does the program ultimately want to accomplish?
(2) What changes in outputs, or other interim results, will lead to accomplishing the
objectives?
2. Behavioral Objectives (1) Who needs to be involved?
(2) What does each stakeholder need to do to produce the targeted outputs (or interim
results)?
3. Stakeholder Analysis
What will be noticed and how it
will be interpreted
(1) What is each stakeholders’ frame of reference about the change?
a) Drivers: What aspects of the program and organization support targeted
behaviors?
b) Restrainers: What aspects of the program and organization support are barriers
to the targeted behaviors?
(2) What is each stakeholders’ frame of reference about communication? (e.g. stake of
channels, relationships, communication climate)
a) Drivers: What aspects of communication support reaching the stakeholder?
b) Restrainers: What aspects of communication are barriers reaching the
stakeholder?
4. Communication Objectives In light of the drivers and restrainers:
(1) What knowledge will influence the targeted behaviors?
(2) What attitude will influence the targeted behaviors?
5. Strategic
Approach
The summary “story” of how communication will convey the targeted knowledge and
attitudes.
a) What types of communication are essential (formal, engagement, leadership)?
b) What rhythm or phases will be employed?
6. Tactical Plan
--Messages
--Channels
--Senders
The detailed list and plan of communication activities that will be deployed, dates,
responsibilities, etc.
Jeffrey Brooke, The MITRE Corp. 2-5-16 Presentation to the Federal Communicators Network,
JBrooke@MITRE.org

2. Plan Section Description
1. Business Objectives
2. Behavioral Objectives
3. Stakeholder Analysis
What will be noticed and how it
will be interpreted.
4. Communication Objectives
5. Strategic
Approach
6. Tactical Plan
--Messages
--Channels
--Senders