What is a stakeholder communication plan and what should it include?

• A. A plan outlining how, when, and to whom information is communicated; includes audiences, channels, cadence, and escalation paths.
• B. A plan to avoid communication.
• C. A plan to define technical jargon.
• D. A plan to share only internally; includes budgets.

Answer: (A)

A stakeholder communication plan is a document that maps out how information will be shared with people who have an interest in the project. The strongest version of this plan specifies who needs information (audiences), through what channels the information will be delivered (email, meetings, dashboards, reports), how often updates will occur (cadence), and how issues or questions will be handled if something goes off-track (escalation paths). It may also identify who is responsible for each message, the format and timing of communications, and how feedback will be collected and used.

This combination—who needs what, how it will be delivered, when it will happen, and how problems are escalated—ensures stakeholders receive timely, appropriate information, which helps manage expectations and support informed decision-making.

Why the other options don’t fit: one aims to avoid communication, which defeats the purpose of keeping stakeholders informed; another focuses only on defining jargon, which is part of how we communicate but not the plan itself; and a plan that states sharing only internally and mentions budgets is too narrow and misses the broader aim of coordinating with both internal and external stakeholders and the actual flow of information.