Communication Plan v2.0

As part of its continuing effort to enhance the effectiveness of technology services at Bergen Community College, the institution’s technology leadership developed this Annual Communication Plan for Information Technology (IT) to strengthen the level and quality of communication between the institution’s technology operations and the College community. In developing the plan, the management team for the Office of Information Technology (OIT), with the support and guidance of the Vice President for Technology and Information Services, utilized the Collegis Communication Planning Model as the initial framework for this project and revised it as necessary to fit Bergen’s environment.

The Collegis model centers communication planning around “communication triggers,” which are major events or activities that create distinct information needs for definable audiences. Identifying the College’s IT “communication triggers” allowed the OIT management team to set any of its proposed communication activities within the context of Bergen’s operating schedule, as well as those of its IT organizations.

In addition to identifying a draft set of communication triggers, the planning framework for this process also covers the following key issues:
• What are the major audiences with which the IT operations need to communicate in relation to a given trigger?
• What are the communication needs of each audience in relation to that event or activity?
• Who within the College has responsibility for making sure the identified IT communication needs are met (either directly or in coordination with other College managers and staff)?
• What are the primary methods through which the relevant unit or units will communicate with the intended audiences (e.g., email, personal meetings, web postings, etc.)?
• What are the general tasks associated with meeting a given communication need?
• When do the relevant communication efforts need to take place?
• What are the estimated resource requirements for meeting the need in question?

The College’s IT leadership views the development and implementation of this Annual IT Communication Plan as an important step in further strengthening Bergen’s IT services. It believes that, as the College moves from planning to implementation, the Bergen community will benefit significantly from the ongoing dialogue the Plan will establish between the College’s IT operations and their major clients.

Annual Communication Plan