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Communications

Communications visual

Overview

Communications helps teams plan clear, timely, and audience-aware communications that support awareness, understanding, and action.

This area focuses on shaping what stakeholders need to know, when they need to know it, how messages should be delivered, and how feedback should be captured. It supports change initiatives by creating a structured messaging approach that keeps stakeholders informed, reduces uncertainty, and reinforces the actions needed for successful adoption.

For more information about the OCM CoE model, visit the OCM CoE main page.

Why It Matters

During periods of change, stakeholders need more than general updates. They need relevant information that explains what is changing, why it matters, how they may be affected, and what actions they may need to take.

Strong communications help create clarity, reinforce trust, and support engagement across stakeholder groups. By defining core messages, communication channels, review processes, and delivery timelines, project teams can avoid fragmented messaging, reduce confusion, and maintain visibility throughout the change lifecycle.

Communications also provide an important feedback mechanism. When teams create opportunities for questions, input, and response, they can adjust messaging, address concerns earlier, and better support stakeholder readiness.

Supporting Activities

Communication Strategy defines the messaging approach for the initiative, including audiences, core messages, channels, cadence, feedback loops, and review governance. It establishes how communications will build awareness, understanding, and support for the change. 

This activity helps teams:

  • Define the communication goals and principles for the initiative.
  • Develop core messages that explain the purpose, value, and impact of the change.
  • Identify appropriate channels and feedback pathways for different stakeholder groups.
  • Establish review, approval, and governance processes for communication development.

Communication Plan translates the strategy into a detailed roadmap for execution. It outlines what will be communicated, to whom, by whom, through which channel, and on what timeline. 

This activity helps teams:

  • Organize communication activities by audience, message, channel, owner, and timing.
  • Coordinate drafting, review, approval, and delivery responsibilities.
  • Create visual summaries or calendars to make communication activities easier to track.
  • Maintain a working plan that evolves with project milestones, stakeholder feedback, and changing needs.

Communication Delivery focuses on creating, reviewing, distributing, and refining communications throughout implementation. It is where the communication strategy and plan become visible to stakeholders through emails, meetings, newsletters, presentations, web updates, FAQs, and other channels.

This activity helps teams:

  • Draft and distribute communications aligned to approved messaging and timelines.
  • Monitor delivery status, audience engagement, questions, and feedback.
  • Adjust messages or communication cadence based on stakeholder needs.
  • Keep communications coordinated across project, OCM, leadership, and institutional channels.

OCM CoE Support

The OCM COE partners with campus units and project teams to develop communication strategies that build awareness, understanding, and engagement throughout the change journey. We help teams define communication objectives, develop audience-centered messaging, establish effective communication channels, and create coordinated communication plans that support successful adoption.

Our level of engagement is tailored to each initiative. Depending on the magnitude of change, we may provide strategic guidance, collaborate with project teams to develop communication strategies and plans, or provide hands-on support to create, coordinate, and deliver communication activities.

Support may include:

  • Facilitating the development of a Communication Strategy aligned with project goals and stakeholder needs 
  • Developing or reviewing Communication Plans that define audiences, messaging, channels, timing, and ownership 
  • Advising on communication governance, review, and approval processes 
  • Developing core messaging frameworks and audience-specific communication approaches 
  • Supporting the creation, coordination, and delivery of communication materials across project milestones 
  • Providing templates, tools, and best practices aligned with UCLA's OCM methodology 
  • Advising teams on how to scale communication activities based on project size, complexity, stakeholder impact, and adoption risk

For access to the OCM CoE resources, including how-to toolkits, templates, and sample materials, please contact us via email: dtsocmcoe@it.ucla.edu. We are also available to answer any questions about the OCM methodology or to discuss your OCM needs.