In Project Communications Management, which output is produced by the Communications Planning process?

Introduction / Context:
Communications Planning is the process in which the project manager and team determine the information and communication needs of stakeholders. The key question is who needs what information, when they need it, and how it will be provided. The main result of this work is a document that guides project communication throughout the life cycle. This question asks you to identify that document among several possible plan outputs.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The process in focus is Communications Planning.
• We are asked to identify its primary output.
• Options list different management plans and a scope statement from different knowledge areas.
• We assume PMI aligned terminology and roles for each plan.

Concept / Approach:
In PMI process structure, each planning process typically produces a management plan that directs work in that knowledge area. Communications Planning therefore produces the Communications Management Plan. This plan specifies stakeholder communication requirements, information to be communicated, formats, frequency, distribution methods, and escalation procedures. Documents such as the risk management plan, human resource management plan, quality management plan, and project scope statement are created by other planning processes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the purpose of Communications Planning, which is to define communication needs and strategies. Step 2: Identify the natural output of such a planning effort, namely a Communications Management Plan. Step 3: Look at the answer choices and find the one that clearly names the Communications Management Plan and briefly describes its content. Step 4: See that option a describes a plan that clarifies who needs what information, when, and how it will be delivered, which matches Communications Management Plan. Step 5: Recognize that the other plans relate to risk, human resources, quality, and scope, all of which are managed by different planning processes.

Verification / Alternative check:
Imagine preparing to start a complex project with many stakeholders. One of your early tasks is to document how progress reports, technical updates, and issue escalations will be handled. This involves deciding on communication channels, meeting schedules, and reporting formats. The result of that effort is a Communications Management Plan, which is then used throughout execution. This scenario confirms that Communications Planning directly produces the Communications Management Plan.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Risk Management Plan is created during risk management planning processes, not during Communications Planning. The Human Resource Management Plan is produced by Human Resource Planning. The Quality Management Plan aligns with quality planning processes. The Project Scope Statement is a key output of scope definition, not communications planning. Therefore, they are not the correct outputs for this process.

Common Pitfalls:
A recurring mistake is to assume that any kind of plan could be an output of any planning process. Instead, it is better to link each plan tightly to one knowledge area. When you see Communications Planning, immediately think of the Communications Management Plan and stakeholder communication requirements, which will guide you to the correct answer.

Final Answer:
The primary output of Communications Planning is the Communications Management Plan describing who needs what information, when, and how it will be delivered.