The communication matrix is a systematic way of identifying members of the team and the themes they need to know in carrying out your improvement work.
Download RCGP Quick guide: Communication Matrix
Almost all improvement work involves teamwork. If we forget to inform or involve all the right people in our improvement work from the start, projects are more likely to fail to achieve their aim. However there are some common errors made when communicating new things to our team:
- We forget to think of all the people who are either affected by our project, or whose help we need to implement it.
- We give everyone the same information by sending out a blanket email. Sometimes too much information means that it either goes unread, or it is unclear to the receiver which aspects are relevant to them.
This simple communication matrix can help you generate both the targeted messages and instructions that will help your message to be received and understood.
How to
- Along the top horizontal axis write the groups or individuals who need to know about the project
- Along the vertical axis you list the main themes that need to be known.
- In each box you place specific details of what that group or individual needs to know about that theme.
Below is an example for a project to reduce the number of dirty cups in a practice
| Task/Item | GP | Practice Nurse | Admin | Cleaner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washing liquid | May need instruction to use | Reinforce not to be hand maiden | To order if need more | To check if need more |
| Rota for clean up | In GP rooms | Review in 1 month | ||
| Penalty system | Where do profits go? | |||
| Named cups | To decide name on cup | Leave dirty cups on shelf |
