The PM should consult the communication plan because it defines who receives updates, what information they need, when/how often they should receive it, and which channel/form should be used (email, meeting, dashboard, report, chat, etc.). Project+ emphasizes tailoring communications to stakeholder needs and using a planned approach to avoid confusion, missed expectations, or inconsistent messaging—especially around deliverables, acceptance, and progress.
A dashboard is a tool that may be used to publish updates, but it doesn’t decide communication rules by itself. A status report is one possible artifact (often produced on a cadence defined in the communication plan), but it’s not the governing document for selecting channels and audiences. Meeting minutes document what happened in a meeting; they’re useful for traceability, but they’re not the primary guide for how deliverable updates should be distributed going forward.
So, when the question is specifically “how to send updates,” the communication plan is the source of truth: it ensures consistent delivery, reduces noise, and aligns with stakeholder preferences and governance requirements.
