Templates

Get off to a good start

We have a number of document templates available to use for planning and sharing information. These templates are designed to be flexible, and should be shaped and edited to suit your specific needs.

Planning

A communications plan is a tool to help you make sure you’re speaking with the right people, at the right time, in a way that will improve outcomes. It helps you to map from your overall goal to specific tactics that are all strategically and thematically aligned to push towards a measurable change in opinion and behaviour.

This is a comprehensive, annotated communications plan designed to be used for larger and more complex projects, or edited down to its simplest form for smaller projects.
Communications Plan Template [Word]
This is a simplified communications plan designed to be used for smaller projects, or to provide a brief overview of a more complex plan’s goals, approach, or key messages.
Communications Brief Template [Word]
This is a basic engagement and change matrix for the VPFO, while typically for larger and more complex projects it can be targeted for smaller projects.
VPFO Audience Matrix for Engagement and Change [Excel]

Management & Executive Communications Tools

Whether communicating with peers, other departments, or senior executives, having your thoughts and messaging well-organized can help keep your business goals on-track and in-line with portfolio and university strategy.

A briefing note distills complex information about an issue or event into a short, well-structured document to quickly and effectively inform a decision-maker so they can speak on message, with correct information.
Briefing Note Template [Word]
This template is a quick way to create a framing document for managers. It presents your communications plan in small, usable pieces, to brief managers and supervisors so they are equipped to brief their staff.
Information Toolkit Template [Word]
This template is used for more formal communication than an email, but less formal that a UBC Broadcast or Bulletin.
Memo Template [Word]

Staff Communications Tools

When reaching out into the university, we all represent the VPFO and UBC. These templates will help you put your best foot forward.

This Word template allows you to easily create an on-brand document. This can be used for plans, reports, announcements, etc.
Generic Template [Word]
This Word template allows you to easily create an on-brand report, including cover page options, table styles, and images. Simply add in your content, swap out photos, and delete what you don’t need.
Report Template [Word]
More templates and resources, including those for powerpoint, research posters, and publications, are available on the brand.ubc.ca website. UBC’s Brand Identity Rules are also available here.
UBC Brand website
This guide provides instructions for creating email signatures that follow UBC’s Brand Guidelines and align with VPFO recommendations, including a series of examples.
VPFO Email Signature Guide [Word]
Use the email signature generator from the UBC Brand website as a basis to keep your emails on-brand. Refer to the VPFO Email Signature Guide for examples from our portfolio.
UBC Email Signature Generator website
The full template comes with customizable campus photos, while the text-based template will help you to create a simplified presentation. Both come in standard widescreen (16:9) and backwards compatible (4:3) sizes.
Presentation Templates [PowerPoint]
UBC’s digital signage network can put your message into buildings across campus. The digitalsignage.ubc.ca website has templates to get you started.
Digital Signage Templates [PowerPoint]