In our increasingly mobile world, expectations about receiving information have changed. People want the freedom to receive important news any time, any place—and mobile devices deliver that freedom.

According to Citrix, employees typically use three or more devices daily for work activities. In fact, the number of devices managed by companies has increased by 72% between 2014 and 2015.

Use this knowledge to your advantage: Build an internal communication plan that delivers information straight to employees’ mobile screens. Follow this blueprint to learn how to add a mobile strategy to your communication plan:

Gather demographics
A solid foundation begins with data:

• Find out how many employees have company-issued phones or tablets. The more employees with devices, the more mobile tactics you should add.
• Determine which devices and operating systems are in use. Differences in hardware and software can alter end-user experiences, so plan ahead.

Hold an initial brief with IT
Interview your IT partners to assess the current state:

• Is the company currently using any mobile tactics (integrated calendar, email formatting, access to company websites)?
• Does IT have plans to implement any mobile tactics?
• What options (if any) are available for mobile email, websites or applications?

Brainstorm
Now take some time to draw up innovative ideas.

Consider employee demographics and IT capabilities. And be sure your mobile device tactics support your communication objectives, not the other way around.

Hold an employee focus group
Before you break ground, test your ideas with colleagues to ensure your project meets their needs.

Assemble a representative group of employees, and ask the following:

• How often do you use your mobile device?
• When do you prefer to receive company information on your mobile device instead of your work computer?
• Would you use a personal mobile phone or tablet to access company content?
• How often would you read corporate emails (or access the intranet) on your mobile device if they fit your screen?
• What topics do you think are best delivered on a mobile device?

Workshop with IT
Once you’ve refined your strategy, it’s time to build your framework.

Schedule another meeting with IT to determine what’s possible and plan next steps. Here’s what to ask:

• Is it possible to create mobile-friendly email templates, websites, apps, search functions, calendars, widgets, etc.?
• How much time will it take?
• How much will it cost?
• What do we need to do to get started?