Communications Breakdown and Templates

In order to rollout an effective Developer Communications Plan, you must ensure you send the right message, to the right audience, at the right time. Program communications are not a "one-and-done" event but rather an ongoing strategic initiative that keeps developers excited and engaged throughout the course of your program.

The Methodology

Within this Knowledge Base article, you will find a number of communications templates based on 1.) your chosen program model and 2.) the phase of your program.

At SCW, the three primary program models we have identified are: Elective Learning, Annual Compliance, and Comprehensive.

While Elective Learning communications rely on generating excitement and gamification to drive voluntary participation, Annual Compliance focuses on strict mandates and deadlines to ensure regulatory standards are met. The Comprehensive model, by comparison balances both by combining mandatory training with continuous, culture-building events like tournaments to foster deep engagement. You can read more about the program models here.

The second factor taken into consideration is the phase of your program: Pre-Launch, Launch Day, and Ongoing Curriculum & Engagement.

Pre-Launch communications include initial program introductions, while Launch Day messaging includes more explicit calls to action like accepting platform invitations or joining a Launch Tournament. Ongoing Curriculum & Engagement encompasses any communications after the initial two program phases like new assignments, Champion Program invitations, tournament announcements, and more.

The Templates

The templates below have been written so you can easily customize the messaging based on your organization's needs. No two programs are the same so feel free to adjust the flow so that it works for your team and program.

Each template includes implementation notes for additional context about the sender, timing, messaging, and more.

Elective Learning	Pre-Launch Templates	Ongoing Curriculum & Engagement Templates (Note: Templates include implementation notes for each of the program models).
	Launch Day Templates
Annual Compliance	Pre-Launch Templates
	Launch Day Templates
Comprehensive	Pre-Launch Templates
	Launch Day Templates

For a full Sample Program Communications Plan, see below.

Phase 1: Pre-Launch (The "Heads Up")

Goal: Prepare developers for launch and leadership to support the program.

Timing

Audience

Action Item & Subject Line

Implementation Notes

1 Week Before Launch

Developer Managers

Dev Manager Program Intro

Channel: Email/Developer Chat System

Subject: Launching Our Secure Coding Program: What Managers Need to Know OR Action Required: Launching Our Secure Coding Compliance Program

Elective/Comprehensive: Ask managers to "Champion the Launch" by promoting the Launch Tournament or Quest.

Compliance: Ask managers to "allocate time" and "monitor progress" to meet deadlines.

1 Week Before Launch

Developers

Developer Intro

Channel: Email/Developer Chat System

Subject: Launching Our Secure Coding Program!

Elective/Compliance/ Comprehensive: Explain the purpose of your secure coding program and if training is required or not. Let developers know that your program is launching in the coming week, allowing them to keep an eye out for invitations, training assignments, and tournament notifications.

Phase 2: Launch Day (The Kickoff)

Goal: Drive initial activation and clearly communicate expectations to developers.

Timing

Audience

Action Item & Subject Line

Implementation Notes

Launch Day

Developer Managers

Launch Day Communications

Channel: Email/Developer Chat System

Subject: Launching Our Secure Coding Program!

Elective/Comprehensive: Remind managers that your program is launching, asking them to encourage team participation in the Launch Tournament or Quest.

Compliance: Remind managers to "allocate time" and "monitor progress" to meet deadlines.

Launch Day

Developers

Launch Day Communications

Channel: Email/Developer Chat System

Subject: Launching Our Secure Coding Program!

Elective: Highlight the "Launch Tournament" or first Quest immediately as the "Hook" to excite learners.

Compliance: State clearly that learning is "Mandatory" and establish the deadline.

Comprehensive: Blend the mandate with the "Fun Part" (Launch Tournament or first Quest).

Phase 3: Ongoing Year 1 Curriculum & Engagement

Goal: Execute the specific curriculum defined for Year 1 of your chosen program model.

Timing	Audience	Action Item & Subject Line	Implementation Notes
Quarterly	Developers	Optional: Vulnerability of the Quarter Channel: Email/Developer Chat System Subject: Keep Your Security Skills Sharp: Vulnerability of the Quarter	Elective/Compliance/ Comprehensive: Keep momentum for your program with a “Vulnerability of the Quarter Quest” to engage developers and keep them learning through the year.
Training Deadlines	Developer Managers/Developers	Training Deadline Reminders Channel: Email/Developer Chat System Subject: Don’t forget: __________ is due!	Elective: Suggested due dates to guide the overall training flow may be helpful to learners, even while not being strictly enforced. Compliance/Comprehensive: Communicate deadlines and provide regular reminders of approaching due dates.
Monthly - Quarterly	Developers/Developer Managers	Developer Recognition Channel: Email/Developer Chat System Subject: Monthly Developer Shoutouts!	Elective/Compliance/ Comprehensive: Recognize developers and highlight monthly achievements to show developers that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. Shoutouts from executive leadership are even more powerful in this context.
6-8 Months Post Launch	Developers	Annual Tournament / Cybermon Invitation Channel: Email/Developer Chat System Subject: Join the Tournament: Compete for prizes and glory!	Elective/Comprehensive: Build excitement and drive developer engagement through the spirit of competition. Compliance: N/A
Start of Champions Program	Developers	Champions Program Invitation Channel: Email/Developer Chat System Subject: Monthly Developer Shoutouts!	Elective/Compliance/ Comprehensive: Recognize developers and highlight monthly achievements to show developers that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. Shoutouts from executive leadership are even more powerful in this context.

The SCW platform sends a number of system emails by default, including invitations, notifications of new assignments and due dates, and more! You can adjust your communication preferences and read more about default system emails here.