The Communications Framework™️

Manage communications learning as an investment linked to strategic value.

Discover how you and your team can use The Framework

Ragan Communications knows you are striving for growth that drives business results. That’s why we elevate learning and development (L&D) with content, resources and communities for communicators like you who value knowledge as a competitive advantage. We developed The Communications Framework™ to help high-performing teams map L&D across two areas that determine communications success: essential skills and emerging knowledge.

THE ESSENTIALS

Strategic Communications | Planning & Counseling | Storytelling | Writing
Financial Literacy | Technology | Measurement | Leadership & Management
From writing to leadership, these fundamentals fuel your success.

Start of LEARNING PATHWAY

4 Learning Paths: Basic | Intermediate | Advanced | Upskilling

6 KNOWLEDGE AREAS

No matter your level, there's a growth track for you.
1

Internal
Comms

Employee experience
Executive comms
Manager comms
Crisis response
Issues/risk management
HR comms/ wellness
DEI&B
Change communications
2

Public
Relations

Media relations
Community relations
Crisis response
CSR/sustainability/ social impact
Employer branding
Investor relations/ financial comms
ESG
Public affairs/ Issues management
3

Social
Media &
Marketing

Organic
Branding
SEO
GEO
Community management
Influencer marketing
Event marketing
Marcomms
Content marketing
4

Business
Acumen

Budgeting & forecasting
Financial reporting
Competitive marketplace
Business fluency
Value chain
Project management
Measurement & data
Cross-Departmental Knowledge (HR, marketing, IT, legal)
5

Leadership

Transformation
Executive presence
Change management
Negotiation skills
Business law & ethics
Innovation
Mentoring & coaching
Conflict management
Emotional intelligence
Leading teams
6

Technology

Digital strategy
Email marketing
Intranets
Artificial intelligence
Technology stacks
AR/VR
Cybersecurity
Policy/Compliance
Discover your strengths across six key knowledge areas.
Download the Framework Here
Watch how the framework works!

COMING SOON

We are bringing The Framework to life with a dynamic self-assessment tool. Ragan’s Skills Assessment helps you identify your skills and competency levels and uncover growth opportunities—mapped directly to The Framework’s pillars.

Trusted by Communications Teams Worldwide

Join innovative organizations applying The Communications Framework for strategic impact, including:

Oracle

Empowers high-potential learners across global team

Cargill

Applies learner personas for global comms training

Jeld Wen

Boosts business acumen with tailored individual development plans

Explore The Framework's managed learning system, which includes your learning advisor, materials and mapped pathways based on Ragan's blended learning experiences.

Contact Us

Top Skills for Professional Communicators Today

76% Writing & Editing

Writing & Editing

59% Storytelling Techniques

Storytelling Techniques

59% Media & Communications Technology

Media & Communications Technology

46% Measurement/ Data Analysis

Measurement/ Data Analysis

46% Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence

Communications learning framework FAQ

What is The Communications Framework?

The Communications Framework is Ragan's learning roadmap for communicators. It organizes professional development around essential skills, six knowledge pillars and four learning paths so individuals and teams can prioritize what to learn next.

What are the six learning pillars for communicators?

The six knowledge pillars are Internal Communications, Public Relations, Social Media and Marketing, Business Acumen, Leadership, and Technology.

How can the framework help identify communications skill gaps?

Use the framework to compare current strengths and development needs across the essential skills and the six knowledge pillars. Then select the Basic, Intermediate, Advanced or Upskilling pathway that best matches each priority.

Who is The Communications Framework for?

The framework is for communications professionals, people managers and learning leaders who want a shared way to plan development for individuals or communications teams.

More Ways to Fuel Your Growth

Ragan

Ragan supports learning at all phases of your career journey.

Ragan's Communications Leadership Council
Ragan's Center for AI Strategy
Ragan Training
Contact Us