Patent ID: 7640312

Claim:
A method for managing communications pursuant to an Information Technology (IT) migration, comprising: obtaining a mailing schedule for sending a plurality of electronic messages for the IT migration, the mailing schedule including multiple dates, wherein each of the multiple dates is assigned to a type of electronic message in the plurality of electronic messages; obtaining at least one selection criterion for generating an initial distribution list; comparing the at least one selection criterion to personnel records contained in a directory to identify an initial set of electronic message recipients for the initial distribution list; creating a user record in a first database for each of the initial set of electronic message recipients based on the personnel records; sending an initial electronic message from a second database to the initial set of electronic message recipients according to the mailing schedule using electronic addresses obtained from the user records of the first database; generating a follow-up distribution list containing a follow-up set of electronic message recipients based on responses to the initial electronic message; wherein the follow-up distribution list is distinct from the initial distribution list and can contain other recipients not included in the initial distribution list; and sending a follow-up electronic message from the second database to the follow-up set of electronic message recipients according to the mailing schedule, wherein the follow-up electronic message is assigned to a different date of the multiple dates in the mailing list, and wherein the sending of the follow-up electronic message occurs on a different date than the sending of the initial electronic message.