3 Main Processes in Project
Communications Management
1. Planning communications management
A communication managements plan is a
document that guids project communications.
Includes:
1. Stakeholder
communication
requirements
8. A glossary of common terminology
2. Information to be communicated,
including format, content, and level of
detail
3. Who will receive the
information and who
will produce it
4. Suggested methods or
technologies for conveying the
information
5. Frequency of Information
6. Escalation procedures for updating the
communications management plan
7. Revision procedures for resolving issues
2. Managing communications management
Using a project management information system,
you can create and organize project documents,
schedules, meeting minutes, and customer
requests
Project managers must determine the best way to create and
distribute the information.
Selecting the Appropriate
Communication Methods and Media
3 broad classifications for
communication methods
Interactive communication
Two or more people interact - ensures common understanding
Push communication
ensures that information is distributed, but does
not guarantee that it is received or understood
Pull communication
Information is sent to recipients at their request
Reporting Performance
Keeps stakeholders informed about how
resources are being used to achieve project
objectives
Two types of reports
Status reports
describe where the project stands at a
specific point in time
addresses
time
scope
cost
progress reports
describe what the project team has
accomplished during a certain period
forecasts
Status review meetings
3. Controlling communictions management
Goal: to ensure the optimal flow of information
throughout the entire project life cycle.
It is often beneficial to have a facilitator from
outside the project team assess how well
communications are working.
Inputs
1. Project management plan
2. Project communications
3. Issue logs
4. Work performance data
5. Organizational process assets
Goal: To ensure timely and appropriate
gneration, collection, dissemination, storage
and disposition of project information.
Keys to good communication
Focusing on Group and Individual
Communication Needs
Formal and Informal Methods for
Communicating
Distributing Important Information in
an Effective and Timely Manner
Setting the Stage for
Communicating Bad News
Understanding Communication Channels
As the number of people involved in
a project increases, the complexity of
communication increases due to an
increase in number of
communication channels
number of communication channels = n(n-1)/2
Suggestions for Improving Project Communications
Developing Better Communication Skills
Running Effective Meetings
8 Guidelines to do so
Determine if a meeting can be avoided
Define the purpose and intended outcome
of the meeting
Determine who should be attending the meeting
Provide an agenda to the participants before
the meeeting
Prepare handouts and visual aids, and make logistical
arrangements ahead of time
Run the meeting professionally
Set the ground rules for the meeting
Build relationships
Using E-mail, Instant Messaging, Texting, and
Collaborative Tools Effectively