Tag: Project Communication Management

Project Communication Management Summary 6th Edition

 

1. An effective communications management plan is developed early in project life cycle.
2. Misunderstandings can  be  reduced  using  the  5C’  (Correct  grammar  and  spelling, Concise expression and elimination for excess words, Clear purpose and expression, Coherent logical flow of ideas and Controlling flow of words and ideas).

3. Communication Requirements Analysis:

✓  Determines the information needs of the project stakeholders.  These requirements are defined by combining the type and format of information  needed with an analysis of the value of that information .

✓  Sources of information include (Stakeholder information, Number of potential communication  channels,  Organizational  charts,  Development  approach, Internal and external information and Legal requirements).

4. Communication Technology:

✓  Methods  includes  (Conversation, meetings, Written  documents, Databases and Websites).

✓  Factors that affect the choice of communication include (Urgency of the need for information, Availability and reliability of technology, Ease of use, Project environment (face-to-face or virtual) and Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information).

5. Communication Models:

✓  Sample basic sender/receiver communication model:  This model consists two parties (sender and receiver). This model is concerned with ensuring that message is delivered, rather than understood.

▪   Encode:  The message is coded into symbols, such as text, sound or some other medium.

▪   Transmit message: The message is sent via a communication channel.

The  transmission  of  this  message  may  be  compromised  by  various physical factors (unfamiliar  technology) or inadequate infrastructure. Noise may result in loss of information in transmission/reception .

▪   Decode:  Data received is translated by the receiver back into a form  useful to the receiver.

✓  Sample Interactive communication model: This model consists two parties  (sender and receiver), but recognizes the need to ensure the message has been  understood.

▪   Acknowledge:  Upon  receipt  of  a  message,  the  receiver  may  signal (acknowledge)  receipt  of  the  message,  but  this  does  not  necessarily  mean agreement with or comprehension of the message.

▪   Feedback/response: When the received message has been decoded and  understood, the receiver encodes thoughts and ideas into a message and then  transmits  this  message  to  the  original  sender.  If  the  sender                        perceives   that   the   feedback   matches   the   original   message,   the  communication has been successful. Feedback can be achieved through active listening.

✓  The sender is responsible for the transmission of the message, ensuring the information  being  communicated  is  clear  and  complete  and  confirm  the message is correctly interpreted.

✓  The receiver is responsible  for ensuring that the information is received in its   entirety,   interpreted   correctly  and acknowledged or responded  to appropriately.

6. Communication Methods:

✓  Interactive  communication:  Between  two  or  more  parties  performing  a  multidirectional exchange of information in real time like  (Meetings, phone calls, video conferencing and instant messaging).

✓  Push communication:  Sent or distributed directly to specific recipients who need to receive the information. Like (letters, memos, reports, emails, faxes, voicemail and blogs).

✓  Pull communication: Used for large complex information sets, or for large audiences, and requires the recipients to access content at their own discretion subject  to  security  procedure.  Like  (web  portals,  intranet  sites,  e-learning, lessons learned databases or knowledge repositories).

7. Interpersonal and Team Skills:

✓  Communication style assessment: A technique used to  assess  communication styles and identify the preferred communication method for   planned communication activities.

✓  Political  awareness:  Helps  the  project  manager  to  plan  communications based  on  the project   environment as well as organization’s political environment. Political  awareness concerns the recognition of power  relationships, both formal and informal and also the willingness to operate within these structures.

✓  Cultural awareness: Understanding of the difference between individual and groups and adapting the project’s communication strategy in the context of these differences. This minimize misunderstandings and miscommunications that may result in cultural differences.

8. Communication Management Plan:

✓  The  communications  management  plan  is  a  component  of  the  project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned,  structured, implemented, and monitored for effectiveness.

✓  This communication management plan can include guidelines and templates for  project  status  meetings,  project team meetings,  e-meetings,  and  email messages.

✓  It also contains “Escalation processes”.

9. The Manage Communications process ensure that the information has been generated is appropriately generated and formatted and received by the intended audience. Also provides opportunities for stakeholders to make requests for further information and clarification.

10. Communication Skills:

✓  Communication  competence:  A  combination  of  tailored  communication skills  that  considers  factors  such  as  clarity  of  purpose  in  key  messages, effective relationships and information sharing, and leadership behaviors.

✓  Feedback:  information about reactions to communications or a deliverable. Feedback supports interactive communication between the manager, team and stakeholders. Example (coaching, negotiating and mentoring).

✓  Nonverbal: Examples of nonverbal communication include appropriate body language  to  transmit  meaning  through  gestures,  tone  of  voice,  and  facial expressions, eye contact and Mirroring.

✓  Presentation:  Formal delivery of information and/or documentation. Clear  and  effective  presentations  of  project  information  to  relevant  stakeholders  include  (Progress  reports,  Background  information,  General  information  about the project and specific information on a subject).

11. Project Reporting:

✓  Project reporting is the act of collecting and distributing project information.

✓  Reporting format may range from a simple communication to more elaborate custom reports.

✓  While work performance reports are the output of the Monitor and Control Project   Work   process,   this   process  develops   ad   hoc   reports,   project presentations blogs.

12. Interpersonal and Team Skills:

✓  Active Listening:  Involve  acknowledging, clarifying and confirming, understanding and removing barriers that adversely affect comprehension .

✓  Meeting management: taking steps to ensure meetings meet their intended  objectives effectively and efficiently.

✓  Networking:  interacting  with  others  to  exchange  information  and  develop contacts.  Networks  provide  the  manager  and  the  team  access  to  informal organizations to solve problems, influence actions of their stakeholders, and increase stakeholder support for the work and outcomes.

✓  Political  awareness:  assists  the  project  manager  in  engaging  stakeholders appropriately to maintain their support throughout the project.

13. Project Communications: Project  communications  artifacts  includes:  performance reports, deliverable  status,  schedule  progress, cost  incurred, presentations,  and  other information required by stakeholders.

14. Monitor Communications process can trigger an iteration of the Plan Communications Management and/or Manage Communications processes to improve effectiveness of communication.

15. Observation/Conversation: Discussion and  dialogue  with  the  project  team  helps  determine the most appropriate way to update and communicate project performance, and to respond to requests from stakeholders for information. Also help the manager to detect any conflicts between people.