10 Project Communication Management

The processes necessary to ensure that the information needs of the project and its stakeholders are met through development of artifacts and implementation of activities designed to achieve effective information exchange.

1. Developing a strategy to ensure communication is effective for stakeholders. A communications management plan is developed: appropriate messages through appropriate formats and means for the stakeholders.
2. Carrying out the activities necessary to implement the communication strategy. Execute the communication management plan:
   1. Collection;
   2. Creation;
   3. Dissemination;
   4. Storage;
   5. Retrieval;
   6. Management;
   7. Tracking;
   8. Disposition

of the communication artifacts.

Key Concepts for Project Communications Management

The information exchanges:

1. Written form.
2. Spoken.
3. Formal / informal.
4. Through gestures.
5. Through media.
6. Choice of words.

Project managers spend most of their time communicating with team members and other project stakeholders, both internal (at all organizational levels) and external to the organization.

Activities:

• Internal.
• External.
• Formal.
• Informal.
• Hierarchical focus.
  • Upward.
  • Downward.
  • Horizontal.
• Official.
• Unofficial.
• Written.
• Oral.

Misunderstanding can be reduced through 5C:

1. Correct grammar and spelling.
2. Concise expression and elimination of excess words.
3. Clear purpose and expression directed to the needs of the reader.
4. Coherent logical flow of ideas. Using "markers" (introductions and summaries).
5. Controlling flow of word and ideas. + graphics and summaries.

Communication skills:

• Listening actively.
• Awareness of cultural and personal differences.
• Identifying, setting, and managing stakeholder expectations.
• Enhancement of skills:
  • Persuading a person, a team, or an organization to perform an action;
  • Motivating people and providing encouragement or reassurance;
  • Coaching to improve performance and achieve desired results;
  • Negotiating to achieve mutually acceptable agreements between parties and reduce approval or decision delays; and
  • Resolving conflict to prevent disruptive impacts.

he fundamental attributes of effective communication activities and developing effective communication artifacts are:

• Clarity on the purpose of the communication—defining its purpose;
• Understanding as much as possible about the receiver of the communications, meeting needs, and preferences; and
• Monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of the communications.

Trends and Emerging Practices in Project Communications Management

• Inclusion of stakeholders in project reviews. Regular and timely reviews of the stakeholder community and updates to manage changes in its membership and attitudes.
• Inclusion of stakeholders in project meetings. Short, daily standup meetings, where the achievements and issues of the previous day, and plans for the current day's work, are discussed with the project team and key stakeholders.
• Increased use of social computing.
• Multifaceted approaches to communication.

Tailoring Considerations

• Stakeholders. Internal/external/both.
• Physical location.
• Communications technology.
• Language.
• Knowledge management. Is the repository used?

Considerations for Agile/Adaptive Environments

Need to communicate evolving and emerging details more frequently and quickly. This motivates streamlining team member access to information, frequent team checkpoints, and colocating team members as much as possible, posting project artifacts in a transparent fashion, and holding regular stakeholder reviews