10 - Communications Flashcards
Acknowledgment
The receiver signals that the message has been received. An acknowledgment shows receipt of the message, but not necessarily agreement with the message.
Active listening
The receiver confirms that the message is being received through feedback, questions, prompts for clarity, and other signs of confirmation.
Choice of media
The best modality to use when communicating that is relevant to the information being communicated.
Communication assumptions
Anything that the project management team
believes to be true but hasn’t proven to be true. For example, the project management team may assume that all of the project team can be reached via cell phone, but parts of the world, as of this writing, don’t have a cell signal.
Communication barrier
Anything that prohibits communication from occurring.
Communication channels formula
N(N – 1)/2, where N represents the number of identified stakeholders. This formula reveals the total number of communication channels within a project.
Communication constraints
Anything that limits the project management
team’s options. When it comes to communication constraints, geographical locales, incompatible communications software, and even limited communications technology can constrain the project team.
Communications management plan
A project management subsidiary plan that defines the stakeholders who need specific information, the person who will supply the information, the schedule for the information to be supplied, and the approved modality to provide the information.
Decoder
The device that decodes a message as it is being received.
Effective listening
The receiver is involved in the listening experience by paying attention to visual cues from the speaker and paralingual characteristics, and by asking relevant questions.
Encoder
The device that encodes the message being sent.
Feedback
The sender confirms that the receiver understands the message by directly asking for a response, questions for clarification, or other confirmation.
Influence/impact grid
Stakeholders are mapped on a grid based on their influence over the project in relation to their influence over the project execution.
Information presentation tools
A software package that allows the project management team to present the project’s health through graphics, spreadsheets, and text. (Think of Microsoft Project.)
Information retrieval system
A system to quickly and effectively store, archive, and access project information.
Interactive communication
This is the most common and most effective approach to communication. It’s where two or more people exchange information. Consider status meetings, ad-hoc meetings, phone calls, and videoconferences.
Lessons learned
This is documentation of what did and did not work in the project implementation. Lessons learned documentation is created throughout the project by the entire project team. When
lessons learned sessions are completed, they’re available to be used and applied by the entire organization. They are now part of the organizational process assets.
Medium
The device or technology that transports a message.
Noise
Anything that interferes with or disrupts a message.
Nonverbal
Facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language are nonverbal cues that contribute to a message. Approximately 55 percent of communication is nonverbal.
Paralingual
The pitch, tone, and inflections in the sender’s
voice affecting the message being sent.
Performance report
A report that depicts how well a project is performing. Often, the performance report is based on earned value management and may include cost or schedule variance reports.
Project presentations
Presentations are useful in providing information to customers, management, the project team, and other stakeholders.
Project records
All the business of the project communications is also part of the organizational process assets.
This includes e-mails, memos, letters, and faxes.
Project reports
Reports are formal communications on project activities, their status, and conditions.
Pull communication
This approach pulls the information from a central repository, like a database of information. Pull communications are good for large groups of stakeholders who want to access project information at their discretion. Consider a project web site where stakeholders can periodically drop by for a quick update on the project status.
