10 Project Communications Management Flashcards
The receiver signals that the message has been
received. It shows receipt of
the message, but not necessarily agreement with
the message.
Acknowledgment
The receiver confirms that the message is being
received through feedback, questions, prompts
for clarity, and other signs of confirmation.
Active listening
The best modality to use when communicating
that is relevant to the information being
communicated.
Choice of media
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 assumptions
Anything that prohibits communication from
occurring.
Communication barrier
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 channels formula
Anything that limits the project management
team’s options. When it comes to, geographical locales,
incompatible communications software, and
even limited communications technology can
constrain the project team.
Communication constraints
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.
Communications management plan
The device that decodes a message as it is being
received.
Decoder
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.
Effective listening
The device that encodes the message being sent.
Encoder
The sender confirms that the receiver
understands the message by directly asking for a
response, questions for clarification, or other
confirmation.
Feedback
Stakeholders are mapped on a grid based on
their influence over the project in relation to
their influence over the project execution.
Influence/impact grid
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 presentation tools
A system to quickly and effectively store, archive,
and access project information.
Information retrieval system
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.
Interactive communication
This is documentation of what did and did not
work in the project implementation. This
documentation is created throughout
the project by the entire project team. When
the sessions are completed, they’re
available to be used and applied by the entire
organization. They are now part of the
organizational process assets.
Lessons learned
The device or technology that transports a
message.
Medium
Anything that interferes with or disrupts a
message.
Noise
Facial expressions, hand gestures, and body
language are of this type cues that contribute to a
message. Approximately 55 percent of
communication is:
Nonverbal
The pitch, tone, and inflections in the sender’s
voice affecting the message being sent.
Paralingual
A report that depicts how well a project is
performing. Often, is
based on earned value management and may
include cost or schedule variance reports.
Performance report
Presentations are useful in providing information
to customers, management, the project team,
and other stakeholders.
Project presentations
All the business of the project communications is
also part of the organizational process assets.
This includes e-mails, memos, letters, and faxes.
Project records
Reports are formal communications on project
activities, their status, and conditions.
Project reports
This approach use the information from a
central repository, like a database of information.
They’re 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.
Pull communication
This approach pushes the information from the
sender to the receiver without any real
acknowledgment that the information was really
received or understood. Consider letters, faxes,
voicemail messages, e-mails, and other
communications modalities that the sender
packages and sends to receivers through some
intermediary network.
Push communication
The person who receives the message.
Receiver
The person who is sending the message.
Sender
Feedback loops and barriers to communications.
Sender–receiver models
Notices to the stakeholders about resolved
issues, approved changes, and the overall health
of the project.
Stakeholder notifications
A regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the
status of the project and its progress toward
completing the project scope statement.
Status review meeting
A system to record the actual time to complete
project activities.
Time reporting system
