10. Project Communications Management Flashcards
Define the following knowledge area: Project Communications Management.
Includes 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.
2 parts: 1) strategy based on needs 2)actual messages that are generated
- 1 Plan Communications Management
- 2 Manage Communications
- 3 Monitor Communications
10.1 Plan Communications Management.
(P) - The process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications activities based on the information needs of each stakeholder or group, available organizational assets, and the needs of the project.
Benefit: Documented approach to effectively and efficiently engage stakeholders by presenting relevant information in a timely manner
- Performed periodically as needed
10.3 Monitor Communications.
(MC) - The process of ensuring the information needs of the project and its stakeholders are met.
Benefit: optimal information flow as defined in the communications management plan and stakeholder engagement plan
- Performed throughout
- PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, 10.3 - Monitor Communications, p. 388*
10.2 Manage Communications.
(E) - The process of ensuring timely and appropriate collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, monitoring, and the ultimate disposition of project information.
Benefit: enables efficient information flow between project team and stakeholders
-Performed throughout the project
Plan Communications Management - ITTO
TT - Data representation - stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
O - Communications Mngmt Plan
O - Project Managment Plan Updates
O - Project Documents Update
10.2 Manage Communications - ITTO
TT - Project Reporting - status reports; graphs
O - Project Document Updates
O - PM Plan Updates
O - Project Communications - communication artifacts (reports, schedule progress)
O - OPAs updates
10.3 Monitor Communications. - ITTO
O- Change Requests
O - Project Document updates
O - PM Plan Updates
O - Work Performance Information
Identify key concepts for Project Communications Management.
10.3 Identify key concepts and approaches in project communication management, including tailoring and special considerations for agile/adaptive environments
tl;dr
- [the “s” matters]
- [build clear bridges]
- [many types]
- [direction matters]
- [strategies and skills]
- [effort required]
- [how to be effective]
quotes
- [the “s” matters] Communication is the process of exchanging information, intended or involuntary, between individuals and/or groups. Communications describes the measn by which information can be sent or received, either through activites, such as meetings and presentations, or artifacts, such as emails, social media, project reports, or project documentation. Project Communications Management address both the process of communication, as well as management of communications activities and artifacts.
- [build clear bridges] Effective communication creates a bridge between diverse stakeholders whose differences will generally have an impact or influence upon the project execution or outcome, so it is vital that all communication is clear and concise.
- [many types] Communication activities include internal and external, formal and informal, written and oral.
- [direction matters] Communication can be directed upwards to senior management stakeholders, downwards to team members, or horizontally to peers. This will affect the format and content of the message.
- [strategies and skills] Communication takes place consciously or unconsciously through words, facial expressions, gestures, and other actions. It includes developing strategies and plans for suitable communications artifacts, and the application of skills to enhance effectiveness.
- [effort required] Effort is required to prevent misunderstandings and miscommunication, and the methods, messengers, and messages should be carefully selected.
- [how to be effective] Effective communication depends on defining the purpose of communication, understanding the receiver of the communications, and monitoring effectiveness.
PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, Appendix X4 - X4.7 - Key Concepts for Project Communications Management, pp. 676-677
Identify tailoring concepts for Project Communications Management.
10.3 Identify key concepts and approaches in project communication management, including tailoring and special considerations for agile/adaptive environments
- Stakeholders. Are the stakeholders internal or external to the organization, or both?
- Physical location. What is the physical location of team members? Is the team colocated? Is the team in the same geographical area? Is the team distributed across multiple time zones?
- Communications technology. What technology is available to develop, record, transmit, retrieve, track, and store communication artifacts? What technologies are most appropriate and cost effective for communicating to stakeholders?
- Language. Language is a main factor to consider in communication activities. Is one lanaguage used? Or are many languages used? Have allowances been made to adjust to the complexity of team members from diverse language groups?
- Knowledge management. Does the organization have a formal knowledge management repository? Is the repository used?
PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, 10 - Project Communications Management, p. 365
Identify special considerations for Project Communications Management for agile/adaptive environments.
- Fast-paced communication technology used because of high level of involvement and synergy in agile projects
- Posting project artifacts transparently and holding regular stakeholder reviews are intended to promote communication with management and stakeholders
- require frequent communications
- Colocating team members is a core principle for agile
- Streamlining team members access to information promotes effective agile methods
- Posting project artifacts in a transparent fashion and holding regular stakeholder reviews are intended to promote communication with management and stakeholders.
Identify and describe the various dimensions of communication.
10.4 Recognize the dimensions of communication and components of a communications management plan
- Internal. Focus on stakeholders within the project and within the organization.
- External. Focus on external stakeholders such as customers, vendors, other projects, organizations, government, the public, and environmental advocates.
- Formal. Reports, formal meetings (both regular and ad hoc), meeting agendas and minutes, stakeholder briefings, and presentations.
- Informal. General communications activities using emails, social media, websites, and informal ad hoc discussions.
-
Hierarchical focus. The position of the stakeholder or group with respect to the project team will affect the format and content of the message.
- Upward - senior management
- Downward - team members and contributors
- Horizontal - peers of team or project manager
- Official. Annual reports; reports to regulators or government bodies.
- Unofficial. Communications that focus on establishing and maintaining the profile and recognition of the project and building strong relationships between the project team and its stakeholders using flexible and often informal means.
- Written and oral. Verbal (words and voice inflections) and nonverbal (body language and actions), social media and websites, media releases.
PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, 10 - Project Communications Management, p. 361
Describe and identify the components of the communications management plan.
A component of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, structured, implemented, and monitored for effectiveness.
- Stakeholder communication requirements
- Information to be communicated, including language, format, content, and level of detail
- Escalation processes
- Reason for the distribution of that information
- Timeframe and frequency for the distribution of required information and receipt of acknowledgement or response, if applicable
- Person responsible for communicating the information
- Person responsible for authorizing release of confidential information
- Person or groups who will receive the information, including information about their needs, requirements, and expectations
- Methods or technologies used to convey the information, such as memos, email, press release, or social media
- Resources allocated for communication activities, including time and budget
- Method for updating and refining the communications management plan as the project progresses and develops, such as when the stakeholder community changes as the project moves through different phases
- Glossary of common terminology
- Flow charts of the information flow in the project, workflows with possible sequence of authorization, list of reports, meeting plans, etc.
- Constraints derived from specific legislation or regulation, technology, organizational policies, etc.
Identify techniques and considerations for effective communications management.
10.5 Identify communication skills and methods for project communication management
- Sender-recevier models. Incorporating feedback loops to provide opportunities for interaction/participation and remove barriers to effective communication.
- Choice of media. Decisions about application of communications artifacts to meet specific project needs, such as when to communicate in writing versus orally, when to prepare an informal memo versus a formal report, and when to use push/pull options and the choice of appropriate technology.
- Writing style. Appropriate use of active versus passive voice, sentence structure, and word choice.
- Meeting management. Preparing an agenda, inviting essential participants, and ensuring they attend. Dealing with conflicts within the meeting or resulting from inadequate follow-up of minutes and actions, or attendance of the wrong people.
- Presentations. Awareness of the impact of body language and design of visual aids.
- Facilitation. Building consensus and overcoming obstacles such as difficult group dynamics, and maintaining interest and enthusiasm among group members.
- Active listening. Listening actively involves acknowledging, clarifying and confirming, understanding, and removing barriers that adversely affect comprehension.
PMBOK Guide, Sixth Edition, 10.2 - Manage Communications, p. 379
5Cs of written communications
- Correct grammer/spelling
- Concise expression
- Clear purpose
- Coherent logical flow of ideas
- Controlling flow of words
Trends and practices for project communications management
- Inclusion of stakeholders in project reviews
- Inclusion of stakeholders in project meetings
- Increased use of social computing
- Multifaceted approaches to communication - dealing with wide range of generations and cultures - embrace communications from all ^
