10. Project Communications Management Terms

Question 1

The receiver signals that the message has been received. It shows receipt of the message, but not necessarily agreement with the message.

Answer 1

Acknowledgment

Question 2

The receiver confirms that the message is being received through feedback, questions, prompts for clarity, and other signs of confirmation.

Answer 2

Active listening

Question 3

The best modality to use when communicating that is relevant to the information being communicated.

Answer 3

Choice of media

Question 4

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.

Answer 4

Communication assumptions

Question 5

Anything that prohibits communication from occurring.

Answer 5

Communication barrier

Question 6

N(N – 1)/2, where N represents the number of identified stakeholders. This formula reveals the total number of communication channels within a project.

Answer 6

Communication channels formula

Question 7

Anything that limits the project management team’s options. When it comes to this constraints, geographical locales, incompatible communications software, and even limited communications technology can constrain the project team.

Answer 7

Communication constraints

Question 8

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.

Answer 8

Communications management plan

Question 9

The device that decodes a message as it is being received.

Answer 9

Decoder

Question 10

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.

Answer 10

Effective listening

Question 11

The device that encodes the message being sent.

Answer 11

Encoder

Question 12

The sender confirms that the receiver understands the message by directly asking for a response, questions for clarification, or other confirmation.

Answer 12

Feedback

Question 13

Stakeholders are mapped on a grid based on their influence over the project in relation to their influence over the project execution.

Answer 13

Influence/impact grid

Question 14

A software package that allows the project management team to present the project’s health through graphics, spreadsheets, and text. (Think of Microsoft Project.)

Answer 14

Information presentation tools

Question 15

A system to quickly and effectively store, archive, and access project information.

Answer 15

Information retrieval system

Question 16

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.

Answer 16

Interactive communication

Question 17

This is documentation of what did and did not work in the project implementation. The documentation is created throughout the project by the entire project team. When it is completed, they’re available to be used and applied by the entire organization. They are now part of the organizational process assets.

Answer 17

Lessons learned

Question 18

The device or technology that transports a message.

Answer 18

Medium

Question 19

Anything that interferes with or disrupts a message.

Answer 19

Noise

Question 20

Facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language are nonverbal cues that contribute to a message. Approximately 55 percent of communication is nonverbal.

Answer 20

Nonverbal

Question 21

The pitch, tone, and inflections in the sender’s voice affecting the message being sent.

Answer 21

Paralingual

Question 22

A report that depicts how well a project is performing. Often, it is based on earned value management and may include cost or schedule variance reports.

Answer 22

Performance report

Question 23

These are useful in providing information to customers, management, the project team, and other stakeholders.

Answer 23

Project presentations

Question 24

All the business of the project communications is also part of the organizational process assets. This includes e-mails, memos, letters, and faxes.

Answer 24

Project records

Question 25

These are formal communications on project activities, their status, and conditions.

Answer 25

Project reports

Question 26

This approach pulls the information from a central repository, like a database of information. These 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.

Answer 26

Pull communication

Question 27

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.

Answer 27

Push communication

Question 28

The person who receives the message.

Answer 28

Receiver

Question 29

The person who is sending the message.

Answer 29

Sender

Question 30

Feedback loops and barriers to communications.

Answer 30

Sender–receiver models

Question 31

Notices to the stakeholders about resolved issues, approved changes, and the overall health of the project.

Answer 31

Stakeholder notifications

Question 32

A regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the status of the project and its progress toward completing the project scope statement.

Answer 32

Status review meeting

Question 33

A system to record the actual time to complete project activities.

Answer 33

Time reporting system