8 | Communicating During the Project Flashcards
In this lesson, you will: • Identify communication methods and factors that influence communication. • Create a communications management plan.
Communication Methods?
Are techniques that are used to share and manage information among stakeholders in a project. They help the team communicate project performance and progress.
These ensure that the concerned people in the issue resolution process are aware of the impending severity of the issue, which enables them to take immediate action. Communication methods are specified in the communications management plan.
Communication methods can be broadly classified into three types?
- Interactive communication
- Push communication
- Pull communication
Interactive communication?
Involves communication between multiple people performing multi-directional information exchange.
Push communications?
Involves sending information to a receiver. It ensures that the information has been distributed but does not guarantee that it has reached the receiver.
Pull communication?
Involves receivers accessing information whenever required.
What are the 9 communication types?
- Face-to-face meetings
- Video and voice conferencing
- Fax
- IM - Instant Messaging
- Text messaging
- Printed media and documents
- Social media
- Company website
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Face-to-face meetings?
Benefits: • Provides the opportunity for instant feedback—auditory and visual. • Can immediately clarify if there are questions or confusion. • Can be scheduled or impromptu.
Constraints:
• Requires parties to be in the same
physical location.
• Requires a meeting date and time.
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Video and voice conferencing?
Benefits: • Eliminates the need to be in the same physical location. • Can provide beneficial audio and visual feedback. • Can be scheduled or impromptu
Constraints: • Potential for message to get lost in translation. • Crossing time zones can be problematic. • Requires special equipment and connection.
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Email?
Benefits: • Enables parties to communicate when it's convenient and works with their schedules. • Can provide an official paper trail. • Enables receiver to have a record of communication
Constraints:
• Not always the most timely.
• Security/hacking might be an issue
for confidential messages.
Communication Type benefits & constraints | IM - Instant messaging?
Benefit: • Immediate real-time communication. • Can be setup and configured by an organization (i.e., Skype for Business).
Constraints:
• Message content can be limited.
• Informal nature might be seen as
“unofficial.”
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Fax?
Benefits:
• Convenient and easy to send.
• Software enables you to send a fax
from your computer.
Constraints: • Equipment and connection required. • Outdated form of communication that not all offices have set up
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Text messaging?
Benefits:
• Immediate communication.
• Available and accessible to anyone
with a mobile device.
Constraints:
• Requires a mobile device and app.
• Limited to short bursts of
communication
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Printed media and documents?
Benefits: • Provide official documentation and legal archives. • Gives a sense of legitimacy to the message
Constraints: • Costly to produce. • Is a permanent record of the communication, which can be a disadvantage in some situations
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Social media?
Benefits: • Low-overhead method of broadcasting a message. • Specialized method to communicate with a specific demographic.
Constraints:
• Communication can tend to be
one-way.
• Limited amount of feedback.
Communication Type benefits & constraints | Company website?
Benefits: • Enables consistent, dynamic communication to broad base of recipients. • Reduces the geographic location factor.
Constraints: • Requires personnel to manage and update. • Two-way communication is not real-time and feedback can be limited
Communication Model?
Communication models determine how information must flow from the sender to the receiver.
During the communication process, it is the responsibility of the sender to send information that is clear and complete so that the receiver receives the information correctly and understands it properly. The receiver is responsible for confirming that the information from the sender has been received, verifying the completeness of the message, and ensuring it has been understood properly. The project can be negatively impacted if the communication between the sender and receiver fails.
The major components of the communication model include?
- The sender
- The receiver
- The message
Communication Technology?
Communication technology is any type of technology that is used for communicating information, including websites, email, instant messaging, phones, and video conferencing. Some technologies are instantaneous, while others take time; some are interactive, while others are one way only. Some provide a historical record of what was communicated, while others are transient
What are the 11 factors that can influence the project team’s communication methods and their effectiveness?
- Language barriers
- Geographical factors
- Technological
- Cultural
- Inter-organizational
- Intraorganizational
- Personal preferences
- Rapport/relationship building
- Message content
- Criticality
- Stakeholder requirements
Language barriers?
When stakeholders span across countries, language can be one of the biggest barriers to effective communication. You must strive to find a common language or provide translators and interpreters who can ensure that the message is sent and received clearly. When language is a potential barrier, you might choose to use written or printed material that can be translated rather than spoken words that can be misinterpreted or misunderstood.
Geographical factors?
When team members are scattered across time zones or global hemispheres, the time zone difference can affect the timely delivery of messages. It’s important to consider the message’s destination when choosing how and when you will communicate. Voice and video conferencing can help to bridge the geographical gap, but be careful to
avoid meeting when someone should be sleeping.
Technological factor?
Having the appropriate technological resources will be important for everyone on the project team to be able to send and receive clear messages. Something as simple as making sure everyone has functioning speakers with little or no static can help to make your video calls go more
smoothly.
Cultural factor?
When different cultures are involved, it’s important that the communication method be inclusive and take any cultural beliefs into consideration.
Inter-organizational factor?
The method of communication between two or more organizations might be dictated in an official organization procedures manual, but most likely, it will depend on the parties involved, what needs to be communicated, how frequently the communication needs to happen, and
so on.
Intraorganizational factor?
Within an organization, the communication methods and channels are probably well-defined; however, having an understanding of the most effective methods will be invaluable in conveying the message.
Personal preferences factor?
Some team members might have a preference for email while others appreciate a phone call. Knowing the individual preferences can help you choose the best communication method.
Rapport/relationship
building factor?
When the goal of communication is to build rapport or relationships, a personal touch is often more effective. A phone call or a personal email can be more persuasive than a mass email.
Message content factor?
Some messages won’t be easy to deliver because they contain news that the receiver does not want to hear. In that case, you need to be ready for the variety of reactions to how the message is received. While it might be tempting to avoid conveying bad, or undesirable, news in person, that might be the best method to get your message across. Using a personal touch might provide the support that the receiver needs to actually hear the message.
Criticality factor?
For project messages that are of the highest importance and critical to the success of the project, you will want to ensure that your communication method is appropriate.
Stakeholder
requirements factor?
Documentation for official tracking and monitoring purposes might be the driving force for the chosen communication method.
Communications Management Plan?
An effective communications management plan ensures that the right people receive the right information in the most appropriate format at the right time. Efficient communication means that the right amount of information and level of detail is given at the right time.
As a project manager, your communication plan needs to identify the audience (who), the types of information they should receive (what), the frequency (when), and the communication method and technology (how) that will be used.
Communication Requirements?
Are the project stakeholders’ documented communication needs. They include relevant information that contributes to the success of a project and analysis of cost,
time, and logistics. Not all stakeholders will require the same amount, level, or timeliness of communication. The variances must be factored into the communication requirements.
Communication Requirements Analysis?
Is an investigation that leads to a clear articulation of the
stakeholders’ communication needs and helps the project manager make effective choices regarding
the technologies to be recommended in the communications management plan. It should also
address special communication needs, such as time zones, communication preferences, functional or
hierarchical barriers, language barriers, technological barriers, and cultural differences, when working
with remote teams or team members. This analysis should take the form of a grid, questionnaire, or survey that documents the communication and technology requirements for each stakeholder. It will also enable the project manager to obtain buy-in from stakeholders and shape their perceptions by providing the right
information at the right time
Communication Channels Calculation?
(n(n – 1)) / 2
where n = number of stakeholders
For example: 12 stakeholders: (12 x 11) / 2 = 66 communication channels
66 potential ways for a group of 12 stakeholders.
What are some Situational Communication Responses?
Certain situations require specific responses on the part of the project manager, as described here.
• Personality conflicts between team members. Meet with the two team members separately and try to understand their individual issues and concerns. Then meet with them together to discuss and resolve the differences.
• The project is significantly behind schedule. Discuss the issue with the sponsor.
• Minor organizational changes have occurred. Discuss the issue with the project team during the team’s regular meeting.
• An important milestone has been successfully completed. Notify the sponsor and senior
management of the achievement.
• A team member leaves the organization. Discuss the team member’s exit and its effect on the
project during the team’s regular meeting.
• A team member passed away unexpectedly. Immediately hold an emergency meeting with
the project team to discuss its effect on the project.
• The main vendor is unresponsive. First meet with the vendor and review the contract
requirements and deliverables. Immediately following that, the sponsor should be notified. In
order to protect your legal standing, document your objections to the vendor in writing.
• Significant budget cuts have occurred. Call an emergency meeting of your project team and
announce the change and how it’s going to affect the scope, project, and resources needed for
the project. If required, also meet with the vendor and negotiate new contract terms.
