Ch. 10: Managing Project Communications Flashcards
The receiver signals that the message has been received; an acknowledgement shows receipt of the
message, but not necessarily agreement with the message.
Acknowledgement
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. Geographical locales, incompatible communications software, and even limited communications technology are all examples of communication
constraints.
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
A system to record the actual costs of the project activities.
Cost reporting system
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 clues 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
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 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.
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 nonverbal cues that contribute to a message. Approximately 55 percent of communication is nonverbal.
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, the performance report 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 are 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
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 towards
completing the project scope statement.
Status review meeting
A system to record the actual time to complete project activities.
Time reporting system
