Plan and Manage Communications Flashcards
What guidelines can you use to develop an appropriate approach to project communications management?
a target communications properly
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Using the right format, informing the right people, and getting information to people in a timely manner will help you achieve effective and efficient communication.
Review the communications approach regularly
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Things can change as projects progress, and what was planned may no longer be adequate. Review and update the communications approach regularly to maintain its effectiveness.
Consider stakeholders’ information needs
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. You must deliver on stakeholder information needs or communications will never be effective. Meeting stakeholders’ information needs must be a priority.
Provide only the information needed
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Providing only the information stakeholders need will help them make better decisions. It’s also more efficient.
Allocate sufficient resources
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Insufficient resources can damage your ability to communicate effectively. Make sure you have the resources needed to achieve effective communication.
What types of inputs do you need to gather when creating the communications management plan?
What types of information are gathered as inputs to the Plan Communications Management process as you develop a communications management plan?
- Industry information about technological advancements
- Information about existing communication policies
- Lessons learned information about how to avoid a particular communications issue
- Techniques for communicating with stakeholders from the stakeholder engagement plan
- Information about the project’s objectives and deliverables
- The communication preferences of the project’s stakeholders
Information about existing supported technology
Correct answer. - This option is correct. Project communications are supported by the organization’s existing technology, an enterprise environmental factor which can place limitations on what can be done.
Information from the project management plan about how to communicate with stakeholders
Correct answer. - This option is correct. The project management plan contains valuable information about how a project will be planned, executed, managed, and controlled. Your communications management plan should be aligned and support it.
Information about the project’s stakeholders
Correct answer. - This option is correct. Information about stakeholders is found in the stakeholder register. It includes contact information, attitudes, levels of influence, and communication preferences.
Information from the project charter about project boundaries
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The project manager can use the project charter – which outlines the project’s goals and vision – as a guide in developing the communications management plan.
Lessons learned and historical information
Correct answer. - This option is correct. Past experience or what’s learned during the project can help you determine project communications plans. These are examples of organizational process assets.
What information is learned when doing a communications requirements analysis?
What types of information will help you perform a communication requirements analysis?
Reporting relationships
Location of stakeholders
Internal versus external stakeholders
Titles and positions of internal stakeholders
Information requirements and preferences
Designations of internal stakeholders
Reporting relationships for team members and internal stakeholders
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. An org chart will tell you the reporting relationships for your internal stakeholders and team members. This information is helpful in determining which managers will require information about resource use.
The person’s position in the organization
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. When you know the role that a person plays within your organization, you can tailor communications appropriately to that person. For example, the CEO has different communication needs than a functional manager or frontline employee.
You’re calculating your project’s number of communication channels. There are 12 stakeholders, not counting yourself.
Using the formula n(n-1)/2, how many potential communication channels are there?
You have 15 stakeholders involved in a project, including yourself.
What is the number of communication channels for this project?
105
78
Correct answer. - This is the correct option. Counting yourself, there are 13 stakeholders. Using the formula, your calculation would be 13(13-1)/2, which gives an answer of 78 possible communication channels.
There are 22 stakeholders listed in your project, not counting your company.
How many communication channels are there for this project?
253
Which statements are true about communication models?
What are some of the elements of communication models?
- The receiver’s response, encoding their own thoughts about the information shared in the original communication
- The sender’s message, encoded or translated into language
- The message provided by the receiver to acknowledge the communication
The thoughts and ideas to be shared are put into words or writing
This is a correct option. The first step in communication models is to encode thoughts and ideas by putting them into words so they can be shared.
The message is sent to recipients
- This is a correct option. One element of communication models is the transmission of the message. This is the point where efforts must be made to reduce potential noise. Noise is anything that can compromise the message.
The recipient turns the message back into meaningful thoughts or ideas
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Decoding the message when it’s received is what the recipient does to make sense of the message.
The recipient acknowledges receipt of the message and encodes a reaction to transmit to the original sender
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. In communication models, the receiver of a message may acknowledge receipt of the message and then send a response. When receivers encode their own thoughts and send them to the original sender, it represents feedback.
When planning communication technologies, what factors should you consider?
Which factors should you consider when planning communication technologies?
Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information
Project environment
Availability of technology
Ease of use
Urgency of the need for information
The project environment
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The project environment will influence the types of communication technologies you plan for your project.
The sensitivity and confidentiality of the information
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Different communications have different levels of sensitivity and confidentiality, and your technologies should take that into consideration.
The urgency of the need for information
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. You need to consider the urgency with which you need to communicate the information.
The availability of technology
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. You need to consider what technology is available – not just to yourself, but to your audience as well.
The ease of use
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Your audience has to be able to easily use the communications technology you plan, so they have access to the communications they need.
A project manager is creating a communications management plan to guide effective communication on her project.
Which statements are examples of what should be included in the plan?
Which statements are examples of the information you might include in a project’s communications management plan?
- A schedule outlining status report frequency
- A glossary of key terminology with detailed definitions
- The project’s media contact and the fact that they prefer to receive information in hard copy
- Your team’s statistician will e-mail the QA manager with raw data about testing results as it becomes available
- You can spend up to $1,500 per month on communication activities
What types of information might be included in a communications management plan?
Information about the person responsible for communicating the plan
Information on the number of hours the team can spend on communication-related activities for the project
A detailed process for making suggestions to update the communications management plan
A link to a template that can be used to escalate issues to the program manager
Instructions that all face-to-face conversations will be followed up with a verification e-mail
Details on why a stakeholder needs certain information
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The communications management plan might explain the purpose of specific information and why the stakeholder may require it.
The level of detail for reports for a particular stakeholder
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The project manager is responsible for including information about stakeholders’ communication requirements.
That as project manager, she is responsible for e-mailing weekly status reports to the customer
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The communications management plan outlines who is responsible for delivering communications, the frequency for sending communications, and the technology to be used.
That the project budget allows her to spend no more than 20 hours per week communicating with external stakeholders
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. A communications management plan may contain information about the budget that has been allocated for communication activities.
A procedure for highlighting communications issues
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. A process for escalating communications problems can be included in the communications management plan.
What are the typical inputs to the Manage Communications process?
What elements are inputs to the process of managing communications?
- log detailing project issues and relevant solutions
- Documented guidelines about how stakeholders should communicate with the project manager
- Performance information related to project costs, durations, and other metrics
- Existing processes related to communicating client information
- A plan that defines how to send, receive, and store project communications
A stakeholder register with types of information to be communicated
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. When managing the communications process, project documents such as the stakeholder register are a vital input.
Work performance reports
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Work performance reports provide information in relation to project progress and are an important input to the Manage Communications process.
Historical information
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Organizational process assets such as historical information about previous projects are inputs to the Manage Communications process.
A plan that outlines how to manage team or physical resources
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The resource management plan – a subsidiary of the project management plan – is one of the inputs to consider when managing communications.
What are some of the tools and techniques used in the Manage Communications process?
What are appropriate tools and techniques for the Manage Communications process?
- Electronic management tools
- Workplace cultural awareness
- Suitable communication technology
- Scheduling of meetings
- Push communication methods
- Communication competence
Meetings
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. To help you and others follow established communication strategy and the communications plan, you should organize regular meetings.
Communication methods
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Communication methods are one of the techniques you use to manage your project communications.
Performance reporting
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. You can use performance reporting as a technique for managing project communications, to share project performance information with stakeholders.
Project information management systems
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The information management system is the collection of tools used to manage project information, and is a valuable tool for managing project communications.
Interpersonal and team skills
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Skills such as active listening, networking, and political awareness are essential in effectively managing communications.
Communication technology
Correct answer. - This option is correct. The communications management plan defines what technology is appropriate for various types of project communications.
What are some of the examples of outputs of the Manage Communications process?
What statements are examples of outputs of the Manage Communications process?
- You make an entry in the issue log after receiving a complaint from the customer about product quality
- You write a memo to communicate information received from one stakeholder to the rest of the stakeholders
- You call the person responsible for releasing confidential information to make sure he’s aware of a new report
A project manager documents that e-mail is the best method for communicating with external stakeholders if there are schedule conflicts with the internal project team
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. This is an example of a lesson learned. Lessons learned documentation is an organizational process asset that may be updated during the Manage Communications process.
The company’s org chart is updated to reflect that the project sponsor received a promotion
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. The org chart is an organizational process asset that could be updated as an output of the Manage Communications process.
A project manager updates the issue log to note how an outstanding issue was successfully resolved
Correct answer. - This is a correct option. Issue log updates are project document updates, which are a possible output of the Manage Communications process.
Which tools and techniques are used during the Manage Communications process?
Project reporting
Meetings with key stakeholders
The ability to deliver effective presentations
Conflict management
Social media management software
Suitable communication technology
Interactive communication methods
