Project Communications Management

Question 1

Acknowledgement

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Active listening

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Choice of media

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Communication assumptions

Answer 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 don’t have a cell phone.

Question 5

Communication barrier

Answer 5

Anything that prohibits communication from occurring

Question 6

Communication channels formula

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Communication constraints

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Communications management plan

Answer 8

A project management subsidiary plan that defines the stakeholders who need specific information, the person who will supply the information, the schedule for for the information to be supplied, and the approved modality to provide the information.

Question 9

Decoder

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Effective listening

Answer 10

The receiver is involved in the listening experience by paying attention to physical cues from the speaker and perilingual characteristics, asking relevant questions.

Question 11

Encoder

Answer 11

The device that encodes the message being sent.

Question 12

Feedback

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Influence/impact grid

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Information presentation tools

Answer 14

A software package that allows the project management team to present the project’s health through graphics, spreadsheets, and text.

Question 15

Informational retrieval system

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Interactive communication

Answer 16

This is the most common and most effective approach to communication. It’s where two or more people exchange information.

Question 17

Lessons learned

Answer 17

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 a part of the OPAs.

Question 18

Medium

Answer 18

The device or technology that transports a message.

Question 19

Noise

Answer 19

Anything that interferes with or disrupts a message.

Question 20

Paralingual

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Performance report

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Project presentations

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Project records

Answer 23

All the business of the project communications is also part of the OPAs. This includes emails, memos, etc.

Question 24

Project reports

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Pull communication

Answer 25

This approach pulls the information from a central repository, like a database of information. Pull communications are good for large groups of stakeholders who want to access project information at their discretion. Consider a project website where stakeholders can periodically drop by for a quick update on the project status.

Question 26

Push communication

Answer 26

This approach pushes the information from the sender to the receiver without any real acknowledgement 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 work.

Question 27

Receiver

Answer 27

The person who receives the message.

Question 28

Sender-receiver models

Answer 28

Feedback loops and barriers to communications

Question 29

Stakeholder notifications

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Status review meeting

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Time reporting system

Answer 31

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