#10 PMP - Project Communication Management

#10 Project Communication Management

Project Communications Management includes the processes that are required to ensure timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring, and the ultimate disposition of project information. Project managers spend most of their time communicating with team members and other project stakeholders, whether they are internal (at all organizational levels) or external to the organization.

Communications Management Processes

The knowledge area of Project Communications Management consists of the following processes

Process	Process Group	Key Deliverables
Plan Communications Management	Planning	Communication Management Plan
Manage Communications	Executing	Project communications
Control Communication	Monitoring and Controlling	Work performance information

Plan Communications Management

Plan Communications management is the process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communication based on stakeholder' information needs and requirements and available organizational assets. The Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Output of Plan Communications process is given below.

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project management plan	Communication requirements analysis	Communications management plan
Stakeholder register	Communication technology	Project document updates
Enterprise environmental factors	Communication models
Organizational process assets	Communication methods
	Meetings

Planning the project communications is important to the ultimate success of any project. Important considerations that may need to be taken into account include, but are not limited to:

-          Who needs what information, and who is authorized to access that information;

-          When they will need the information;

-          Where the information should be stored;

-          What format the information should be stored in;

-          How the information can be retrieved; and

-          Whether time zone, language barriers, and cross-cultural considerations need to be taken into account.

Communication Requirements Analysis. The project manager should consider the number of potential communication channels or paths as an indicator of the complexity of a project’s communications. The total number of potential communication channels is n(n – 1)/2, where n represents the number of stakeholders.

Communication Technology. The methods used to transfer information among project stakeholders may vary significantly.

Factors that can affect the choice of communication technology include:

-          Urgency of the need for information.

-          Availability of technology.

-          Ease of Use. There is a need to ensure that the choice of communication technologies is suitable for project participants and that appropriate training events are planned for, where appropriate.

-          Project environment.

-          Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information.

Communication Models. The communication models used to facilitate communications and the exchange of information may vary from project to project and also within different stages of the same project. The sequence of steps in a basic communication model is:

-          Encode. Thoughts or ideas are translated (encoded) into language by the sender.

-          Transmit Message. This information is then sent by the sender using communication channel (medium).

-          Decode. The message is translated by the receiver back into meaningful thoughts or ideas.

-          Acknowledge. Upon receipt of a message, the receiver may signal (acknowledge) receipt of the message.

-          Feedback/Response.

Communication Methods There are several communication methods that are used to share information among project stakeholders. These methods are broadly classified as follows:

-          Interactive communication. Between two or more parties performing a multidirectional exchange of information.

-          Push communication. Sent to specific recipients who need to receive the information.

-          Pull communication. Used for very large volumes of information, or for very large audiences, and requires the recipients to access the communication content at their own discretion.

Manage Communications

Manage Communications is the process of creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and the ultimate disposition of project information in accordance to the communications management plan. The key benefit of this process is that it enables an efficient and effective communications flow between project stakeholders. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Communication management plan	Communication technology.	Project communications
Work performance reports	Communication models	Project management plan updates
Enterprise environmental factors	Communication methods	Project document updates
Organizational process assets	Information management system	Organizational process assets updates
	Performance reporting

Techniques and considerations for effective communications management include, but are not limited to, the following:

-          Sender-receiver models. Incorporating feedback loops to provide opportunities for interaction/ participation and remove barriers to communication.

-          Choice of media.

-          Writing style. Appropriate use of active versus passive voice, sentence structure, and word choice.

-          Meeting management techniques. Preparing an agenda and dealing with conflicts.

-          Presentation techniques. Awareness of the impact of body language and design of visual aids.

-          Facilitation techniques. Building consensus and overcoming obstacles.

-          Listening techniques. Listening actively (acknowledging, clarifying, and confirming understanding).

Information Management System. Project information is managed and distributed using a variety of tools, including:

-          Hard-copy document management: letters, memos, reports, and press releases;

-          Electronic communications management: e-mail, fax, voice mail, telephone, video and web conferencing, websites, and web publishing; and

-          Electronic project management tools: web interfaces to scheduling and project management software, meeting and virtual office support software, portals, and collaborative work management tools

Performance reporting is the act of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts. Performance reporting needs to provide information at an appropriate level for each audience. The format may range from a simple status report to more elaborate reports and may be prepared regularly or on an exception basis. More elaborate reports may include:

-          Analysis of past performance,

-          Analysis of project forecasts (including time and cost),

-          Current status of risks and issues,

-          Work completed during the period,

-          Work to be completed in the next period,

-          Summary of changes approved in the period, and

-          Other relevant information, which is reviewed and discussed.

Project Management Plan Updates. The project management plan provides information on project baselines, communications management, and stakeholder management. Each of these areas may require updates based upon the current performance of the project against the performance measurement baseline (PMB). The performance measurement baseline is an approved plan for the project work to which the project execution is compared, and deviations are measured for management control. The performance measurement baseline typically integrates scope, schedule, and cost parameters of a project, but may also include technical and quality parameters.

Control Communications Process

Control Communications is the process of monitoring and controlling communications throughout the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the project stakeholders are met. The key benefit of this process is that it ensures an optimal information flow among all communication participants, at any moment in time. The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of this process are

Inputs	Tools & Techniques	Outputs
Project Management Plan	Information management system	Work performance information
Work performance data	Expert judgment	Change requests
Issue log	Meetings	Project management plan updates
Project communications		Project documents updates
Organizational process assets		Organizational process assets updates