Communication Management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, retrieval and ultimate disposition of project information.
Communication activity has many potential dimensions:
· Internal and external
· Formal and informal
· Vertical and Horizontal
· Official and unofficial
· Written and oral
· Verbal and non-verbal
Project Managers spend up to 90 percent of their time communicating.
Effective communications skills are critical to project success.
The knowledge area of Project Communications Management consists of the following three processes:
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Process Name
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Project Management Process Group
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Key Deliverables
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Plan Communications Management
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Planning
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Communications Management Plan
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Manage Communications
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Executing
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Project Communications
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Control Communications
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Monitoring and Controlling
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Work Performance Information
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Plan Communications Management is the process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder’s information needs and requirements, and available organizational assets.
Number of communication channels = n (n -1) / 2
Communications technology factors that can affect the project include:
· Urgency of the need for information
· Availability of technology
· Expected project
· Length of the project
· Project environment
Key components of model include:
· Encode:translate thoughts or ideas into a language that is understood by others
· Message & feedback-message: the output of encoding
· Medium: the method used to convey the message, e.g. email, fax
· Noise: anything that interferes with transmission and understanding of the message
· Decode: to translate the message back into meaningful thoughts or ideas
Communication methods used to share information among project stakeholders:
Interactive communication – Between two or more parties performing a multidirectional exchange of information
Push communication – Sent to specific recipients who need to know the information
Pull communication – Used for very large volumes of information, or for very large audiences, that requires the recipients to access the communication content at their own discretion. These methods include intranet sites, e-learning, and knowledge repositories, etc.
The communications management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, structured, monitored, and controlled.
The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Plan Communications Management process are given below:
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Project Management Plan
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Communication Requirements Analysis
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Communications Management Plan
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Stakeholder Register
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Communication Technology
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Project Documents updates
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Enterprise Environmental Factors
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Communication Models
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Organizational Process Assets
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Communication Methods
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Meetings
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Manage Communicationsis the process of creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and the ultimate disposition of project information in accordance to the communications management plan.
An issue log can be used to document and monitor who is responsible for resolving specific issues by a target date.
Techniques and considerations for effective communications management include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Sender-receiver models
· Choice of media
· Writing style
· Meeting management techniques
· Presentation techniques
· Facilitation techniques
· Listening techniques
Project information is managed and distributed using a variety of tools, including:
· Hard-copy document management
· Electronic communications management
· Electronic project management tools
Performance reporting is the act of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts.
Information received from stakeholders concerning project operations is distributed and used to modify or improve future performance of the project.
The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Manage Communications process are given below:
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Communications Management Plan
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Communication Technology
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Project Communications
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Work Performance Reports
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Communication Models
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Project Management Plan Updates
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Enterprise Environmental Factors
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Communication Methods
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Project Documents updates
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Organizational Process Assets
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Information Management Systems
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Organizational Process Assets updates
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Performance Reporting
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Control Communicationsis the process of monitoring and controlling communications throughout the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the project stakeholders are met.
It is impossible for Project Manager to fully control the communication.
Project manager should try to control communication by implementing effective plan and actions.
As the project work is being done, the project manager needs to follow the communications management plan to distribute information about the project.
The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Control Communications process are given below:
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Project Management Plan
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Information Management Systems
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Work Performance Information
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Project Communications
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Expert Judgment
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Change Requests
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Issue Log
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Meetings
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Project Management Plan Updates
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Work Performance Data
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Project Documents updates
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Organizational Process Assets
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Organizational Process Assets updates
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Project Human Resources Management includes the processes that organize, manage and lead the project team.
Project Management team is a subset of the project team and is responsible for the project management and leadership activities.
