Project Management/Communication

Communication

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the communication portion of Project+ PK0-004 certification include:

• Given a scenario, use the appropriate communication method.
  • Meetings
    • Kick-off meetings
    • Virtual vs. in-person meetings
    • Scheduled vs. impromptu meetings
    • Closure meetings
  • Email
  • Fax
  • Instant messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Voice conferencing
  • Face-to-face
  • Text message
  • Distribution of printed media
  • Social media
• Compare and contrast factors influencing communication methods.
  • Language barriers
  • Time zones/geographical factors
  • Technological factors
  • Cultural differences
  • Interorganizational differences
  • Intraorganizational differences
  • Personal preferences
  • Rapport building/relationship building
  • Tailor method based on content of message
  • Criticality factors
  • Specific stakeholder communication requirements
    • Frequency
    • Level of report detail
    • Types of communication
    • Confidentiality constraints
    • Tailor communication style
• Explain common communication triggers and determine the target audience and rationale.
  • Audits
  • Project planning
  • Project change
  • Risk register updates
  • Milestones
  • Schedule changes
  • Task initiation/completion
  • Stakeholder changes
  • Gate reviews
  • Business continuity response
  • Incident response
  • Resource changes

Readings

1. Wikipedia: Communication
2. techrepublic.com: Project communications: A plan for getting your message across
3. Wikipedia: Nonverbal communication
4. Wikipedia: Time zone
5. yourbusiness.azcentral.com: Communication & Organizational Structure
6. Wikipedia: Language barrier

Multimedia

1. YouTube: Project Communications Management
2. YouTube: 03 Internal and External Communication
3. YouTube: Key To Effective Communication In Projects
4. YouTube: Your Project Kickoff Meeting Checklist
5. YouTube: How to Have an Awesome Project Kick-Off Meeting
6. YouTube: Remote Project Management Tips & Tactics
7. YouTube: Project Management: Creating a Communications Plan

Activities

1. Watch the video The Art of Effective Internal and External Communication. Also, review Project Management Communication Tools & Techniques.
   • Establish the components of an internal and external communication plan.
   • Create the Communication Plan for your project.
2. Read the article Elements for a Successful Project Kickoff Meeting and review the Kick-off Planning Template.
   • Create the kick-off plan for your project.
   • Describe the implementation of the kick-off meeting.
3. Read the article Communications Management Plan Answer the following two questions and complete activity.
   • What are the stakeholders’ communication requirements?
   • Is there a difference in communication requirements between Change Control Board and Steering Committee?
   • Create the Communication Matrix identifying the scenarios for information distribution methods in your project.
4. Read the article 21 Essential Strategies for Managing Virtual Teams.
   • Determine communication needs of your virtual team and create Communication Matrix.
   • Read the article Managing An International Remote Development Team and describe what the Project Manager had done to successfully address the following;
     • Time zones
     • Communication preferences
     • Functional or hierarchical barrier
     • Language barriers
     • Technology barriers
     • Cultural differences

Lesson Summary

• Communication is a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding.
• The basic steps of communication are the forming of communicative intent, message composition, message encoding, transmission of signal, reception of signal, message decoding and finally interpretation of the message by the recipient.
• Non-verbal communication includes the use of visual cues such as body language, distance, and physical environments/ appearance.
• Stakeholder management is a critical component to the successful delivery of any project and will create positive relationships with stakeholders through the appropriate management of their expectations and agreed objectives if done effectively.
• Internally, operating systems typically use UTC as their basic time-keeping standard, while providing services for converting local times to and from UTC, and also the ability to automatically change local time conversions at the start and end of daylight savings time in the various time zones.
• The functional or hierarchical structure is particularly useful in times of crises or other scenarios where an organization needs to control its communication through gatekeepers who manage it both internally and externally.
• Language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other.
• Cultural diversity is important because our country, workplaces, and schools increasingly consist of various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. We can learn from one another, but first we must have a level of understanding about each other in order to facilitate collaboration and cooperation.
• A communication trigger is when a change occurs that affects the project and so must be discussed with the appropriate stakeholders or team members to prevent a project delay or other problem.
• A change to any of the triple constraints (budget, scope or schedule) is a communication trigger.
• The target audience for a communication trigger is determined by the type of information or trigger. An example is if there is a scope change, a change request form will be submitted to the Change Control Board with reasons for the change.

Key Terms

communications management

The systematic planning, implementing, monitoring, and revision of all the channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations; it also includes the organization and dissemination of new communication directives connected with an organization, network, or communications technology.

communication software

Used to provide remote access to systems and exchange files and messages in text, audio and/or video formats between different computers or users.

communication triggers

indicators or events that a risk may occur or has occurred.

forecasting

The process of making predictions of the future based on past and present data and analysis of trends.

interactive communication

An exchange of ideas where both participants, whether human, machine or art form, are active and can have an effect on one another. It is a dynamic, two-way flow of information.

intercultural communication

Form of communication that aims to share information across different cultures and social groups. It is used to describe the wide range of communication processes and problems that naturally appear within an organization or social context made up of individuals from different religious, social, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.

internal communication

The function responsible for effective communications among participants within an organization.

kickoff meeting

The first meeting with the project team and the client of the project. This meeting would follow definition of the base elements for the project and other project planning activities.

language barrier

Figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other.

sharePoint portal

A web application platform in the Microsoft Office server suite. SharePoint is often used to store, track, and manage electronic documents and assets.

soft skills

Term often associated with a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), which is the cluster of personality traits that characterize one's relationships with other people. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits, cognitive or emotional empathy, and leadership traits.

stand-up meeting

A meeting in which attendees typically participate while standing. The discomfort of standing for long periods is intended to keep the meetings short.

two-way communication

Is a form of transmission in which both parties involved transmit information. Two-Way communication has also been referred to as interpersonal communication.

wiki

A website which allows collaborative modification of its content and structure directly from the web browser.

Review Questions

1. ___________ is a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding.

   Communication is a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding.
2. The basic steps of communication are the forming of communicative intent, message composition, message encoding, transmission of signal, reception of signal, message ________ and finally interpretation of the message by the recipient.

   The basic steps of communication are the forming of communicative intent, message composition, message encoding, transmission of signal, reception of signal, message decoding and finally interpretation of the message by the recipient.
3. Developing an external communication planning strategy can be acquired through the following four stages: _____, _____, strategy and plan, and _____.

   Developing an external communication planning strategy can be acquired through the following four stages: audit, objectives, strategy and plan, and result.
4. __________ communications keep stakeholders in the loop, but also sending too much communication can actually hamper the amount of work that gets done.

   Frequent communications keep stakeholders in the loop, but also sending too much communication can actually hamper the amount of work that gets done.
5. Non verbal communication includes the use of visual cues such as body language, distance, physical environments/appearance of ______ and of _______.

   Non verbal communication includes the use of visual cues such as body language, distance, physical environments/appearance of voice and of touch.
6. __________ Distribution is information collection, sharing, and distribution to project stakeholders in a timely manner across the project life cycle.

   Information Distribution is information collection, sharing, and distribution to project stakeholders in a timely manner across the project life cycle.
7. A successful _______ meeting should include the following discussion points: meeting and project objectives, project approach, deliverables, project team, roles and responsibilities, change control, communication plan, high level requirements, and timeline.

   A successful kickoff meeting should include the following discussion points: meeting and project objectives, project approach, deliverables, project team, roles and responsibilities, change control, communication plan, high level requirements, and timeline.
8. ________ management is a critical component to the successful delivery of any project and will create positive relationships with stakeholders through the appropriate management of their expectations and agreed objectives if done effectively.

   Stakeholder management is a critical component to the successful delivery of any project and will create positive relationships with stakeholders through the appropriate management of their expectations and agreed objectives if done effectively.
9. The process of managing stakeholders is an activity of communicating with stakeholders and managing their expectations and concerns for the purpose of meeting the stakeholder _____, addressing issues, resolving conflict situations, and achieving the project goals.

   The process of managing stakeholders is an activity of communicating with stakeholders and managing their expectations and concerns for the purpose of meeting the stakeholder needs, addressing issues, resolving conflict situations, and achieving the project goals.
10. Internally, operating systems typically use UTC as their basic time-keeping standard, while providing services for converting local times to and from UTC, and also the ability to automatically change local time conversions at the start and end of daylight saving time in the various ________ zones.

    Internally, operating systems typically use UTC as their basic time-keeping standard, while providing services for converting local times to and from UTC, and also the ability to automatically change local time conversions at the start and end of daylight saving time in the various time zones.
11. There are various types of communication preferences or methods that one could utilize such as face to face, video conferencing, _______ etc.

    There are various types of communication preferences or methods that one could utilize such as face to face, video conferencing, telephone etc.
12. The functional or ________ structure is particularly useful in times of crises or other scenarios where an organization needs to control its communication through gatekeepers who manage it both internally and externally.

    The functional or hierarchical structure is particularly useful in times of crises or other scenarios where an organization needs to control its communication through gatekeepers who manage it both internally and externally.
13. _________ barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other.

    Language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other.
14. Given the geographical and organizational _______ within typical project teams today, successful project managers should also consider how the team can best communicate, and to put in place tools to facilitate efficient and frequent communication.

    Given the geographical and organizational diversity within typical project teams today, successful project managers should also consider how the team can best communicate, and to put in place tools to facilitate efficient and frequent communication.

Assessments

• Flashcards: Quizlet: Communication
• Quiz: Quizlet: Communication
• Flashcards: Quizlet: PMP: Project Communications Management
• Quiz: Quizlet: PMP: Project Communications Management

References

Type classification: this is a lesson resource.