Project Communications Management

Mohammad A. Rob

Importance of Good Communications

The greatest threat to many projects is a failure to communicate

Our culture does not portray IT professionals as being good communicators

Research shows that IT professionals must be able to communicate effectively to succeed in their positions

Strong verbal skills are a key factor in career advancement for IT professionals

What is Project Communications Management?

The goal of project communications management is to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and disposition of project information

It provides the critical links among people, ideas, and information that are necessary for success

Everyone involved in the project must understand how the communications in which they are involved can affect the project as a whole

Project Communications Management Processes

Communications planning: determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders

Information distribution: making needed information available in a timely manner

Performance reporting: collecting and disseminating performance information

Administrative closure: generating, gathering, and disseminating information to formalize phase or project completion

Communications PlanningCommunication planning involves determining the

information and communication needs of the stakeholders, when they will need it, how it will be given to them, and by whom

The main input to this process is communication requirements, which includes information such as:– project organization and stakeholder responsibility relationship– disciplines, departments, and specialties involved in the project– number of people involved and their location

The main tool for this process is a stakeholder analysis for project communications

The main output is a communications management plan - a document that guides project communications

Communications Management Plan A description of a collection and filing structure for gathering and

storing various types of information - organizing documents A distribution structure describing what information goes to whom,

when, and how. Do executives receive different formats of status report?

A format for communicating key project information. Is there a template for preparing status report? Hard copy or e-mail?

A project schedule for producing the information. Do stakeholders know when to expect status report?

Access methods for obtaining the information - who can see what documents, what information is online, etc.

A method for updating the communications management plans as the project progresses and develops. Who will update?

A stakeholder communications analysis. What kinds of information will be distributed to which stakeholder?

Sample Stakeholder Analysis for Project Communications

Stakeholders Document Name DocumentFormat

Contact Person Due

CustomerManagement

Monthly StatusReport

Hard copy Gail Feldman,Tony Silva

First of month

CustomerBusiness Staff

Monthly StatusReport

Hard copy Julie Grant,

Jeff Martin

First of month

CustomerTechnical Staff

Monthly StatusReport

E-mail Evan Dodge,

Nancy Michaels

First of month

InternalManagement

Monthly StatusReport

Hard copy Bob Thomson First of month

InternalBusiness andTechnical Staff

Monthly StatusReport

Intranet Angie Liu First of month

TrainingSubcontractor

Training Plan Hard Copy Jonathan Kraus 11/1/1999

SoftwareSubcontractor

SoftwareImplementationPlan

E-mail Barbara Gates 6/1/2000

Information Distribution

Information distribution involves making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner

The inputs to this process include work results, project plan, and communication management plan

Tools and techniques include:– communication skills (oral, written, formal, informal, etc.)– information retrieval systems (drawing, presentation, test plan)– information distribution method (hardcopy, e-mail, intranet, etc.)

The outputs include: – project records (correspondence, memos, documents - all

organized– project reports (formal project reports on status an/or issues)– project presentations (formal or informal, and per audience)

Information Distribution

Important considerations for information distribution:– using technology such as e-mails, telephones, Web.

Intranet can be used to make available form templates, project documents (design, schedule, etc.)

– Formal method of information distribution: includes a PowerPoint presentation or a status report.

– Informal method of information distribution: includes a discussion over a cup of coffee

– sending e-mails often to a large number people normally have adverse effect on a project, creating a complexity in communication

– e-mail is also not a good communication mechanism for expressing ones feeling

The Impact of the Number of People on Communications Channels

An important aspect of information distribution is the number of people involved in a project

As the number of people involved increases, the complexity of communication also increases

Number of communication channel increases with the increasing number of people

A simple formula to calculate the number of communication channel is:– number of communication channel = n(n-1)/2– where n is the number of people

Thus two people will have one communication channel, but four people will have six channels

Thus, large projects need to break into smaller parts

The Impact of the Number of People on Communications Channels

Performance ReportingReporting keeps stakeholders informed about how

resources are being used to achieve project objectives– Status reports describe where the project stands at a specific

point in time. It addresses where project stands in terms of meeting scope, time, and cost. How long did it take to complete a task?

– Progress reports describe what the project team has accomplished during a certain period of time. Team members often submit weekly or monthly reports and tem leader consolidates those reports for upper management

– Project forecasting predicts future project status and progress based on past information and trends. How long it will take to complete a task based on the past performance

– Status review meetings are used to have face-to-face discussion, exchange project information, motivate people, and empower people to be accountable for their work. It can be a battleground to explode conflicts between team members

Administrative ClosureA project or phase of a project requires closureAdministrative closure consists of verifying and

documenting project results It also allows time to collect project records, ensure that

the records reflect final specification, analyze project effectiveness, and archive information for future use

The main outputs of administrative closure are:– project archives: A complete set of organized project records

that provide an accurate history of the project– formal acceptance: a document that the project sponsor and/or

customer signs to show that they have accepted the project’s product

– lessons learned: statements written by project managers and team members about new experiences through the project

Administrative ClosureProject archives often become handy many years after

completion of the project. When is system is upgraded, it is important to look at the design of the system

Formal acceptance helps to end the project and avoids dragging out project termination

In a contract situation, the buyer must legally accept the products, so the seller can receive payment.

The project team members should prepare a lesson learned report that should contain items such as causes of variances (in scope, time, cost), reasoning behind corrective actions taken, new tools and techniques used, and personal wisdom based on the team members’ experiences

Suggestions for Improving Project Communications

Good communication is vital to the management and success of a project

Applying few methodologies can improve communication. They are:– Resolve conflicts effectively– Develop better communication skills– Run effective meetings– Use templates for project communications

Conflict Handling ModesProject issues such as schedule, priorities, staffing,

technical matters, administrative procedures, personalities, and cost - all contribute to conflicts

When the stakes (salary, prestige) are high, conflicts arise; when the potential for conflict is high, good communication is necessary

There are five basic modes of conflict resolution:– Confrontation: directly face a conflict and allow the parties to

work together to resolve the problem– Compromise: use a give-and-take approach– Smoothing: de-emphasize areas of differences and emphasize

areas of agreement– Forcing: exert a viewpoint over another– Withdrawal: retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential

disagreement. It is least effective

Developing Better Communication Skills

Most information technology professional enter the field because of their technical skills, however, most find that communication skills are the key to advancing their career

Most companies spend a lot of money for technical training, some other do for both technical and communication skills

Senior management needs to have high standards for presentations, reporting, and behavior towards others

Allocation of time for report or presentation preparation, meeting with customers, and assisting when necessary, are important

Communication can be improved through proper planning, support, and leadership form management

Running Effective Meetings

A well-run meeting can be a vehicle for fostering team building and reinforcing expectations, roles, relationships, and commitment to the project.

A poorly run meeting can have a detrimental effect on a project

Some guidelines for improving meetings:– Define the purpose and intended outcome of the meeting– Determine who should attend the meeting– Provide an agenda to participants before meeting– Prepare handouts, visual aids, and logistics– Run meetings professionally: have ground rules, control time,

encourage participation, summarize key issues, clarify decisions and actions, and have minutes takes

– Make meetings fun with some activities – Avoid meetings when not necessary

Use Templates: Sample Template for a Monthly Progress Report

I. Accomplishments for Month of January (or appropriate month):

Describe most important accomplishments. Relate to project's Gantt chart

Describe other important accomplishments, one bullet for each. If any issues wereresolved from the previous month, list them as accomplishments.

II. Plans for February (or following month):

Describe most important items to be accomplished in the next month. Again relateto the project's Gantt chart.

Describe other important items to accomplish, one bullet for each

III. Issues: Briefly list important issues that surfaced or are still important. Managershate surprises and want to help the project succeed, so be sure to list issues.

IV. Project Changes (Date and Description): List any approved or requestedchanges to the project. Include the date of the change and a brief description.

Outline for a Final Project Report

I. Cover page

II. Table of contents and executive summary (for a long report)

III. Need for the project

IV. Project description and letter of agreement

V. Overall outcome of the project and reasons for success or failure

VI. Project management tools and techniques used and assessment of them

VII. Project team recommendations and future considerations

VIII. Final project Gantt chart

IX. Attachments with all deliverables

Outline of a Final Project Documentation

I. Project description

II. Project proposal and backup data (request for proposal, statement of work,proposal correspondence, and so on)

III. Original and revised contract information and client acceptance documents

IV. Original and revised project plans and schedules (WBS, Gantt and PERT charts,cost estimates, communications management plan, etc.)

V. Design documents

VI. Final project report

VII. Deliverables, as appropriate

VIII. Audit reports

IX. Lessons learned reports

X. Copies of all status reports, meeting minutes, change notices, and other writtenand electronic communications

Developing a Communications InfrastructureA communications infrastructure is a set of tools,

techniques, and principles that provide a foundation for the effective transfer of information– Tools include e-mail, project management software,

groupware, fax machines, telephones, teleconferencing systems, document management systems, and word processors

– Techniques include reporting guidelines and templates, meeting ground rules and procedures, decision-making processes, problem-solving approaches, and conflict resolution and negotiation techniques

– Principles include using open dialog and an agreed upon work ethic

Using Software to Assist in Project Communications

One of the biggest problems on large projects is providing most recent project plans, Gantt charts, specifications, meeting information, change requests, and so on to all or selected stakeholders

There are many software tools to aid in project communications

Microsoft Project Central is a companion product of Microsoft Project, which helps facilitate collaboration and communication between project stakeholder over the Intranet