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Chapter 10:Project Communications Management - Coggle Diagram
Chapter 10:Project Communications Management
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 and non-technical skills are a key factor in career advancement for IT professionals
Project Communications Management Processes
Planning communications management: Determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders
Managing communications: Creating, distributing, storing, retrieving, and disposing of project communications based on the communications management plan
Controlling communications: Monitoring and controlling project communications to ensure that stakeholder communication needs are met
Keys to Good Communications
Project managers say they spend as much as 90 percent of their time communicating
Need to focus on group and individual communication needs
Use formal and informal methods for communicating
Distribute important information in an effective and timely manner
Set the stage for communicating bad news
Determine the number of communication channels
Planning Communications Management
Every project should include some type of communications management plan, a document that guides project communications
The communications management plan varies with the needs of the project, but some type of written plan should always be prepared
For small projects, the communications management plan can be part of the team contract
For large projects, it should be a separate document
Communications Management Plan Contents
Stakeholder communications requirements
Information to be communicated, including format, content, and level of detail
Who will receive the information and who will produce it
Suggested methods or technologies for conveying the information
Frequency of communication
Escalation procedures for resolving issues
Revision procedures for updating the communications management plan
A glossary of common terminology
Managing Communications
Managing communications is a large part of a project manager’s job
Getting project information to the right people at the right time and in a useful format is just as important as developing the information in the first place
Important considerations include the use of technology, the appropriate methods and media to use, and performance reporting
Suggestions for Improving Project Communications
Develop better communication skills
Run effective meetings
Use e-mail and other technologies effectively
Use templates for project communications
Using Software to Assist in Project Communications
There are many software tools to aid in project communications
Today many people telecommute or work remotely at least part-time. TechCast at George Washington University forecasts that by 2019, 30 percent of U.S. private-sector workers could work from home
Project management software includes new capabilities to enhance virtual communications
While technology can aid in the communications process, it is not the most important. Far more important is improving an organization’s ability to communicate, which often involves cultural change