Project Communication
Management
Dr Eng Ranil Sugathadasa
[Link](Hons), [Link](Moratuwa),MIE(SL),MILT(UK),) CEng,
MBA(Colombo),PMP (USA), PhD
Chartered Engineer/ Project Management Professional/ Management
Consultant/ Motivational & Management Trainer/ Executive & Life Coach
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa
Founder: TheMotivator
Web:[Link]
facebok: TheMotivator
Phone: 0777 224038
Email: [Link]@[Link]
1
Project Communication
Process
◼ Communication Planning- Determine the
information and communication needs of the project
stakeholders.
◼ Information Distribution- Making needed
information available to project stakeholders in a
timely manner.
◼ Performance Reporting- Collecting and
distributing performance information. This includes
status reporting, progress measurements, and
forecasting.
◼ Manage Stakeholders- Managing communication
to satisfy the requirements of and resolve issues with
project stakeholders.
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Communication Planning:
Inputs
[Link] Environmental Factors
[Link] Process Assets- Lessons leaned and
historical information can provide both decisions and results
based on previous similar projects concerning communication
issues.
[Link] Scope Statement
[Link] Management Plan
Constraints-Examples of constraints include team members situate
in different geographical locations, incompatible communication
software version, or limited communication technical capabilities
Assumptions- Specific assumptions that affect communication
planning
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Communication Planning:
Tools and Technique
1. Communication Requirement 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 communication channel is n(n-1)/2,
where n- number of stakeholders. Thus, a project with 10
stakeholders has 45 potential communication channels.
◼ Key component of planning the project communication is to
determine and limit who will communicate with whom and
who will receive what information.
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Communication Planning:
Tools and Techniques (cont’d)
◼ Information typically required to determine project
communication requirements includes:
➢ Organization charts
➢ Project organization and stakeholder responsibility relationships
➢ Disciplines, departments, and specialists involved in the project
➢ Logistics of how many people will be involved with the project
and at which locations
➢ Internal information needs (e.g.; communicating across
organizations)
➢ External information needs (e.g.; communicating with the
media or contractors)
➢ Stakeholder information
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Communication Planning:
Tools and Techniques (cont’d)
2. Communication Technology
Communication technology factors that can affect the project include:
▪ The urgency of the need for information -Is project success
dependent upon having frequently updated information available on a
moment’s notice, or would regularly issued written report suffice ?
▪ The availability of technology - Are the systems already in place
appropriate or do project needs warrant change?
▪ The expected project staffing -Are the proposed communications
systems compatible with the experience and expertise of the project
participants, or is extensive training and learning required?
▪ The project environment - Does the team meet and operate on a
face to face basis or in a virtual environment ?
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Communication Planning:
Outputs
[Link] Management Plan
This Provides,
▪ Stakeholder communication requirements
▪ Information to be communicated, including formats, content
and level of detail.
▪ Person responsible for communicating the information.
▪ Persons or group who will receive the information.
▪ Methods or technology used to convey the information, such as
e-mail, memoranda, press releases
▪ Frequency of the communication such as weekly
▪ Escalation process- identifying time frames and the
management chain (names) for escalation of issues that can not
be resolved at a lower staff level
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Communication Planning:
Outputs (cont’d)
▪ Methods for updating and refining the communication
management plan as the project progresses and develops
▪ Glossary of common terminology
▪ Guidelines for project status meeting, project team meetings, e-
meetings, and e-mail
▪ Sample attributes of a communication management plan can
include,
➢ Communication item-The information that will be distributed to stakeholders
➢ Purpose-The reason for the distribution of that information
➢ Frequency-How often the information will be distributed
➢ Start/End dates-The time frame for the distribution of the information
➢ Format/medium-The layout of the information and the method of
transmission
➢ Responsibility-The team member charged with the distribution of the
information
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Information Distribution:
Inputs
[Link] Management plan
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Information Distribution:
Tools and Techniques
[Link] skills
▪ Written and oral, listening and speaking
▪ Internal (within the project) and external ( customer, the media
and public)
▪ Formal ( reports, briefings) and informal (memos, ad hoc
conversations)
▪ Vertical (up and down the organization) and horizontal( with
peers)
[Link] gathering and retrieval system
Information can be gathered and retrieved through a variety of
media including manual filing systems, electronic databases, project
management software, and systems that allow access to technical
documentation, such as engineering drawings, design specifications
and test plans.
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Information Distribution:
Tools and Techniques (cont’d)
[Link] distribution methods
▪ Project meetings, hard copy document distribution, manual filing
systems, and shared access electronic databases.
▪ Electronic communication and conferencing tools
▪ Electronic tools for project management
[Link] learned process
▪ Update of lessons learned knowledge base
▪ Input to knowledge management systems
▪ Update corporate policies, procedures and processes
▪ Improved business skills
▪ Overall product and service improvements
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Information Distribution:
Outputs
[Link] Process Assets (Updates)
▪ Lessons learned documentation
▪ Projects records
▪ Projects reports
▪ Project presentations
▪ Feedback from stakeholders
▪ Stakeholder notifications
2. Requested Changes
Requested changes (additions, modifications, revisions) to the project
management plan and its subsidiary are reviewed, and the disposition
is managed through the integrated change control process.
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Performance Reporting:
Inputs
[Link] performance information
[Link] measurements
[Link] completion
[Link] control measurements
[Link] management plan (performance measurement baseline) - An
approved plan for the project work against which project execution is compared,
and deviations are measured for management control.
6. Approved change requests-Requested changes to expand or contract project
scope, to modify the estimated cost or to revise activity duration estimates that
have been approved and ready for implementation by the project team.
[Link]- Any unique and verifiable product, result or capability to perform a
service that must be produced to complete a process, phase or project.
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Performance Reporting:
Tools and Techniques
[Link] presentation tools
[Link] information gathering and compilation
[Link] review meetings
[Link] reporting systems
[Link] reporting systems
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Performance Reporting:
Outputs
[Link] reports
[Link]
[Link] changes
[Link] corrective actions
[Link] process assets (updates)
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Manage Stakeholders:
Inputs
[Link] management plan
[Link] process assets
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Manage Stakeholders:
Tools and Techniques
[Link] methods
[Link] log
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Manage Stakeholders:
Outputs
[Link] issues
[Link] change requests
[Link] corrective actions
[Link] process assets (updates)
[Link] management plan (updates)
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What’s the Best
Communication Medium?
E-mail
▪ It automatically provides a permanent record for the sender and the
receiver
▪ The ease with which e-mail notes may be forwarded to other parties
forces you to be careful about what you put in the message and how
you word it
Telephone
▪ Immediate interactive method of communicating without creating
permanent written record.
▪ Phone conversation allow you to hear voice inflections, although
obviously you can not view boy language or other non verbal
communication
Handwritten Notes
▪ Most informal of all communication methods
▪ Although thy usually take very little effort, they convey the ‘Personal
touch’ 20
What’s the Best Communication
Medium? (cont’d)
Printed and Mailed Memos and Letters
▪ Good when formal signatures are required and permanent record is
desired
Informal Visits
▪ Personal way to maintain communications with an individual
▪ Although you may not be carrying a specific message, an informal visit
can often lead to a more valuable and productive communication
session than you might get from formal one
▪ Informal visits are also appropriate when confidential, personal, or
sensitive subjects need to be covered.
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What’s the Best Communication
Medium? (cont’d)
Formal Presentations
▪ This is often used in situations where the distribution of information
may be enhanced by an explanation or the information is too complex
for written documentation.
▪ This is effective when you are trying to promote understanding, enlist
support, or expedite a decision.
▪ Formal presentations can be challenging and risky, as you rarely have
control over the entire session.
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Conducting High Quality
Meetings- Some Tips
◼ Determine whether a meeting is even required
➢ Don’t call a meeting if a series of phone call will serve the
purpose.
➢ Don’t call a meeting to decide something that you can or
should decide.
➢ Don’t call regular team meeting any more frequently than
necessary.
➢ Don’t call a meeting if you are reasonably certain there’s
nothing new to discuss.
➢ Don’t prolong a meting if the group is through conducting
the business at hand.
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Conducting High Quality
Meetings- Some Tips (cont’d)
◼ Be clear on the purpose of the meeting- Being clear on
the objective of the meeting will sharpen its focus and therefore
improve efficiency. Basic meeting types and their purpose:
➢ Progress
➢ Decision
➢ Agreement
➢ Information
➢ Opinion
➢ Instruction
➢ Review
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Conducting High Quality
Meetings- Some Tips (cont’d)
◼ Conducting all meetings in an organized and
systematic manner
◼ Prepare for the meeting
➢ Determine the objectives or purpose
➢ Prepare introductory comments
➢ Prepare an outline of topics to present or discuss
➢ Determine appropriate meeting duration
➢ Invite the right individuals ( the minimum required to
accomplish objectives)
➢ Tell participants how they need to prepare for the meetings
➢ Notify participants in time to prepare; distribute the necessary
materials
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Conducting High Quality
Meetings- Some Tips (cont’d)
◼ Personally and visibly kick of the meeting
➢ State the purpose of the meeting
➢ Review the background, if necessary
➢ Announce the specific topics or problems to be discussed
➢ Make sure everyone fully understands the topics or problems
◼ Ensure attention and participation
➢ Encourage participation; allow everyone to contribute
➢ Control discussion; drive out hostility; prevent monopolization
by on person
➢ Keep the discussion relevant to the meeting purpose
➢ Keep things moving forward
➢ Ensure that participants are fully understanding what is going
on
➢ Practice Six Hats Method
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Conducting High Quality
Meetings- Some Tips (cont’d)
◼ Close the meeting
➢ Stick to the allowed time
➢ Summarize by emphasizing what’s been accomplished
➢ Drive to development of an action plan if future work is needed
➢ Clearly indicate follow up actions required; obtain commitment
as needed
◼ Perform necessary follow up
➢ Prepare and distribute a record of conclusions or
recommendations
➢ Do not tell a story of everything that happened in the meeting;
be concise
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Feedback
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Feedback (cont’d)
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Feedback (cont’d)
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Feedback (cont’d)
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