Communications Management

Project managers spend about 85% to 90% of their time communicating. Communication issues are the problems they face most often, so a structured communications management plan is essential. Find out what stakeholders need to know, tell them what information you need from them, and update the plan frequently as the project’s needs change.

Stakeholders and Communication

Project managers bring project management expertise. Stakeholders bring technical expertise about what needs to be done and how to do it. Identify stakeholders and their requirements, expectations, and influence, then incorporate that information into the product or project scope as needed.

Stakeholders are essential to any project. Identify them during initiation and manage their expectations, involvement, and influence throughout the project life cycle.

1. Identify all stakeholders.
2. Determine all their requirements.
3. Determine their expectations.
4. Determine their interests.
5. Assess their level of influence.
6. Plan how to communicate with them.
7. Put the communication plan into practice.
8. Manage their expectations and influence.

Identify Stakeholders

Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder analysis identifies stakeholders and assesses their impact or influence on the project. Start with the initial stakeholder list in the project charter and consult records from past projects. Gather additional information through techniques such as brainstorming and interviews. Ask newly identified stakeholders to suggest anyone else who should be involved.

Use tools such as power/interest grids and salience models to group stakeholders by authority, impact, influence, or requirements. These groupings help you decide what to communicate, when to communicate it, and how to reach each stakeholder.

Stakeholder Register

The Stakeholder Register is an output of Identify Stakeholders. It brings together the information collected about stakeholders.

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Stakeholder Management Strategy

Identify Stakeholders also produces a strategy for managing stakeholders. Decide whether to manage people individually or as groups based on which approach is easier and takes less time. Some stakeholders require more attention than others. Depending on how well the project is planned, stakeholders can help it or create difficulties. Manage both the positive and negative effects of their involvement.

Plan Communications

Consider the performing organization’s enterprise environmental factors, including its culture and expectations. Review its organizational process assets, including processes, procedures, historical records, lessons learned, and other relevant information. The result is the Communications Management Plan, which is part of the Project Management Plan.

Identify stakeholders and their communication requirements during initiation. During planning, decide how to use that information to meet their information and communication needs. A structured approach and an appropriate format help keep communication clear and concise.

• Formal written communication. Use it for complex problems, the Project Management Plan, the Project Charter, memos, and long-distance communication.
• Formal verbal communication. Use it for presentations and speeches.
• Informal written communication. Use it for email, handwritten notes, text messages, and instant messaging.
• Informal verbal communication. Use it in meetings and conversations.

Communication Models

A communication model has three parts: the sender, the message, and the receiver. The sender encodes the message and transmits it to the receiver, who decodes it. Factors such as the receiver’s education, language, and cultural background can introduce noise that affects how the message is interpreted.

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Effective Communication

The sender should encode the message carefully, choose an appropriate way to send it, and confirm that the receiver understands it. Two factors affect how a message is conveyed.

• Nonverbal communication. Physical mannerisms carry much of what people communicate. This lesson estimates that about 55% of all communication is nonverbal.
• Paralingual communication. Vocal pitch and tone also help convey a message.

Effective Listening

Decode the message carefully and confirm that you understand it. Watch for gestures and facial expressions and think about what to say before you respond. Practice active listening by confirming that you are listening, expressing agreement or disagreement, or asking for clarification.

Communication Technology

Decide how to communicate each item. Options include face-to-face conversations, telephone, fax, mail, email, virtual or in-person meetings, and forums on the intranet or internet. These channels are forms of communication technology.

Communication Methods

• Interactive communication. Two or more people exchange information and respond to one another. Examples include meetings, conference calls, and video conferences.
• Push communication. The sender delivers information one way, with no expectation of feedback. Examples include status reports, mass mailings, and project updates sent to a large audience.
• Pull communication. The sender stores information in a central location, such as SharePoint or a shared drive. Recipients who need the information or are responsible for using it retrieve it there.

Control of Communications

Project managers cannot control every piece of information. Their responsibility is to control the flow of communication and what is shared through it.

Meetings

• Set a time limit and keep to it.
• Schedule recurring meetings in advance.
• Meet with the team regularly. How often you meet depends on the need.
• Give every meeting a specific purpose and agenda.
• Distribute the agenda before the meeting and stick to it during the meeting.
• Assign roles in advance. For example, designate one person to take minutes and another to keep time.
• Invite the people needed for the discussion.
• Facilitate the meeting effectively and follow the meeting rules.
• Assign an owner and due date to every action during the meeting.
• Document and publish the minutes.

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Communication Channels

Calculate the number of communication channels as N(N − 1) / 2, where N is the number of people.

Communications Management Plan

Document how the project manager will manage and control communication. Because project communications are complex, put the plan in writing and address the needs of all stakeholders. Include it in the Project Management Plan.

Distribute Information

The project manager distributes project information to stakeholders. Different stakeholders need different information and formats, so decide in advance what each person needs to know, how to deliver it, and when to send it. Implementing the Communications Management Plan is the result of Distribute Information. Make sure the information reaches recipients in a way that is effective and efficient for them.

Manage Stakeholder Expectations

Act early to show stakeholders that their needs and concerns are being considered, even when the team cannot agree to every request. Keep communication channels open so stakeholders can alert the project manager to potential risks, changes, and other relevant information.

Pay attention to stakeholder needs while work is underway. This helps build trust, resolve conflicts, prevent problems, and strengthen stakeholders’ sense of belonging to the project. Use the Stakeholder Register, stakeholder management strategy, Communications Management Plan, issue logs, and changes to decide what action to take.

Communication Blockers

Common blockers include noisy surroundings, poor encoding or decoding, negative statements, cultural and language differences, hostility, and distance between the people communicating.

Report Performance

Reporting performance involves gathering and analyzing information about the work, preparing reports, and sending them to the relevant stakeholders. Performance reporting is part of the Communications Management Plan.

Design reports around the project’s needs and give stakeholders the level of detail they require. Choose a delivery method that helps recipients read the report and act on it. Balance reporting with other project management work.

Use the Project Management Plan to identify the performance measurement baseline for your reports. Give a clear, concise, accurate view of schedule, cost, scope, and quality performance. Use reports to determine when to recommend and implement corrective action. Reporting also includes looking ahead.

• Status report. Shows current process performance against the performance measurement baseline.
• Progress report. Describes the total work accomplished.
• Trend report. Shows whether performance is trending up or down.
• Forecasting report. Uses current or historical data to estimate future project status and performance.
• Variance report. Compares actual performance with the baselines.
• Earned value report. Integrates scope, cost, and schedule measures to assess project performance.
• Lessons learned documentation. Uses performance reports to capture lessons for future projects.

Early stakeholder identification and a written Communications Management Plan give the project manager a structured way to manage communication throughout the project.