6th Chapter'
6th Chapter'
6th Chapter'
Interpretation and utilization of information vary, requiring tailored approaches. A meticulously planned
communication strategy is essential throughout the project lifecycle, accommodating diverse needs. Prioritizing
this ensures success by navigating the complexities of the project effectively. Here are key points related to
Project Communication Management:
1. Identify all stakeholders involved in the project, both internal and external.
2. Understand their communication needs, expectations, and influence on the project.
3. Develop a communication plan outlining the who, what, when, and how of project communication.
4. Define communication channels, methods, and frequency.
Why is Project Communication Management important?
Effective Project Communication Management is important in software development, ensuring timely
information flow for adaptability and project success. It enables genuine human engagement, highlighting the
importance of project managers' dedication to clear and authentic discourse.
1. Unified Objectives and Seamless Communication: Project management success relies on a shared
understanding of objectives and seamless communication. Clarity and unity are foundational elements,
with effective communication acting as the linchpin for cohesive teamwork in project management.
2. Timely Delivery and Effective Collaboration: Timely project delivery is a vital aspect of project
management, demanding transparent awareness of constraints and goals. Productive communication
within the project management team facilitates task coordination, ensuring on-time completion through
effective collaboration.
3. Human-Crafted Problem Resolution in Project Management: Effective communication between
clients and the development team is crucial for swift problem resolution in project management. Project
managers, central to project management, play a pivotal role in encouraging creative problem-solving
and harnessing collective expertise to ensure client satisfaction.
4. Client Confidence through Transparent Project Communication: In project management, building
client confidence is achieved through transparent communication regarding objectives, status, and team
plans. Openness fosters trust, creating a positive atmosphere and strengthening client-project
management team relations for overall project success.
5. Dynamic Communication for Project Improvement: Effective communication among team members
is a catalyst for exchanging fresh ideas and insights. It fuels a collective pursuit of novel possibilities,
unconventional methods, and both creative and technical solutions to enhance project performance and
refine development processes.
Major Types of Communication
There are main 5 types of communication which are as follows:
1. Interactive communication
Effective project communication relies on interactive engagement, a practice where all stakeholders actively
participate in real time. Utilizing tools like video conferencing, live chat, and phone discussions fosters
dynamic interaction, particularly valuable when stakeholders are dispersed.
Video conferencing stands out as the most successful form, allowing Project Managers to convey
project intricacies and receive immediate feedback.
Despite a preference for face-to-face communication, strategies are adapted to accommodate
stakeholders unable to join video conferences, ensuring inclusive and comprehensive communication
throughout the project.
2. Push communication
In project management, push communication serves as a unique mode, delivering information without the need
for an immediate response. This approach proves beneficial for Project Managers disseminating meeting
minutes and crucial details to team members, or companies connecting with stakeholders through press
releases. Leveraging push notifications, Project Managers can efficiently send faxes, letters, emails, and
updates.
However, a drawback lies in the potential for recipients not fully grasping the information.
To counter this, confirmations of successful communication delivery offer assurance, making push
communication a valuable, non-intrusive tool for sharing essential project details.
3. Pull Communication
Pull communication, tailored for those who prefer information consumption at their own pace, serves as an
effective approach for Project Managers. This method involves storing information in centralized repositories,
allowing easy access for team members and stakeholders. Utilizing diverse tools like slide presentations and
training sessions, Project Managers foster collaborative interactions.
The success of pull communication lies in offering individuals control over information absorption
speed, making it a strategic choice.
Selecting a communication strategy involves weighing options and considering audience size and
geographical distribution for optimal effectiveness in project communication.
4. Electronic Communication
Electronic communication goes beyond emails, incorporating technical tools for swift interaction. Video
meetings are advantageous for distributed companies, fostering brainstorming. Email attachments like
spreadsheets enhance detailed presentations.
Internal websites serve as versatile tools for sharing information and updates, accessible from any
location.
They become valuable resources for tracking project progress and ensuring all team members stay
informed.
5. Face-to-face communication
Face-to-face communication, especially in meetings, benefits individuals with clear objectives seeking a unified
message. Seminars enhance collaboration, fostering natural interaction and the exchange of thoughts among
participants. This teamwork not only boosts morale but also fuels innovation and passion, contributing to
shared goals.
Direct conversations with team members are essential for gauging feelings and ensuring effective
message reception.
It becomes an obligation to ensure comprehension among all project participants for successful
communication.
How to Create a Project Communication Management Plan?
The following 5 steps provide a consistent framework for the successful implementation of the Project
Communication Management Plan.
Steps To Create A Project Communication Management Plans
Step 1: Navigating Communication Objectives
Establishing clear communication goals is the first crucial step in crafting an effective Project Communication
Management Plan. Define your objectives, whether it's creating awareness through status reports or seeking
approval from sponsors. Craft messages with a human touch, avoiding any semblance of an AI-generated tone.
Step 2: Project Stakeholders Overview
Identify all individuals involved in the project, including team members, sponsors, customers, and other
stakeholders. Consider those who may be impacted or have influence for a comprehensive list. Ensure the
overview reads naturally, avoiding any appearance of being AI-generated, and keep it concise within a 30-word
limit.
Step 3: Project Update
Provide a friendly and engaging project update message to stakeholders. Communicate that the project is on
track regarding scope, schedule, budget, objectives, risks, and deliverables. Encourage open communication by
inviting specific points for discussion, fostering a smooth and collaborative project environment.
Step 4: Choosing the Right Communication Channel
Consider the audience and context when sharing project information. Opt for formal communication channels
like email reports for stakeholders or informal verbal debriefs during team meetings. Choose methods that align
with the situation, ensuring effective understanding and engagement while steering clear of automated or
robotic tones.
Step 5: Timeline and Reporting
Establish a clear timeline for communication. Determine whether stakeholders require weekly or monthly
reports and identify any specific deadlines. Consider different time zones and varied employee schedules to
accommodate everyone. Commit to maintaining a human touch in communication, avoiding any indications of
AI-generated content throughout the reporting process.
Step 1: Navigating Communication Objectives
Establishing clear communication goals is the first crucial step in crafting an effective Project Communication
Management Plan. Define your objectives, whether it's creating awareness through status reports or seeking
approval from sponsors. Craft messages with a human touch, avoiding any semblance of an AI-generated tone.
There are three basic forms of communication that define information distribution formats:
Publishing respective project information from the stakeholders on public computer communications networks
Organizing individual and group meetings, audio/video conferences, seminars and webinars, phone calls
Permitting a subscriber to access selected portions of respective project information
Arranging chats and using project intranet sites
During the process of distributing information, the project manager ensures that communications channels are
‘clear’ and nothing blocks information flows. The project manager takes responsibility for controlling the
updating process that is expressed by the following status update information:
Stakeholder notifications
Project reports, summaries and records
Project presentations
Feedback stakeholder
Lessons learnt records and logs
What is Project Performance Reporting?
The Project Performance Reporting process is a job that project managers perform that evaluates the progress of
a project and informs stakeholders about the project's forecasts and progress. It involves the gathering and
analysis of information that is part of the entire production process of a project. Typically, project participants
and other stakeholders develop a communication management plan which outlines the number of reports they'll
produce during the project as well as the elements they'll find in their reports. Professionals can create reports
on the performance of projects across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, finance, shipping,
education and construction, automotive, and healthcare.
While working on a task you can mix various reports on performance and compare them with each other, and
pull relevant data from earlier reports. You can create performance reports using text-based documents, such as
graphs and spreadsheets, or image-based formats, such as tables and charts. Many professionals prefer using a
combination of different formats for their reports, such as graphs and charts, so that the result is easier to
comprehend by stakeholders.
Why is Project Performance Reporting Important?
A performance report will provide you with an accurate and clear picture of the company's performance. The
performance report is created primarily due to the following reasons:
It keeps track of everything related to your current activity.
It determines whether your business operations can aid in the growth of your business and the
achievement of your goals.
It reveals your strengths and your weaknesses.
Performance reports can be used to measure your performance in comparison to competitors.
This will let you know what you're doing wrong and can help you gain a competitive edge. However,
Project Performance Reporting in project management can also track your workforce.
Project Performance Reporting allows you to create annual reports and remain compliant when your
business is governed by certain industry regulations.
However, most companies utilize it to improve their performance in business and to provide clear and
efficient communication.
You can manage and organize the data you have gathered more efficiently by using project management
software.
Status report
A status report provides details about the present state of a project during the entire process of completion. It
indicates whether the project is on schedule to complete its deadlines. It provides an overview of the project's
specifics and highlights any areas for improvement and outlines any goals that the project has accomplished.
Status reports can help keep the stakeholders informed of the overall progress of the project and help them keep
up-to-date on any changes. It's the most frequent report to make and it's normal to produce status reports
frequently throughout a project, according to the project's communication management plan.
Progress report
A progress report outlines everything you've done for the project. It has details of the tasks you've accomplished
on a project, the goals you've achieved, or modifications to the project's plans. Progress reports will be a record
of the actions you've taken which can help you measure the effectiveness because it is possible to compare the
current report with prior progress reports.
Trend report
A trend report identifies any issues that are recurring and have been identified in several Progress reports so that
experts can identify the issue and address them to improve the productivity rate. It examines the progress of a
project against the performance of the last time of the same period. You can submit these reports each month,
week, or even throughout the project, based on the deadlines. Trend reports reveal the extent to which a
project's production rate is growing or declining.
Variance report
A variance report evaluates the actual performance of an undertaking to the anticipated performance using
variables related to measuring work performance. These variables include the performance of the planned
schedule compared to the actual performance, as well as the actual cost of the project in comparison to the
projected project cost.
To make a variance report you'll be able to identify the key performance indicators for a project which are
usually outlined in the project's plans and then look at the percentage of them you've met to date. One of the
most common indicators of performance is the deadline for the project. For instance, when a project fails to
meet the original deadline, the report could reveal a significant variance in the project.
Forecasting report
Forecasting reports outline what professionals can anticipate to transpire during a project. They forecast future
performance outcomes and give guidelines for project management. The components included in forecast
reports are deadlines, costs, and overall quality of the project. In forecast reports, you can review current
information on the project's status and then compare it with the anticipated project outcomes.
Analysis of previous performance: This information is used to determine whether the project's performance has
been better than or less than the expectations.
Summary of Changes: This measurement includes details on the project's expenses as well as the remaining
resources so far. The study reveals if work results are in line with the requirements agreed on at the time of
scheduling.
The Next Steps:Monitoring unexpected changes to the project's development is a crucial aspect of reporting on
performance. The reports should outline the adjustments and provide a rationale for the reason for them.
Project Estimation:Projections for performance reports synthesize information on expenses and resources
available. They then evaluate them against what is required to achieve the desired results.
Information for all stakeholders:Data gathered from risk mapping reports provide significant insights that aid
teams in identifying obstacles and determining the best mitigation strategies.
Work Performance Information and Evaluation:These reports comprise the final phases of the project that take
into account any changes or team performance, as well as the time needed to complete the remaining tasks.