Project Communication Management

The process required to ensure timely and appropriate generation,

collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of
project information.
Project managers spend 90% of their time to communicate. 50% of the
time is spent on communicating with the team
Message transmission: 7% in word, 38% in vocal pitch, 55% in body
language (Albert Mehrabian)

The
Communication
Management Process
Plan Communications Management
Manage Communication
Control Communications

Done During
Planning Process Group
Executing Process Group
Monitoring & Controlling Process
Group

1. Plan Communication Management

The process of determining the project stakeholder information needs and
defining a communication approach.

Communication occurs internally and externally as well as vertically (Up

and down the levels of organization) and horizontally ( among peers)

Customer, sponsor, Functional managers, and T

A. Communication Requirement Analysis

Other Project Managers

The
Project

Other
Stakeholders

B. Communication Types
Communication
Types

When Used

Formal Written

Complex problems, PMP, Project charter,

Communicating over long distances, requesting
additional sources
Presentation, Speeches, bidder conference
E-mail, Handwritten notes, Text messages,
instant messaging
Meetings, Conversations, milestone party

Formal Verbal
Informal Written
Informal Verbal

C. Communication Models

It looks like a circle with three parts:

The sender
The message
The receiver
Each message is encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver
based on the receivers education, experience, language and culture
Shannon-Weaver model/Sender-Receiver Model:
i) encoded idea, ii) message and feedback, iii) medium, iv) noise level, v)
the decoded idea. The sender to ensure info is clear, complete and the
recipient correct understands. The recipient to ensure complete message
is received (to acknowledge) and provide feedback/response

D. Effective Communication

Nonverbal : About 55% of all communication. Known as body language

Paralingual: Pitch and tone of voice
Feedback: do u understand what I said?

E. Communication Methods

Interactive Communication
Conversation, meetings & conference call, phone calls, video conferencing
Push Communication
One way stream; no feedback is expected. e.g. Email updates, Company
memos, letters, email, press release, faxes, voice mail etc
Pull Communication
Info is placed at central location; recipients retrieve. E.g. intranet site, elearning

F. Communication Channels
Adding one more person to the team, communications grow exponentially
Channel calculation formula:

[N (N-1)/2]

where N = number of people

G. Active vs Effective Listening

1. Active listening The receiver confirms the message is being received
through feedback, questions, prompts for clarity, and other signs of
confirmation of the received message.
2. Effective listening The receiver is involved in the listening experience
by paying attention to visual clues from the speaker and para lingual
characteristics and by asking relevant questions.

3. Communication Management Plan

Its the output of communications planning

It documents how you will manage and control communications

2. Manage Communications
A. Communication Blockers

1. Ineffective Communications Plan:

2. Time:
3. Noisy surroundings
4. Improper encoding of messages
5. Hostility
6. Distance
7. Saying That is a bad idea
8. Language
9. Culture
10. Personality and interest
11. Position and status
12. Lack of responsive feedback
13. Withholding information
14. Mixed messages
15. Stereotyping Communication Barriers

B. Performance Reporting

It collects performance data and sends it to stakeholders

Reports should provide the kind of information and the level of detail
required by stakeholders and may include:
a. Status Report (describe where the project stands regarding
performance measurement baseline)
b. Progress Report (describe what has been accomplished)

c. Trend Report (examines project results over time to see if the

performance is improving or deteriorating
d. Forecasting Report (predict future project status and performance).
e. Variance Report (report that compares actual results to baseline)
f. Earned Value Report (integrates scope, cost and schedule measures to
assess project performance i.e. PV, EV, AC etc)
g. Lessons Learned Documentation (reports on performance are used as
lessons learned for future projects)

3. Control Communications

Control Communications is the process of monitoring & controlling

communications to ensure that:
a. the information needs of the project stakeholders are met
b. there is an optimal information flow among all communication
participants, at any moment in time
Project Manager should try to control communications, otherwise
changes, miscommunications, unclear directions, and scope creep can
occur
A project Manager can never control All Communications

Control Communication Input & Output

PCMP (PMP)
WPD (D&M PW)
OPA
Project Communication Plan
Issue Log

Control
Comm-

WPI
Change Request
PMP Updates
PD Updates
OPA Updates

Issue log is to document the issues and monitor its resolutions

(with person responsible)

Project Communication Management Input/ Tools & Techniques/

Output
Communications

Plan
Communications
Management

PM Plan

Requirements

Stakeholder

Analysis

Register

Communications

Communications

Enterprise

Technology

Management Plan

Environment

Communication

Project Document

Factors

Models

Updates

Organization

Communication

Process Assets

Methods
Meetings
Communications

Manage
Communications

Communications

Technology

Management Plan

Communication

Work Performance

Models

Reports

Communication

Enterprise

Methods

Environment

Information

Factors

Management

Organization

System

Process Assets

Performance

Project
Communications
PM Plan Updates
Project Document
Updates
OPA Updates

Reporting
Control

PM Plan

Information

Change Requests

Communications

Project

Management

Work Performance

Communications

System

Info

Issue Log

Expert Judgement

PM Plan Updates

Work

Meetings

Project Documents

Performance Data

Updates

Organization

OPA Updates

Process Assets