T.

Abady, DWU 2017

IS 401 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

LECTURE SIX: PROJECT COMMUNICATION AND

STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

Semester one, 2017

Divine Word University
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Introduction to Project Communications

Management
Communication form an essential part of any projects

IT Projects, IT jargon is often difficult to understand for

users.
IT education focuses on technical skills, rather than soft
communication skills.

Top success factors for IT projects:

Top management support
User involvement
depend on good communication skills.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Purpose of Project Communications

Management
Processes required to ensure timely and appropriate
gathering/collection
generation,
dissemination,
storage, and
disposition
of project information.

Aim: create a communication infrastructure so that

everyone involved has access to the right information at
the right time.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Main Processes of Communications

Management
Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Closing

Communication Management
Communications Information Performance Administrative
Planning Distribution Reporting Closure

Determining the Making Collecting and Formalize the

information and information disseminating completion of
communications available to performance the project (or a
needs of the project information project phase)
stakeholders stakeholders
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

1 Communications Planning
Process of determining the project stakeholder information needs and
defining a communication approach.

Who are the stakeholder?

What are their interest areas?
What information is of value to Communications
them? Main Output
management plan
Who will provide it?
How often will it be distributed
and updated?
What format will it take?
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Communications Planning
The communications management plan should describe:
Collection & filing Distribution Format Communications
structure structure schedule
how and where what for key project e.g. due dates
information should information information: of main reports,
be collected and goes to whom, e.g. templates dates of
stored; electronic when and how and examples important
file mgt ( e.g. for change meetings
written/orally)? requests,
status
reports, pdf,
word, etc.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Communication planning: Plan communication

management tools and techniques
Plan Communications Communication Communication
Management Tools Technology Methods
Meetings Communication Communication
Models Requirements
Analysis
Eg. How time-
sensitive is the Eg. deciding who
information? should be informed of
Intranet- Periodic what and how
reports important it is that
Emails, text they receive that
information
Communication need
to be interactive? What information to
Face-to-face formal share for high level
and informal consideration vs. what
discussions information to share
with project manager
and project teams.
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

2 Information Distribution
Use technology to facilitate information distribution
e-mail, project network folders, document, intranet/extranet

Use both formal and informal methods

Different communication needs require different media

Complexity of communication is determined by:

The number of people involved
Different personality types, communications styles, cultural back-
grounds, language,...
Geographic distance
Consider these factors when you choose your way of distributing
information!
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

3 Work Performance Reporting

Performance reports show the stakeholders the current status
of the project and its performance against the planned
baselines.

Some examples of reports that are work-performance oriented

include;

Analysis of past team performance report (performance

appraisal)
Current status of risk and issues
Work completed vs. Work to be completed in the project
Results of variance analysis
Forecasted project completion (includes time and cost)
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

4 Administrative Closure
The process of monitoring and controlling
communications throughout the duration of the project life
cycle.

It involves the periodic collection and analysis as well as

forecast future performance based on performance to
date.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Control communications: Input

Keep an Issue log
Used to document and monitor resolution issue
Used to facilitate communication and ensure common understanding
of issues

Using project management plan reiterate on key information

regarding scope, schedule and cost baselines.

Project communications
Status of deliverables, schedule progress and costs incurred.

T. Abady, DWU 2017

Project Stakeholder Management

Project managers must take time to identify, understand, and

manage relationships with all project stakeholders

Using the four frames of organizations can help meet stakeholder

needs and expectations

 T. Abady, DWU 2017

Four framed questions

1. How do I manage a project? 2. What are the areas that need to be
Managed?
Leadership,
scope, time, cost, risk
planning, General Project Human resource etc
organisation, Management Management
communication Knowlegdge Knowlegdge
and control skills and and
Understand Practice Practice
organizational
behaviour, Application
financial Area
analysis, etc. Knowledge
4.When should I do and
which activity? Practice 3.Where do I get my resources?
Today, tomorrow, in a stakeholders, internal,
week, in 6 months external
Yesturday, 2 years ago Design new or buy off-
shelf
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Project Stakeholder Management

Stakeholder involved should be supported by
An emphasis on quality relations in which the parties
involved are;
1. Aware of their responsibilities
2. Where communication between them is clear and
comprehensive

Importantly; Senior executives/top management are very

important stakeholders as they can contribute to the
project success
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Main Processes of Stakeholder

Management
Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Closing

Stakeholder Management

Identify Plan Manage Control

Stakeholders Stakeholders Stakeholders stakeholders
Management engagement engagement
Determining the
information and Making Collecting and Formalize the
communications information disseminating completion of
needs of the available to performance the project (or a
stakeholders project information project phase)
stakeholders
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

1 Identify Stakeholders
This process takes place before the detailed planning
stage begins.
Purpose:
Identify stakeholders
Analyse the project relationship with them to establish

Level of engagement or interest in the project

Level of influence on it.

Both of these factors together determine the best strategy when

engaging stakeholders throughout the course of the project.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Identify Stakeholders: input

Project Charter
Procurement Document
Enterprise Environment factors
Organisational process assets
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Identify Stakeholders: output

Stakeholder Register
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

2 Plan Stakeholders Management

Objective: to analyse the engagement level of the
stakeholders identified in the process.

PMBOK describes this process as:

The process of developing appropriate management

strategies to effective engage stakeholders throughout the
project life cycle.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Plan Stakeholders Management: input

and output
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

3 Manage Stakeholders engagement

PMBOK defines this process as;

The process of communicating and working with stakeholders to

meet their expectations/needs and address issues as they occur.
 T. Abady, DWU 2017

4 Control stakeholders engagement

PMBOK defines this process as:

The process of monitoring overall project stakeholder relationships

and adjusting strategies and plans for engaging stakeholders.
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Work performance data

Percentage of work completed
Number of defects
Budgeted cost vs. Actual cost
Scheduled activity durations vs. Actual duration
T. Abady, DWU 2017

Summary
One of the key objectives of any project must be to
managing and maintaining stakeholder satisfaction.
This management is a continual process of
communication between the project manager and the
stakeholders in order to;

Understand their needs and expectations

Address issues as they occur
Manage conflicting interests
Foster their engagement in project decisions and
activities.