1 tenstep project management process ™ pm00.6 pm00.6 project management preparation for success *...

1TenStep Project Management Process™

PM00.6

PM00.6PM00.6Project Management Preparation for Success Project Management Preparation for Success

* Manage Communication ** Manage Communication *


PM00.6

The Importance of CommunicationThe Importance of Communication

The ability to communicate heads the list of criteria for

success….. Peter Drucker

“A high percentage of the frictions, frustrations and

inefficiencies in our working relationships is traceable to poor

communication. In almost every case, the miscommunication

of a design drawing, a misunderstood change order, a missed

delivery date or the failure to execute instructions is the result

of a breakdown in communication.”Richard W. Sievert, Jr., Project Management Journal


PM00.6

Group ExerciseGroup Exercise

Review -• List the ways project managers communicate status at

your company?• Is anyone doing anything unique?• Discuss for all organizations in each group.


PM00.6

Manage CommunicationManage Communication

• Proper communication is a critical success factor

• Deliver the right information to the right audiences

– Project team to project manager

– Project manager to stakeholders

• Minimum, report status on all projects

– Status Reports

– Status meetings


PM00.6

Purpose• Report on project progress against the workplan• Report project management concerns

– Schedule

– Budget

– Issues

– Scope change

– Risks

• Manage expectations

Basic Status ReportingBasic Status Reporting


PM00.6

Synthesize

Project Progress

Change Requests

Issues Log

Other Relevant Info

Status Report



PM00.6

• Communicate with the target audience in mind (not the sender)

• Doesn’t have to be on paper

• If you ask for information, use it

• Make use of exception reporting



PM00.6

• Use standardized reports

• Synthesize and summarize as you go higher in the organization

• Green / yellow / red status indicators

• Be clear on when communication is due



PM00.6

• Make sure your reporting periods are realistic– Short project – more frequent

– Long project – less frequent

• Be creative in how you share information– Voicemail

– Email

– Paper

– Web …



PM00.6

Warning: Don’t depend on status reports alone to keep your customer / manager fully informed, especially if you are communicating bad news.



PM00.6

Managing ExpectationsManaging Expectations

In many (most?) cases where conflicts arise, it is not because of the actual problem, but because the customer / manager was surprised


PM00.6

How do you manage expectations effectively??

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE



PM00.6

Managing ExpectationsManaging Expectations

• Must have a common agreement to begin with• Communicate proactively to manage changes• Periodically assess performance and expectations• Deliver against the expectations• Reset expectations if necessary (once if possible)• Complete the agreement


PM00.6

Meeting Fundamentals• Create agenda• Ask for participant preparation • Invite only those people who are needed• Start on time (but allow for prior meetings) • Explain the purpose and expected outcome• Follow the agenda, and watch the time• Document action items• Recap action items, who is responsible and due date• Recap any decisions

Status MeetingStatus Meeting


PM00.6

Major Deliverables• Individual status report

– Team members to project manager

• Weekly / monthly project status report– Project manager to stakeholders

– May have multiple formats for different audiences

• Status meetings



PM00.6


Q: How do you make sure you get the right information about your project to the right audiences, in the most effective manner?

Answer: PLANNING


PM00.6

The Communication Plan


PM00.6

Communication PlanCommunication Plan

1. Determine the project stakeholders and their communication needs

2. For each stakeholder, brainstorm how to fulfill the communication need

3. Prioritize the communication options

4. Implement any communications that are mandatory

5. Implement high value communication options

6. Add the resulting activities to the workplan


PM00.6


High Effort Low Effort

High Impact

Low Impact

Focus herefirst


PM00.6


• Compliance– Reporting, required data, status, “push”

• Information– Education, “how to”, “pull”

• Marketing– Sell, keep sold, “push”


PM00.6

Compliance examples

• Project Status Reports

• Regular voicemail updates (of status)

• Status meetings

• Meetings with Steering Committee

• Regular conference calls and videoconferences with remote stakeholders

• Government required reports and other information

• Financial reporting such as budget status, headcount, run rate etc.



PM00.6

Information examples

• Awareness building sessions (not training, build awareness.)

• Project deliverables placed in a common repository, directory or library that people can access

• Project information on a website



PM00.6

Marketing examples

• Project newsletters, with positive marketing spin

• Contests with simple prizes to build excitement

• Project acronyms and slogans to portray positive images

• Project countdown till live date

• Celebrations to bring visibility to the completion of major milestones

• Project memorabilia - pins, pencils, cups, T-shirts, etc.



PM00.6

• More sophisticated form of marketing communication

• Establish an identity that conjures up a positive image and goodwill.

• Associate an image and a feeling when a person hears of your project

Branding a ProjectBranding a Project


PM00.6

• Proactively build your image, rather than have one branded on you

• Examples include:

– Establish a positive project name / acronym

– Establish an image / logo

– Trinkets, logo material - t-shirts, pencils, cups, etc.

Branding a ProjectBranding a Project


PM00.6

Advanced CommunicationsAdvanced Communications

Major Deliverable• Communication Plan


PM00.6

Building a Communication Plan• Review the class case study

• Determine the communication needs of the major stakeholders – Sponsor (both)

– Director

– Project team

– Vendor team

• Determine method and frequency of delivering the communication and who will be responsible

Case Study #9 – Manage CommunicationCase Study #9 – Manage Communication

– USA Finance Managers

– USA users

– International managers

– Other


PM00.6

Manage the ProjectManage the Project

Manage workplan

Manage issues

Manage scope

Manage communication

• Manage risk

• Manage documentation

• Manage quality

• Manage metrics


PM00.6

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

By the end of class, each participant should be able to:Understand the value of project management processesReview the various aspects of defining a projectBuild and maintain an appropriate project workplan Identify and manage issues, scope and communication• Identify and manage project risks• Determine methods to manage project documentation• Identify and manage to the appropriate level of quality• Identify metrics to improve processes and declare success


PM00.6

Questions??Questions??

1 tenstep project management process ™ pm00.6 pm00.6 project management preparation for success *...

Documents