communication challenges in project management challenges in project management kerry kirk pflugh...
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Communication Challenges in Project Management
Kerry Kirk Pflugh
ManagerOffice of Constituent Services and Communication
Planning NJDEP
Risk Communication To establish open two-way dialogues
with communitiesTo involve the public early in the
environmental decision-making processTo maximize availability and
understanding of risk data
Key Aspectsof CommunicationHow Communities See RiskEarning Trust and CredibilityWhen to Release InformationInteracting with the
CommunityExplaining Risk
How Communities See RiskACCEPTABLEVoluntary riskIndividual controlFairInfo from trusted
sourcesMorally rightNaturalFamiliarAssoc. w/
catastrophes
UNACCEPTABLEImposed riskGovernment controlUnfairInfo from strangersUnethical practicesArtificialUnfamiliarAssociated with daily life
How to earn trustand credibility?Pay attention to processExplain agency proceduresInvolve the public earlyFocus on trust and dataFollow upOnly make promises you can
keep
Trust (cont.)Provide information to meet agency
and public needCoordinateListen to citizensUse locally recognized support
If Trust is low:Consider their point of viewAcknowledge lack of trustPlan a trust-building strategyIdentify stepsBe prepared to go out of your
way
When should we releaseinformation?Act/waitExploring potential
risksBeat the mediaTalk proceduresPreliminary dataRelease in contextQ/A
How can we interact with communities more effectively?Involving the publicDevelop Appropriate forumsCommunicating with
different audiencesDealing with Values and
feelings Responding personallyChoosing speakers
How Do you Explain Risk?What do people want?How do people want it?Level of knowledgeDown to earth languageClear graphicsBackground materials
Goal of Communication PlanningEstablish dialogues between the
agency and affected publics earlyInclude citizens in the decision-
making processPresent information clearly and
make it accessible to citizensDevelop a context for the issue that
will help audiences evaluate how to respond
Identify the IssueEstablish an advisory groupIdentify a project coordinatorIdentify the communication
coordinatorOrganize a planning meeting
Goal
A goal is a “big picture” or ultimate impact desired for a project, issue or situation.*
*NOAA Coastal Services Center
Types of Goals Functional goals (those unspoken, assumed
standard operating procedural goals that should always be built into a project and communication effort) Universal Process Information Legal
Case specific goals Inform/alert Mediate/negotiate Solicit input
Elements of a SMART Goal
State or define the task(s) State how you will achieve it Determine how you will measure it Determine when it will be accomplished Don’t make it too complicated If necessary break down goals into specific
objectives with measurable results-think short-term, mid-term and long-term intervals
SMART Weight Goal
I will lose 10 pounds by May 31, 2008 by cutting 200 calories per day and exercising vigorously four times per week.
SMART Fish Advisory Goal By December 1996 learn the barriers to
compliance with state fish consumption advisories by conducting a survey of at least 300 anglers along the Newark Bay waterfront with visits to 32 fishing locations in seven towns and three counties at least three days during the week and one day on the weekends from Spring 1996 through late Fall.
Profile the Issue
Establishes a case record.Identifies key internal and external
stakeholders.Determines your resources -- time,
staff, money, etc.Compilation of data on the case and the
affected community.Review of history.
Some Key Profile Questions What does the department need to learn? What does the department need to share? What is the expected response from the public? What are the likely concerns? Who is impacted? What is known about the problem, the community,
DEP history with this site, community or issue?
The Profile is critical to assuring the case-specific goal is appropriate. Each time new information is learned, return to the case-specific goal to see if it,or the plan needs to be modified.
Identify the Audience
Key audiences are those people with whom you need to establish a dialogue and those who wish to talk with the department. They include those who are or must be made aware of the issue, those affected by the problem, those affected by the solution, and the media.
Questions to Identify Audiences
Who is likely to be affected directly by the agency action? Who was previously involved in this issue? Who might have important ideas,
information, or opinions? Has the agency heard the full range of
opinions? Who are important community leaders?
Audience Assessment
Determines how citizens perceive an issue What information the public wants What information the agency needs to
provide What local communication systems can be
used for a continuing dialogue.
Audience AssessmentDo Always
Review newspaper clippings Discuss expected audience
concerns with management team Make a few targeted and random
phone calls to determine audience knowledge, perception and concern about issue.
Audience AssessmentDo At Least One
Meet informally with affected stakeholders and stakeholder groups.
Survey stakeholders for their questions and concerns
Determine what each audience expects from the agency
Messages
A message is information you want/need to share with audiences about the issue or case, a question that you need them to answer, or both. It is linked to the case specific goal and addresses all key points about the issue.
Identify MessagesWhat information must be conveyed?Does it reflect the goal?Does it answer stakeholders questions?Is the position of the agency clearly
presented?Does the message reflect the audience
assessment?Was it pre-tested with a representative
from the target group?Is technical information clearly explained?
Developing Messages-Message Mapping*
* Rule of three Template
* Primacy/Recency Template
* 27/9/3 Template
*Covello, Vincent T. Message Mapping Workshop, March 2005
Rule of 3*
Everything in threes Three key messages Key message repeated three times Each message supported by three supporting
messages
*Covello, Vincent T., Message Mapping Workshop, March 2005
Primacy/Recency
State the most important messages first and last. In high stress situations, listeners tend to
remember that which they hear first and last. Message that are in the middle of a list are often not heard or remembered.
27/9/3*
27 words – the average length of a sound bite in the print media is 27 words
9 seconds – the average duration of a sound bite in the broadcast media is 9 seconds
3 messages – the average number of messages reported in both print and broadcast media is three
*Covello,Vincent T., Message Mapping Workshop, March 2005
What is Message Mapping?
Starts with a question. Responds with three key ideas. Is no more than 27 words. Takes no longer than 9 seconds to deliver. Provides three supporting statements linked
to the three ideas.
Message Map Example Stakeholder: Urban Anglers Spokesperson: DEP Fish Advisory Expert
Question: Are blue claw crabs from Newark Bay safe to eat?
Key message 1:Blue Claw crabs from the Newark Bay are contaminated with dioxin and shouldn’t be eaten. Eating blue claw crabs from these waters may cause cancer. Dioxin can also harm brain and nervous system development in
unborn and young children. There is no safe way to prepare and cook crabs from the Newark
Bay Complex.
Example, Cont. Key Message 2: Dioxin is a known carcinogen.
Dioxin is a chemical byproduct of certain industrial processes.
Dioxin stays in the environment for a very long time. Dioxin is found in the sediment of the Newark Bay
Complex from historical industrial pollution.
Key Message 3: Dioxin tainted crabs don’t look, smell or taste different.
Dioxin is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. You will not immediately become sick from eating a
dioxin tainted crab. Crabs get dioxin into their bodies by eating food from
contaminated sediment.
Method Selection
A communication method is the means by which you communicate with your audiences. There are a number of methods that can be used. Selection of a method is based on your goal, and how your audience communicates with itself (learned in the audience assessment) and the nature of the issue.
Method Selection Criteria (see chart)
Agency receives information from citizens Agency gives information to citizens Establishing Dialogue Summarizing Consensus
Methods for CommunicationPublic meetingsFocus groupsMediaDisplaysConferencesWorkshopsAvailability sessionsSurveysPhone interviews
Implement StrategyDevelop a timeline
Outline the needed tasks How long will tasks take to complete? What data needs to be shared and in what
form? Who is responsible for each task? What constraints may emerge in
completing tasks? How will the effort be evaluated?
Evaluation
Evaluation is the systematic collection of information about activities, characteristics, and outcomes of projects to make judgments about the project, improve effectiveness, or inform decisions about future programming.*
*NOAA Coastal Services Center
Types of Evaluation
Front-end – issue identification and profile step—gathers information about the issue to determine next steps. Formative – ongoing evaluation monitors
progress of the project and communication effort, adjusts as needed Summative – documents the outcome of the
effort and leads to follow-up.
Key Evaluation Questions Did the strategy used meet the goals? Were the needs and concerns of citizens met? Was the intended message received and
understood? Was the method used appropriate for this case and
audience? Are there questions which require a follow up? Were there unintended effects, good or bad, in
addition to intended effects?
Debrief and Follow-upMeet with Internal Workgroup to
determine: What were the results of outcome
evaluation? How did ongoing evaluation impact the
goals, and results? What follow-up is needed with
stakeholders? What ongoing support is needed if any?
Components of a Successful Communication EffortUnderstand the issue before developing an
outreach planEstablish a project teamAssign a communications coordinatorConsult with the target community to
develop the outreach planDevelop products that meet both agency
and community needGet buy-in from agency hierarchy, local
government and community groups
Success (cont.)Partner with local groups to act as
agency liaisonProvide technical support to assist
local groups in their tasksEnlist political supportSeek financial supportEvaluate /Debrief and follow-up
Kerry’s Final Thoughts on Communication with CommunitiesRemember that we are often strangers
in someone else’s neighborhood--it takes time for relationships to develop.Remember and practice what we were
taught about good manners-- “please” and “thank-you” helps.Remember that we can learn
something new and important every day -- and often not from the experts.