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Epson Communications Toolkit

An unwavering commitment to drive innovation and performance

EPSON

INNOVATION

ENGINE Version 1.0 – January, 2016

The 7Cs of Communication

As a project leader or team member, you will spend most of your time communicating. To ensure you communicate in

the clearest, most effective way possible, the 7 Cs of Communication are a helpful model to follow so that your

meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets

your message.

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Communication

Clear

Concise

Concrete

Correct Coherent

Complete

Courteous

Project Brief The Pyramid Principle

Provides an overview of the

project and serves as an

agreement between

management and the team on

the expected project outcome.

Organizes communication in a

structured, hierarchical format

that improves the chances of

ideas being heard and

recommendations accepted.

Project Schedule The Golden Circle

Defines the project’s activities,

milestones, and deliverables

including associated dates,

dependencies, and resource

requirements.

Increases the effectiveness

and motivating power of

communications by focusing

the message on “the why”

rather than on “the what.”

Project Storyboard Business Storytelling

Tells the story of a project by

illustrating it using graphical

elements (e.g. charts, graphs,

tables, and diagrams) that

show the sequence of project

events or results.

Creates a personal connection

between the audience and the

message in order to build up

support, communicate ideas,

change opinions, or motivate

the audience to action.

Our Core Communication Tools

Project Brief

Why use this tool?

To clearly define and gain agreement on the expected project outcome and key elements such as scope,

estimated benefits, timeline, potential obstacles, stakeholders, sponsor, and team members.

What benefits you can expect?

• Develop a team consensus about

the project vision

• Acquire project approval from

management

• Develop stakeholder buy-in

• Keep the project on track (keeping

in mind timeline, budget, and

objective) and avoid scope creep

• Identify and minimize risks

• Increase project efficiency

• Evaluate the success of the project

(*) This tool is also known as project charter, specification,

definition document, and proposal, among other names.

Project Schedule

Why use this tool?

To schedule a project’s activities, milestones, and deliverables (identified in the WBS) including

associated start dates, completion dates, dependencies, resource requirements, and constraints.

What results you can expect?

• Enhance in-depth thinking about

the project work

• Foster planning and coordination

between departments

• Improve planning for resources

• Identify problems before work

begins

• Keep the project on track

• Track progress against the plan

• Reduce delivery time

• Reduce cost

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Project Storyboard

Why use this tool?

To tell the story of a project by illustrating it using graphical elements (e.g. charts, graphs, tables,

drawings, and diagrams) that show the sequence of project events or results (e.g. presentation).

What results you can expect?

• Develop support for the project

• Communicate project progress to

the stakeholders

• Communicate data analysis results

to the team

• Highlight team accomplishments

• Guide discussions during team

meetings

Project

“Hercules”

Define Measure

Analyze Improve Control

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The Pyramid Principle

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What results you can expect?

• Increase the clarity and reduce the

length of communications

• Identify loopholes in

recommendations before

communicating to others

• Make collaboration easier on group

communications

• Make communications more

dynamic and easier to remember

• Increase the likelihood of

recommendations being accepted

Why use this tool?

To organize communication in a structured, hierarchical format that will improve the chances of

ideas being heard and recommendations being accepted.

The Golden Circle

What results you can expect?

• An effective framework to design

project communications

• Lead others with purpose to inspire

action

• Improve the impact of

communications

Further Reading

• “Start with the Why” book summary

Why use this tool?

To increase the effectiveness and motivating power of communications by focusing the message

on why the idea/solution/product is important rather than just what the idea/solution/product is.

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Business Storytelling

Why use this tool?

To use stories to create a personal connection between the audience and the message in order to

communicate ideas, build up support, change opinions, or motivate the audience to action.

What results you can expect?

• Communicate information in a way

that holds the audience’s attention

• Connect with the audience on an

emotional level and make the story

memorable

• Create change by telling stories

that reinforce the desired

behavior/attitude

• Lighten the mood of serious

discussions

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Sources

Topic Link

The 7Cs of Communication https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4OmXaihEp0

Project Brief https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4x6uQzP2o0

Project Schedule

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-develop-your-projects-schedule.html

http://www.lynda.com/Project-tutorials/overview-project-scheduling/116477/135463-

4.html

Project Storyboard http://asq.org/service/body-of-knowledge/tools-storyboard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGkeXsaXSY

The Pyramid Principle

https://medium.com/lessons-from-mckinsey/the-pyramid-principle-

f0885dd3c5c7#.tjv6jyo2f

https://vimeo.com/86623600

The Golden Circle

http://www.pearsonandassociates.co.uk/uploads/files/start-with-why-by-simon-

sinek.pdf

https://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2346063/the-secret-to-successful-storytelling-

lies-in-the-golden-circle

https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=

en

Business Storytelling https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/BusinessStoryTelling.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1se4GLr9U

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Innovation Engine Toolkit Series

TEAM LEADERSHIP

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

DATA ANALYSIS

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

COMMUNICATION