pmp exam preparation workshop project …f2015_s_communications.pdf– electronic project management...

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Project Communications Management

PMP Exam PreparationWorkshop

Copyright © 2015 PMI SOC

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will understand:

• The importance of communication for the success of a project;

• The communication processes as described in PMBOK Guide –

Fifth Edition;

• How to approach PMP Exam questions on communication.


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Agenda

• Project Communications Management Overview;• Project Communication Management Processes;

• Plan Communications Management,

• Manage Communications,

• Control Communications.• Supporting Information;• Sample Exam Questions.


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• Communication is the largest single factor influencing a project’s quality, effectiveness, satisfaction, and productivity.

• Important because of:

• Project uniqueness,

• Matrix organizations,

• Overlapping responsibilities,

• Changing scope and constraints,

• Complex integration,

• Interface requirements,

• Decentralized decision making,

• Potential for conflicts.


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Effective communication enables:

• An understanding of team roles and responsibilities;

• Productivity and quality;

• Collaboration and problem solving;

• Co-operative working relationships;

• Job satisfaction;

• A sense of personal achievement.


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The Project Manager’s importance as a communicator is:

• To create an environment of open communication and trust.

Openness in a project environment allows communication about:

• Project goals,

• Tasks,

• Interactions.

• Creates team spirit;

• Enhances productivity;

• Project managers must lead by example.


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Project Communications ManagementOverview


PMBOK V5 Ref # Fig 10-1

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Project Communications Management10.1 Plan Communications Management


• Developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder’s information needs and requirements, and available organizational assets.


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Fundamental questions:

• With whom do I need to communicate?

• What do I need to communicate?

• When do I need to communicate?

• How often do I need to communicate?

• Will my communication needs change throughout the project cycle?

• Where the information should be stored? What format? Retrieved?

• Whether time zone, language barriers, and cross-cultural considerations need to be taken into account.


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When should communication planning be done?

• Very early in project life cycle phases;

• Reviewed regularly;

• Revised for applicability.

Why should communications planning be done?

• Information needs and methods differ between projects;

• Meeting the communication needs of project stakeholders is crucial.



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• Project Management Plan;

• Stakeholder Register;

• Enterprise Environmental Factors;

• Organizational Process Assets.


Project Communications Management10.1.1 Plan Communications Management - Inputs

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• Communication Requirements Analysis;

• Communication Technology;

• Communication Models;

• Communication Methods;

• Meetings.


Project Communications Management10.1.2 Plan Communications Management - Tools & Techniques

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10.1.2.1 Communications Requirements Analysis

• Analyse information requirements of project stakeholders;

• Examine for value to project success;

• Consider methods and technologies;

• Avoid wasting resources on:

– Unnecessary information,

– Inappropriate technology.



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Defining Requirements

• Sources for Defining Communication Requirements:

– Project organization;

– Stakeholder responsibility relationships;

– Project participants;

• Disciplines, departments, specialties.

– Logistics;

• How many, which locations.

– External information needs (e.g. Media, customers.);

− Stakeholder information and communication requirements from within the stakeholder register.



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Information needs in a Project


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Internal Stakeholders


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External Stakeholders


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Who needs What, When?


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Communication Channels


Note: As the number of people involved in the communication increases, the number of communication channels increases geometrically.

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10.1.2.2 Communication Technology

• Methods for transferring information among project stakeholders:

– Written, verbal, electronic.

• Technology factors include:

– Urgency, frequency and format of information required for project success;

– Availability of technology;

– Project staffing technology experience and expertise (ease of use);

– Project environment;

– Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information.



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10.1.2.3 Communication Models• Models for transferring information among project elements;• Sequence of steps in a basic communication model:

– Encode– Transmit Message– Decode– Acknowledge– Feedback/Response




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10.1.2.3 Communication Models



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Sending the Message• The Sender’s responsibility:

• Transmission of the message;

• Ensure the information being communicated is clear and complete;

• Confirm the communication is correctly understood.

Receiving the Message• The Receiver’s responsibility:

• Ensure that the information is received in its entirely;

• Understood correctly;

• Acknowledged or responded to appropriately.


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Total Message Impact



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Making an Impact:



We absorb or retain:

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Communication Bottlenecks:



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10.1.2.4 Communication Methods:



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10.1.2.5 Meetings

• Required discussion and dialogue with project team;

• Commonly facilitated through meetings (face to face or online, and in different locations):

– Resolving problems, or

– Making decisions.

• Most project meetings are more formal:

– Prearranged time, place, and agenda.



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• Communications Management Plan

– How project communications will be planned, structured, monitored and controlled;

• Project Document Updates

– Updating all project documents that may require updating (Project Schedule, Stakeholder register, Stakeholder management strategy, etc.).


Project Communications Management10.1.3 Plan Communications Management - Outputs

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Communications Management Plan

• Communications Management Plan is / can be:

– Formal or informal, detailed or summarized, dependent on needs of project;

– A collection and filing structure which details methods for gathering and storing updates;

– Procedures for collecting and disseminating updates.


Project Communications Management10.1.3 Plan Communications Management - Outputs

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• Creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and the ultimate disposition of project information in accordance to communications management plan.


Project Communications Management10.2 Manage Communications


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Fundamental questions:

• Who needs what information, and who is authorized to access that information?

• When they will need the information?

• Where the information should be stored?

• What format the information should be stored in?

• How the information can be retrieved?

• Whether time zone, language barriers, and cross-cultural considerations need to be taken into account?


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• Communications Management Plan:– How communications are planned / structured / monitored and

controlled.• Work Performance Reports:

– Facilitate discussion and to create communications.• Enterprise Environmental Factors:

– Organizational culture and structure;– Government or industry standards and regulations;– Project management information systems.

• Organizational Process Assets:– Policies, procedures, processes and guidelines;– Templates;– Historical information and lessons learned.


Project Communications Management10.2.1 Manage Communications - Inputs

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10.2.2.1 Communication Technology – Methods used to transfer information among project

stakeholders.

10.2.2.2 Communication Models – Facilitate communications and the exchange of information.

10.2.2.3 Communication Methods – Interactive communication;– Push communication;– Pull communication.


Project Communications Management10.2.2 Manage Communications – Tools & Techniques

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10.2.2.4 Information Management Systems– Hard-copy document management;– Electronic communications management;– Electronic project management tools.

10.2.2.5 Performance Reporting– Act of collecting and distributing performance information;– Involves the periodic collection and analysis of baseline vs.

actual data to understand and communicate the project progress and performance as well as to forecast the project results;

– Needs to provide information at an appropriate level for each audience.


Project Communications Management10.2.2 Manage Communications – Tools & Techniques (continue)

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10.2.3.1 Project Communications – Performance reports / deliverables status / schedule progress /

costs incurred.

10.2.3.2 Project Management Plan Updates – Project baselines, communications management, and

stakeholder management.

10.2.3.3 Project Documents Updates – Issue log;– Project schedule;– Project funding requirements.


Project Communications Management10.2.3 Manage Communications – Outputs

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10.2.3.4 Organizational Process Assets Updates– Stakeholder notifications;– Project reports;– Project presentations;– Project records;– Feedback from stakeholders;– Lessons learned documentation.


Project Communications Management10.2.3 Manage Communications – Outputs (continue)

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• Monitoring and controlling communications throughout the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the project stakeholders are met.


Project Communications Management10.3 Control Communications


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Project Communications Management10.3 Control Communications


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10.3.1.1 Project Management Plan – Stakeholder communication requirements,– Reason for the distribution of the information,– Timeframe and frequency for the distribution of required

information,– Individual or group responsible for communication of the

information,– Individual or group receiving the information.

10.3.1.2 Project Communications – Deliverables status,– Schedule progress,– Costs incurred.


Project Communications Management10.3.1 Control Communications - Inputs

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10.3.1.3 Issue Log10.3.1.4 Work Performance Data10.3.1.5 Organizational Process Assets

– Report templates;– Policies, standards, and procedures that define

communications;– Specific communication technologies available;– Allowed communication media;– Record retention policies;– Security requirements.


Project Communications Management10.3.1 Control Communications – Inputs (continue)

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10.3.2.1 Information Management Systems

− Capture, store, and distribute information to stakeholders.

10.3.2.2 Expert Judgement

− Applied to technical and/or management details;

− May be provided by: other units within organization, consultants, stakeholders, professional and technical associations, industry groups, subject matter experts, and PMO.

10.3.2.3 Meetings


Project Communications Management10.3.2 Control Communications – Tools & Techniques

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10.3.3.1 Work Performance Information

10.3.3.2 Change Requests– New or revised cost estimates, activity sequences, schedule

dates, resource requirements, risks response alternatives;– Adjustments to the project management plan and documents;– Recommendations of corrective actions;– Recommendations of preventive actions.

10.3.3.3 Project Management Plan Updates

10.3.3.4 Project Documents Updates – Forecasts,– Work performance reports, and– Issue log.

10.3.3.5 Organizational Process Assets Updates


Project Communications Management10.3.3 Control Communications – Outputs

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PMP Exam PreparationSample Test Questions


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Question #1

The major process of project communications management are:

A. Communication requirements, information distribution, performance reporting and administrative procedures.

B. Plan communications management, manage communications and control communications.

C. Communication planning, progress reporting, information distribution and manage stakeholder.

D. Communications planning, information distribution, performance reporting and stakeholder analysis.

Answer:


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Question #2

Five people are involved in a project that requires significant communication between all project participants. The number of lines of communication existing on this project are:

A. 5B. 6C. 8D. 10

Answer:


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Question #3

Information required to determine project communicationrequirements typically includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Project organization and stakeholder responsibility relationships.B. Logistics of how many individuals will be involved with the project

and at which locations.C. External information needs, disciplines, departments, and

specialties involved in the project.D. The availability of technology in place at the project location.

Answer:


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Question #4

A communications management plan details all of the following EXCEPT:

A. To whom information will flow, and what methods will be used to distribute various types of information.

B. What information will be gathered, how it will be gathered, and how often it will be gathered.

C. Methods for accessing information between scheduled communications.

D. All memos, correspondence, reports, and documents related to the project from all personnel.

Answer:


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Question #5

The three principle reasons for maintaining good document control are:

A. Timely communication, collection of performance appraisal data, and assuring proper disposal of sensitive documents.

B. Timely communication, maintaining proper approvals, and communication cost control.

C. Effective communication, ability to reconstruct why decisions were made, and historical value.

D. Security, change management, and procedural documentation.

Answer:


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Question #6

Ways to improve listening ability include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Focusing on concepts and ideas;B. Listening to feedback;C.Providing feedback;D.Performing other activities while the speaker is talking.

Answer:


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Question #7

Communication barriers between the sender and receiver can include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Cultural differences;B. Differences in motivation;C.Shared assumptions;D.Unclear expectations.

Answer:


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Question #8

Statements such as "it's never been done before" or "it will cost a fortune" are examples of:

A. Feedback;B. Communication blockers;C.Conflict generators;D.Forcing.

Answer:


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Question #9

The communication "expediter" of a project team is:

A. The MIS subject matter expert;B. A project manager;C.A database manager;D.A project secretary.


Answer:

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Question #10

All of the following aid in achieving consensus EXCEPT:

A. Avoiding conflict;B. Maintaining a focus on the problem, not each other;C.Avoiding voting, trading, or averaging;D.Avoiding self-oriented behavior.

Answer:


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Question #11

Inputs to plan communications include:

A. Stakeholder register, project management plan, enterprise environmental factors, organizational process assets.

B. Stakeholder requirements, enterprise environmental factors, scope statement, constraints and assumptions.

C.Stakeholder analysis, enterprise environmental factors, organizational process assets.

D.Communication requirements, project organization chart, and communication technology.

Answer:


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Question #12

All of the following are communication tools EXCEPT:

A. Memos;B. Videos;C.Body Language;D. Inputting data into spreadsheet.

Answer:


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Question #13

Manual filing systems, electronic text databases, and project management software are examples of:

A. Information distribution systems;B. Communications technology;C. Internal communication systems;D. Information gathering and retrieval systems.

Answer:


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Question #14

Most project managers spend about ____% of their work time engaged in some form of communications.

A. 10%B. 30%C. 90%D. 70%

Answer:


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Question #15

Communication is the PRIME responsibility of a Project

A. Expediter;B. Coordinator;C.Manager in a weak matrix environment;D.Manager in a strong matrix environment.


Answer:

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Question #16

Communications technology factors include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Expected staffing levels;B. Project length;C.Executive requirements;D.Availability of technology.

Answer:


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Question #17

The best overall effective method of resolving conflict in a project environment is:

A. Smoothing;B. Withdrawal;C.Problem solving;D.Compromise.

Answer:


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Question #18

Tools and techniques for manage communications include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. Communication technology;B. Status reporting;C.Communication models;D.Performance reports.

Answer:


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Question #19

The sender is responsible for:

A. Scheduling communication exchange;B. Ensuring the receiver agrees with the message;C.Confirming message is correctly understood;D.Presenting the message in the most favorable

manner.

Answer:


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Question #20

You are a project manager for the IT Project. Your project has 13 members. You have been informed that next week your project will receive the seven additional members you requested. How many channels of communications will you have next week?

A. 1B. 78C.190D.201

Answer:


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Question #21

Poor communication and unresolved conflicts are indicative of:

A. A complex project;B. A crashed schedule;C.An ineffective project team;D.Undefined team roles.

Answer:


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• The Communications Management processes• Their associated process groups• The inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs of communications

management• Updates


Review ObjectivesYou should Understand:

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• PMBOK Chapter 10 – Project Communications Management• Team Building for Project Managers• Principles of Project Management - John R. Adams• Organizing Projects for Success - Vijay K. Verma (1995)- Chapter 2


Recommended Reading

Bibliography

• Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) — Fifth Edition

• Principles of Project Management, John R. Adams, et Al• Human Resource Skills for the Project Manager, V.K. Verma• Managing the Project Team, V.K. Verma• Organizing for Projects for Success, V.K. Verma

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• Project Manager’s Desk Reference, James P. Lewis• Project Management, A Managerial Approach, Jack R. Meredith,

Samuel J. Mantel. JR.• Project Management, A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling

and Controlling, Harold Kerzner


Additional Reference Material

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PMP Exam PreparationEnd of Session
