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Project Communication Management

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Project Communication Management Process Group

Process Group Communication Management Process

Initiating Identify Stakeholders

Planning Plan Communications

Executing Distribute Information, Manage StakeholderExpectations

Monitoring & Control Report Performance

Closing

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9.1 Identify Stakeholders

The process of identifying all people or organizations impacted by the project, and documenting relevant information regarding their interests (concern), influence (involvement), and impact on project success

Inputs • Project charter• Procurement documents

• Enterprise environmental factors• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Stakeholder analysis • Expert judgment

Outputs • Stakeholder register • Stakeholder management strategy

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Inputs

1. Project charter

2. Procurement documents– Any suppliers or vendors listed in contracts are generally considered

to be stakeholders

3. Enterprise environmental factors– Governmental standards and regulation,

– Industry standards

4. Organizational process assets– Stakeholder register templates– Stakeholder registers from previous projects, historical information,

lessons learned from previous projects

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Tools & Techniques

1. Stakeholders analysis

1. Expert judgment– Interview all of the experts

on your project to identify more stakeholders

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fourth Edition (PMBOK® Guide) ©2008 Project Management Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Figure 10-4, Page 249

Power/ Interest Grid with Stakeholders

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Outputs

1. Stakeholder register:– Stakeholder register contains information about who the identified

stakeholders are• Identification information: name, title, role, office location, and

contact information• Assessment information: requirements, expectations, project

influence, interests • Stakeholders classification: whether they are internal or external

and supporter/neutral/resistor

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Outputs

1. Stakeholder management strategy: Plan how to increase the support and minimize negative impacts of stakeholders throughout the entire project life cycle.

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9.2 Plan Communications

The process of determining project stakeholder information needs and defining a communication approach

Inputs • Stakeholder register• Stakeholder management

strategy

• Enterprise environmental factors• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Communication requirements analysis

• Communication technology

• Communication models• Communication methods

Outputs • Communications management plan

• Project document updates

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Inputs

1. Stakeholder register

2. Stakeholder management strategy

3. Enterprise environment factors– Cultural and structural issues that may support or hinder a project

– Human resources

– Stakeholder risk tolerance

– Political climate

1. Organizational process assets– Past experience working with the same stakeholders– Positive stakeholders who can influence negative stakeholders

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communications Requirements Analysis:– Gives the project manager a clear idea of the type, format, and value

of the information stakeholders need– The project manager should also consider the number of potential

communications channels, or paths, among project stakeholders

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communication Technology:

– Determine how to communication with Stakeholders?

• Face-to-face interactions• By telephone• Fax,• E-mail• Or through meetings• Project management system or

software• …

– Factors may influence the choice of technologies

• The urgent of the need for information

• The availability of technology• The expected project staffing• Organizational technical literacy• The project environment• Organization acceptance

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1. Communication Models

Tools & Techniques

A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, Fourth Edition (PMBOK® Guide) ©2008 Project Management Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Figure 10-8, Page 255

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1. Communication Models (Cont.) The Sender should

• Send the clear message• Encode a message carefully, • Determine which communication method to send it, • And confirm that the message has been send and understood

The Receiver should • Decode the message carefully • Understood correctly• Send a feedback message

Communication blockers:• Noise• Distance• Improper encoding of messages• Language• Culture

Tools & Techniques

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communication Models (Cont.)

Effective communication:• Nonverbal: 55% of all communication• Para lingual: pitch & tone of voice also helps to convey a

message• Feedback.

Effective listening:• Feedback• Active listening• Para lingual

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communications Methods:

Interactive Communication• One person provides information, others receive it and then

respond to the information

• For example, meetings, phone calls, video conference

Push Communication• Sender can be certain the message is sent, there is no verification

that the message has been received and understood• For example, letter, email, fax, SMS…

Pull Communication• The Recipients are responsible for retrieving, or “pulling” the

information form a central location

• For example, intranet, e-learning, workshop…

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communications Methods (Cont.)

Type When used

Formal written Complex problems, project management plans, project charter, memos, communicating over long distances

Formal verbal Presentations, speeches

Informal written Email, handwritten notes

Informal verbal Meetings, conversations

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Outputs

1. Communication Management Plan– The communication management plan matrix– Communication role/ responsibility of stakeholders– Process for escalating issues– Guidelines for meetings, presentations– Report format and frequency of sending the reports

1. Project Document Updates– Project documents that may be updated include:

• Project schedule,• Stakeholder register, and• Stakeholder management strategy.

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Communication Management Plan Sample

Communication Type

Objective of Communication

Medium Frequency

Audience Owner Deliverable

Kickoff Meeting Introduce the project team and the project. Review project objectives and management approach.

•Face to Face Once •Project Sponsor•Project Team•Stakeholders

Project Manager

•Agenda•Meeting Minutes

Project Team Meetings

Review status of the project with the team.

•Face to Face•Conference Call

As needed •Project Team Project Manager

•Agenda•Meeting Minutes

Monthly Project Status Meetings

Report on the status of the project to management.

•Face to Face presentation•Conference Call

Monthly •PMO Project Manager

Project Status Reports

Report the status of the project including activities, progress, costs and issues.

•Face to Face presentation•Email

Weekly •Customer•Project Sponsor•Project Team•Stakeholders

Project Manager

•Project Status Report

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9.3 Distribute Information

The process of making relevant information available to project stakeholders as planned

Inputs • Project management plan• Performance reports

• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Communication methods • Information distribution tools

Outputs • Organizational process assets updates

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Inputs

1. Project Management Plan: - Contains the communication management plan

2. Performance Reports– Performance reports show current project performance and status

information– They are used by management and stakeholder to evaluate the project

and make decision to ensure that the project is performing against plan

3. Organizational Process Assets– Organizational communication standards and policies– Communication guidelines– Available communication technology– Templates– Information security requirements– Historical information, Lessons learned

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communication Methods

2. Information Distribution Tools– Hard copy document distribution– Electronic communication and conferencing tools

• Emails,• Fax• Voice mail,• Video and web conferencing

– Electronic tools for project management• Web interfaces to scheduling and project management software• Meeting and virtual office support software• …

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Outputs

1. Organizational process assets update– Example of organization process assets updates include:

• Lessons learned document about information distribution• Project reports (formal and informal) that detail project status,

issues log, project closure reports…• Project presentations made by the project team member to

stakeholders• Feedback from stakeholders• Stakeholder notifications about project issues and changes• …

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9.4 Manage Stakeholder Expectations

The process of communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and addressing issues as they occur

Inputs • Stakeholder register• Stakeholder management

strategy• Project management plan

• Issue log• Change log• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Communication methods• Interpersonal skills

• Management skills

Outputs • Organizational process assets updates

• Change request

• Project management plan updates

• Project document updates

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Inputs

1. Stakeholder Register2. Stakeholder Management Strategy3. Project Management Plan4. Issue Log:

- The issue log is a database listing each issue, when it was opened, and who the “owner” is.

5. Change Log– A change log is a project document where all change requests are

recorded– These changes and their impact to the project in terms of time, cost, and

risk, must be communicated to the appropriate stakeholders.6. Organizational Process Assets

– Issues management procedures, change control procedures.– Historical information about previous project: Project reports, Lessons

learned, Past experience working with the same stakeholders, Team experience on similar project.

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Tools & Techniques

1. Communication Methods

1. Interpersonal Skills & Management Skills– Communication management and skills

– Leadership and management skills

– Impactful presentation skills

– Effective negotiation skills

– Conflict handling and problem solving skills

– People coaching and effective feedback– Human skills for efficient teams

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Outputs

1. Organizational Process Assets Updates– Lessons learned from managing stakeholder expectations should be

updated in lessons learned documentation

2. Change Requests– Any change during managing stakeholder expectations will be requested

and performed the Integrated change control process

3. Project Management Plan Updates– Communication plan should be updated if the stakeholder management

strategies are not working as intended

4. Project Document Updates– Update relevant documents to include:

• Stakeholder management strategy, Stakeholder register

• Issue log, Change log

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9.5 Report Performance

The process of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements and forecasts

Inputs • Project management plan• Work performance

information• Work performance

measurements

• Budget forecasts• Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

• Variance analysis• Forecasting methods

• Communication methods• Reporting systems

Outputs • Performance reports• Organizational process

assets updates

• Change reports

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Inputs1. Project Management Plan

– Includes the performance measurement baselines, such as scope, cost, schedule, and sometimes, technical and quality measures

2. Work Performance Information– Status of deliverables– Actual costs incurred– Schedule progress

3. Work Performance Measurement– Planned versus actual schedule performance– Planned versus actual cost performance– Planned versus actual technical performance– Quality measurements– Risk monitoring and controlling elements (Risk Register)

4. Budget Forecasts– Estimate at completion (EAC), Estimate to completion (ETC)

5. Organizational Process Assets– Report templates– Policies and procedures that define the measures and indicators to be used– Organizationally defined variance limits

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Tools & Techniques

1. Variance Analysis– Comparing the differences between actual project results and planned or

expected results2. Forecasting Methods3. Communication Methods4. Reporting System

– Reporting system provide standard tools for capturing, storing and distributing key project performance information

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Outputs1. Performance Reports: should provide the kinds of information and the

level of detail required by stakeholders and may include: Status report: where project now stands regarding performance

measurement baselines on cost, schedule, scope & quality Progress report: describing what has been accomplished Trend report: examining project result over time to see if performance in

improving or deteriorating. Forecasting report: predicting future project status & performance Variance report: comparing actual result to baseline Earned Value: integrating scope, cost, schedule measures to access

project performance. Commons formats for Performance Reports: Bar charts, S-curves,

Histograms, Tables 2. Organizational Process Assets updates: Lessons learned, Docs,

Historical information, Risk control procedures, Financial database containing information such as labor hours, incurred cost, budgets and any project cost overruns

3. Change requests: Variances from planned cost and schedule are often the triggers for implementing project changes. These changes are handle in the Perform Integrated Change Control process.

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Question?

1/ Can PM control all communications?

2/ Should PM try to control communications?

3/ Percentage of PM’s time is spent to communicate?

Exercises

• Progress report

• Status report

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