Part 29: Knowledge Areas: Project Communication Management
Project Communication Management
- Processes to plan, collect, create, distribute, manage, and dispose of project information
- Communication connects diverse stakeholders of diverse cultural and organizational backgrounds
- Communication can include involving stakeholders in project reviews and meetings, use of social media, and using multiple avenues of communication (language, media type, content, and delivery models)
- A project manager must consider the types of stakeholders, their physical locations, the available communication technology, and the language
- Communications can be
- Internal (inside the project) or External (with customers, vendors, or the public)
- Formal (reports & minutes) or Informal (e-mails)
- Vertical (up/down the chain of command in the organization) or Horizontal (with peers)
- Official (annual reports) or Unofficial (off the record)
- Written, Oral, Verbal or Nonverbal
- Through Media (photographs, videos, or actions)
- Important communication skills include
- Listening actively
- Asking relevant questions and probing ideas to understand better
- Educating others to increase knowledge
- Fact-finding to identify or confirm information
- Setting and managing expectations
- Persuading a person or team
- Motivating to provide encouragement
- Coaching to improve performance
- Negotiating to achieve agreements
- Resolving conflict
- Choosing the correct words to express an idea. Different words have different meanings.
- Written communication should follow the 5 C’s of communication
- Correct grammar and spelling. Poor grammar can reduce credibility.
- Concise. Extra words can create misunderstandings.
- Clear purpose that is tailored to the reader.
- Coherent flow of ideas, with summaries and introductions.
- Controlling flow of words.