samrus 1.docx
- 1. Abstract This paper focuses on the importance of communication in project management. Nothing is more important to the success of a project than effective communication. More effective communication = Better project management is obviously known to everyone in project management, but we do face difficulties in implementing it due to various factors like the nature of the project, structure of the organization etc. About 90% of the time in a project is spent on communication by the project manager. This paper highlights more specific details like, what communication means in a project, importance of good communications,projecrt communication managment processes, identify stakeholders, planning communications,distrbuting in formation in an effective and timely manner, importantece and encourage face to face communication and developing better communication skills.....etc. Therefore, successfully complete the project.
- 2. Introduction The word communication comes from the Latin word communis, which means common. When we communicate, we are trying to establish “commonness” with someone. That is, we are trying to share information, an idea, or an attitude among the team involved in that particular project. Project Communication Management refers to the collection of processes and activities involved in making sure that the right messages are sent, received, and understood by the right people in a project It is a critical aspect of project management that ensures timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation, distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring, and disposal of project information and data. Effective communication among project stakeholders is essential for the success of a project. It helps to ensure that everyone involved in a project is aware of their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Moreover, it helps to establish a common understanding, facilitates cooperation, and reduces the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts. Project Communication Management is often considered the glue that holds a project together. It involves the use of various communication tools and techniques, including face-to-face meetings, email, instant messaging, video conferencing, project management software, and social media. The importance of Project Communication Management cannot be overstated. Effective communication can help to mitigate risks, manage stakeholders' expectations, facilitate decision- making, and ensure project deliverables are on track. On the other hand, poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, delays, rework, and project failure. Therefore, the communication process needs to be efficient and effective. Understanding the Communications Process To communicate effectively, project managers must have a good understanding of the communications process.
- 3. Communication is an essential process in our day-to-day life, and the entire world revolves around it. Lasswell's Maxim defines communication as “who says what to whom in what channel with what effect”. Communication is exchanging of information from one point of the project to the other point in an efficient manner. Like this, there are various definitions and concepts about communication in today's world. Why is Communication Important! Because it consumes 90% of a Project Manager’s time to bridge the communication gap between all the stakeholders and sail them on the same boat to achieve project success. Communication gap can result in improper coordination of the project activities, duplication of efforts, wastage of time and resources, and can end up in the failure of the project. Importance of Good Communications The greatest threat to many projects is a failure to communicate. Our culture does not portray IT professionals as being good communicators. Research shows that IT professionals must be ble to communicate effectively to succeed in their positions. Strong verbal skills are a key factor in career advancement for IT professionals. Project Communications Management Processes Communications planning: Determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders. Information distribution: Making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. Performance reporting: Collecting and disseminating performance information, including status reports, progress measurement, and forecasting. Managing stakeholders: Managing communications to satisfy the needs and expectations of project stakeholders and to resolve issues. Communications Planning
- 4. Every project should include some type of communications management plan, a document that guides project communications. Creating a stakeholder analysis for project communications also aids in communications planning. Communications Management Plan Contents Stakeholder communications requirements. Information to be communicated, including format, content, and level of detail. The people who will receive the information and who will produce it. Suggested methods or technologies for conveying the information. Communications Management Plan Contents (cont’d) ƒ Frequency of communication. ƒ Escalation procedures for resolving issues. ƒ Revision procedures for updating the communications management plan. ƒ A glossary of common terminology. Identifying stakeholders } Recall that the ultimate goal of project management is to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project, so you must first identify who your particular project stakeholders are } Two key outputs of this process include: ◦ Stakeholder register: a public document that includes details related to the identified project stakeholders ◦ Stakeholder management strategy: an approach to help increase the support of stakeholders throughout the project; often includes sensitive information. distributing information Getting the right information to the right people at the right time and in a useful format is just as
- 5. important as developing the information in the first place ▪ Important considerations include: ▪ Using technology to enhance information distribution ▪ Formal and informal methods for distributing information distributing information in an effective and timely manner Don’t bury crucial information ▪ Don’t be afraid to report bad information ▪ Oral communication via meetings and informal talks helps bring important information good and bad out into the open importance of face to face communication ▪ Research says that in a face-to-face interaction: ▪ 58 percent of communication is through body language ▪ 35 percent of communication is through how the words are said ▪ 7 percent of communication is through the content or words that are spoken ▪ Pay attention to more than just the actual words someone is saying ▪ A person’s tone of voice and body language say a lot about how he or she really feels encouraging more face to face interactions ▪ Short, frequent meetings are often very effective in IT projects ▪ Stand-up meetings force people to focus on what they really need to communicate ▪ Some companies have policies preventing the use of e-mail between certain hours or even entire days of the week.
- 6. Personal Preferences Affect Communication Needs Introverts like more private communications, while extroverts like to discuss things in public. Intuitive people like to understand the big picture, while sensing people need step‐by‐step details. Thinkers want to know the logic behind decisions, while feeling people want to know how something affects them personally. Judging people are driven to meet deadlines while perceiving people need more help in developing and following plans. Other Communication Considerations Rarely does the receiver interpret a message exactly as the sender intended. Geographic location and cultural background affect the complexity of project communications. ƒ Different working hours ƒ Language barriers ƒ Different cultural norms Determining the Number of Communications Channels As the number of people involved increases, the complexity of communications increases because there are more communications channels or pathways through which people can communicate. ƒ Number of communications channels = n(n‐1)/2. where n is the number of people involved. Performance Reporting Performance reporting keeps stakeholders informed about how resources are being used to achieve project objectives. Status reports describe where the project stands at a specific point in time.
- 7. Progress reports describe what the project team has accomplished during a certain period of time. Forecasts predict future project status and progress based on past information and trends. Managing Stakeholders Project managers must understand and work with various stakeholders. Need to devise a way to identify and resolve issues. Two important tools include: Expectations management matrix Issue log Conflict Handling Modes 1. Confrontation: Directly face a conflict using aproblem‐solving approach. 2. Compromise: Use a give‐and‐take approach. 3. Smoothing: De‐emphasize areas of difference and emphasize areas of agreement. 4. Forcing: The win‐lose approach. 5. Withdrawal: Retreat or withdraw from an actual or potential disagreement. Conflict Can Be Good Conflict often produces important results, such as new ideas, better alternatives, and motivation to work harder and more collaboratively. Groupthink: Conformance to the values or ethical standards of a group. Groupthink can develop if there are no conflicting viewpoints. Research suggests that task‐related conflict often improves team performance, but emotional conflict often depresses team performance. Developing Better Communication Skills Companies and formal degree programs for IT professionals often neglect the importance of speaking, writing, and listening skills. As organizations become more global, they realize they must invest in ways to improve communication
- 8. with people from different countries and cultures. It takes leadership to improve communication. Running Effective Meetings Determine if a meeting can be avoided. Define the purpose and intended outcome of the meeting. Determine who should attend the meeting. Provide an agenda to participants before the meeting. Prepare handouts and visual aids, and make logistical arrangements ahead of time. Run the meeting professionally. Build relationships. Using E‐Mail Effectively Make sure that e‐mail is an appropriate medium for what you want to communicate. Be sure to send the e‐mail to the right people. Use meaningful subject lines. Limit the content to one main subject, and be as clear and concise as possible. Using E‐Mail Effectively (cont’d) Limit the number and size of attachments. Delete e‐mail you don’t need, and don’t open e‐mail if you question the source. Make sure your virus software is current. Respond to and file e‐mails quickly. Learn how to use important features Using Templates for Project Communications Many technical people are afraid to ask for help. Providing examples and templates for project communications saves time and money.
- 9. Organizations can develop their own templates, use some provided by outside organizations, or use samples from textbooks. Recall that research shows that companies that excel in project management make effective use of templates. Lessons Learned Reports The project manager and project team members should each prepare a lessons‐ learned report. A reflective statement that documents important things an individual learned from working on the project. The project manager often combines information from all of the lessons‐learned reports into a project summary report. Project Web Sites Many project teams create a project Web site to store important product documents and other information. Can create the site using various types of software.
- 10. Conclusion This paper strongly suggests communication is the key for success for any project. The goal of project communications management is to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and disposition of project information. ƒ Main process include: ƒ Communications planning ƒ Information distribution ƒ Performance reporting ƒ Managing stakeholders It saves time and money, makes life easier, makes you more profitable, and it just makes sense! References Alby, T. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.project-management-knowledge.com Binder, J. (2007). Global project management: Communication, collaboration and management across borders. Aldershot, UK: Gower. CBS Interactive Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved from Resources.bnet.com Hallows, J. (2005). Information systems project management: How to deliver function and value in information technology projects. New York: AMACOM.