Communication Management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, retrieval and ultimate disposition of project information.

  

Communication Management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, retrieval and ultimate disposition of project information.

 

Communication activity has many potential dimensions:

·        Internal and external

·        Formal and informal

·        Vertical and Horizontal

·        Official and unofficial

·        Written and oral

·        Verbal and non-verbal

 

Project Managers spend up to 90 percent of their time communicating.

 

Effective communications skills are critical to project success.

 

The knowledge area of Project Communications Management consists of the following three processes:

 

Process Name	Project Management Process Group	Key Deliverables
Plan Communications Management	Planning	Communications Management Plan
Manage Communications	Executing	Project Communications
Control Communications	Monitoring and Controlling	Work Performance Information

 

Plan Communications Management is the process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder’s information needs and requirements, and available organizational assets.

 

Number of communication channels = n (n -1) / 2

 

Communications technology factors that can affect the project include:

·       Urgency of the need for information

·       Availability of technology

·       Expected project

·       Length of the project

·       Project environment

 

Key components of model include:

·        Encode: translate thoughts or ideas into a language that is understood by others

·        Message & feedback-message: the output of encoding

·        Medium: the method used to convey the message, e.g. email, fax

·        Noise: anything that interferes with transmission and understanding of the message

·        Decode: to translate the message back into meaningful thoughts or ideas

 

Communication methods used to share information among project stakeholders:

Interactive communication - Between two or more parties performing a multidirectional exchange of information

Push communication - Sent to specific recipients who need to know the information

Pull communication - Used for very large volumes of information, or for very large audiences, that requires the recipients to access the communication content at their own discretion. These methods include intranet sites, e-learning, and knowledge repositories, etc.

 

The communications management plan is a component of the project management plan that describes how project communications will be planned, structured, monitored, and controlled.

 

The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Plan Communications Management process are given below:

 

Project Management Plan	Communication Requirements Analysis	Communications Management Plan
Stakeholder Register	Communication Technology	Project Documents updates
Enterprise Environmental Factors	Communication Models
Organizational Process Assets	Communication Methods
	Meetings

 

Manage Communications is the process of creating, collecting, distributing, storing, retrieving, and the ultimate disposition of project information in accordance to the communications management plan.

 

An issue log can be used to document and monitor who is responsible for resolving specific issues by a target date.

 

Techniques and considerations for effective communications management include, but are not limited to, the following:

·       Sender-receiver models

·       Choice of media

·       Writing style

·       Meeting management techniques

·       Presentation techniques

·       Facilitation techniques

·       Listening techniques

 

Project information is managed and distributed using a variety of tools, including:

·       Hard-copy document management

·       Electronic communications management

·       Electronic project management tools

 

Performance reporting is the act of collecting and distributing performance information, including status reports, progress measurements, and forecasts.

 

Information received from stakeholders concerning project operations is distributed and used to modify or improve future performance of the project.

 

The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Manage Communications process are given below:

 

Communications Management Plan	Communication Technology	Project Communications
Work Performance Reports	Communication Models	Project Management Plan Updates
Enterprise Environmental Factors	Communication Methods	Project Documents updates
Organizational Process Assets	Information Management Systems	Organizational Process Assets updates
	Performance Reporting

 

Control Communications is the process of monitoring and controlling communications throughout the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the project stakeholders are met.

 

It is impossible for Project Manager to fully control the communication.

 

Project manager should try to control communication by implementing effective plan and actions.

 

As the project work is being done, the project manager needs to follow the communications management plan to distribute information about the project.

 

The Inputs, Tools and Techniques and Output of Control Communications process are given below:

 

Project Management Plan	Information Management Systems	Work Performance Information
Project Communications	Expert Judgment	Change Requests
Issue Log	Meetings	Project Management Plan Updates
Work Performance Data		Project Documents updates
Organizational Process Assets		Organizational Process Assets updates

 

Project Human Resources Management includes the processes that organize, manage and lead the project team.

 

Project Management team is a subset of the project team and is responsible for the project management and leadership activities.