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Chapter 9:
Project CommunicationsManagement
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Importance of Good Communications
The greatest threat to many projects is a failureto communicate
!ur culture does not portray IT professionals as
"eing good communicators #esearch sho$s that IT professionals must "e
a"le to communicate effecti%ely to succeed intheir positions
&trong %er"al s'ills are a 'ey factor in careerad%ancement for IT professionals
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Project Communications
Management Processes
Communications planning: determining theinformation and communications needs of thesta'eholders
Information distri"ution: ma'ing needed informationa%aila"le in a timely manner
Performance reporting: collecting and disseminating performance information
)dministrati%e closure: generating* gathering* anddisseminating information to formali+e phase or projectcompletion
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Communications Planning
-%ery project should include some type of
communications management plan* a document
that guides project communications
Creating a sta'eholder analysis for project
communications also aids in communications
planning
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Communications Management Plan
Contents
) description of a collection and filing structure for gathering
and storing %arious types of information
) distri"ution structure descri"ing $hat information goes to
$hom* $hen* and ho$
) format for communicating 'ey project information
) project schedule for producing the information
)ccess methods for o"taining the information
) method for updating the communications management plansas the project progresses and de%elops
) sta'eholder communications analysis
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Ta"le 91 &le &ta'eholder )nalysis
for Project CommunicationsStakeholders Document Name Document
Format
Contact Person Due
Customer Management
Monthly &tatus#eport
ard copy Gail 3eldman*Tony &il%a
3irst of month
Customer 4usiness &taff
Monthly &tatus#eport
ard copy 5ulie Grant*
5eff Martin
3irst of month
Customer Technical &taff
Monthly &tatus#eport
-mail -%an 6odge*
7ancy Michaels
3irst of month
InternalManagement
Monthly &tatus#eport
ard copy 4o" Thomson 3irst of month
Internal4usiness and
Technical &taff
Monthly &tatus#eport
Intranet )ngie 8iu 3irst of month
Training
&u"contractor
Training Plan ard Copy 5onathan raus 1111999
&oft$are&u"contractor
&oft$areImplementationPlan
-mail 4ar"ara Gates /12000
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Information 6istri"ution
Getting the right information to the right people at the right time and in a useful format
is just as important as de%eloping the
information in the first place Important considerations include
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>hat >ent >rong?
A well publicized example of misuse of e-mailcomes from the 1998 Justice Department's high
profile, antitrust suit against icrosoft! "-mail
emerged as a star witness in the case! an#
executi$es sent messages that should ne$erha$e been put in writing! %he court used e-mail
as e$idence, e$en though the senders of the
notes said the information was being interpreted
out of context!
armon* )my* @-mail comes "ac' to haunt companies*@ 7o%em"er 29* 199=
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Ta"le 92 Media Choice Ta"le
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3igure 91 The Impact of the 7um"er of
People on Communications Channels
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Performance #eporting
Performance reporting 'eeps sta'eholders informed a"outho$ resources are "eing used to achie%e project
o"jecti%es
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)dministrati%e Closure
) project or phase of a project reAuires closure
)dministrati%e closure produces
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&uggestions for Impro%ing Project
Communications
Manage conflicts effecti%ely
6e%elop "etter communication s'ills
#un effecti%e meetings
Bse templates for project communications
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Conflict andling Modes* in Preference
!rder
Confrontation or pro"lemsol%ing: directly face
a conflict
Compromise: use a gi%eandta'e approach
&moothing: deemphasi+e areas of differences
and emphasi+e areas of agreement
3orcing: the $inlose approach
>ithdra$al: retreat or $ithdra$ from an actual
or potential disagreement
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Conflict Can 4e Good
Conflict often produces important results* such asne$ ideas* "etter alternati%es* and moti%ation to$or' harder and more colla"orati%ely
Groupthin' can de%elop if there are noconflicting %ie$points
#esearch "y aren 5ehn suggests that tas'
related conflict often impro%es team performance* "ut emotional conflict oftendepresses team performance
6 l i 4
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6e%eloping 4etter
Communication &'ills
Companies and formal degree programs for IT professionals often neglect the importance ofde%eloping spea'ing* $riting* and listening
s'ills )s organi+ations "ecome more glo"al* they
reali+e they must in%est in $ays to impro%ecommunication $ith people from differentcountries and cultures
It ta'es leadership to impro%e communication
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#unning -ffecti%e Meetings
6etermine if a meeting can "e a%oided
6efine the purpose and intended outcome of the
meeting
6etermine $ho should attend the meeting Pro%ide an agenda to participants "efore the meeting
Prepare handouts* %isual aids* and ma'e logistical
arrangements ahead of time #un the meeting professionally
4uild relationships
B i T l t f P j t
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Bsing Templates for Project
Communications
Many technical people are afraid to as' for help
Pro%iding eamples and templates for project
communications sa%es time and money
!rgani+ations can de%elop their o$n templates*
use some pro%ided "y outside organi+ations* or
use samples from tet"oo's
3i 9 2 & l T l t f P j t
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3igure 92 &le Template for a Project
6escription
Project 9= file
http://../WINDOWS/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/2H0R8VIR/Fig9-2.mpphttp://../WINDOWS/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/2H0R8VIR/Fig9-2.mpp
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Ta"le 9( &le Template for a
Monthly Progress #eport
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Ta"le 9, &le Template for a 8etter
of )greement for a Class Project
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"l 9 / i l j i
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Ta"le 9/ 3inal Project 6ocumentation
Items
3i 9 ( G tt Ch t T l t f Cl P j t
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3igure 9( Gantt Chart Template for a Class Project
T "l 9 ; G id f & d D
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Ta"le 9; Guidance for &tudentDs
8essons 8earned #eport
T "l 9 = & l T l t f
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Ta"le 9= &le Template for a
Project >e" &ite
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6e%eloping a Communications
Infrastructure
) communications infrastructure is a set of tools* techniAues*and principles that pro%ide a foundation for the effecti%e transferof information
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Bsing &oft$are to )ssist in Project
Communications
There are many soft$are tools to aid in project
communications
The >hat >ent #ight? eample descri"es
se%eral ne$ $e""ased and $ireless
communications tools
Microsoft Project 2000 includes se%eral features
to enhance communications
3i 9 , Mi ft P j t I f ti & d
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3igure 9, Microsoft Project Information &a%ed as
TM8 3ile
3igure 9 . Microsoft Project Central
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3igure 9. Microsoft Project Central