BSBPMG406A Apply Communication Management Techniques 1 Apply Communication Management Techniques Introduction to Communication C ertificate IV in Project.

1BSBPMG406A Apply Communication Management Techniques

Apply CommunicationManagement Techniques

Introduction to Communication

Certificate IV in Project Management 17871Qualification Code BSB41507

Unit Code BSBPMG406A


• Includes processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval and disposal of project information

• Project Managers spend the majority of their time communicating with team members, the Project Sponsor and other project stakeholders

• Effective communication enhances project success by creating understanding between diverse sets of stakeholder

• Poor project communication is one of the most common causes of project failure

Project Communications Management

Adapated from PMBOK 4th Edition


Communication activity has many dimensions -

Project Communications Management


Informal FormalInternal External

Vertical Horizontal Official Unofficial

Written OralVerbal Non-Verbal


Common Communication Skills

• Listening actively and effectively• Questioning to ensure better understanding• Education to increase team knowledge and effectiveness• Fact-finding to identify and confirm information• Setting and managing expectations• Persuading someone to perform a desired action• Negotiating to achieve mutually acceptable agreement• Resolving conflict to prevent disruption• Summarising, recapping and agreeing next steps



Communications Management

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION


Effective Communication

• The transferring and understanding of meaning

• For communication to be effective, it is important to understand how the people you are interacting with may interpret your message. We obtain information through our senses and we all apply different filters.

• It is important to verify the receivers understanding of your message and to verify your understanding of theirs


Understand Modes of Learning

25%

– See the world - Visual– Think by making pictures

in their mind– Understand better if they

see it– Appearance is very

important

Visual

35%40%

Auditory– Hear the world - Aural– Think by analysing sounds– Love to hear themselves and others talk– How things are said is more important than what is said

– Feel the world– Act on what they feel– Learn by doing– Tactile

Kinaesthetic


Preferences for Communication

• Modes of learning affect preferences for communication

• Being aware of the modes will make your communication more successful

• Cater for all three modes when planning and developing communication

• Most people are a combination of two of the three modes – the most common are

Kinaesthetic/Auditory and

Kinaesthetic/Visual


Communication Broken Down

• Content - 7% of the meaning from the content of the spoken message

• Vocal - 38% of the meaning from the tone of voice, timbre, tempo, volume, pitch etc

• Non Verbal – 55% of the meaning from body language, posture, gesture, breathing, skin colour etc

• All three need to be congruent to convey the intended message

Source: Mehrabian, A & Ferris, R, 1967. “ Inference of attitudes from non-verbal communication in two channels”, The Journal of Counselling Psychology, pp 248 - 252


Active Listening

• Active listening is an intent to "listen for meaning", in which the listener checks with the speaker to see that a statement has been correctly ...

• The process of attending carefully to what a speaker is saying, involving such techniques as accurately paraphrasing the speaker's remarks

• a skill in which the listeners demonstrate that they understand what the speaker is saying both verbally and nonverbally


Listening with Questions in Mind

• When attending presentations and meetings, listen with the following questions in mind –

What is the speaker saying?What does it mean?What point are they trying to make?How does it relate to previous messages?How can I use the information?Does it make sense?Am I getting the whole story?What outcomes are they trying to achieve?

Source: Adapted from Bucero A., Listen and Learn, PM Network, 2006 June pages 20 - 22


Shannon’s Communication Model

• Communication is impaired by noise factors or ‘barriers’


Barriers to Effective Communication

1. Language Barriers

2. Cultural Barriers

3. Individual Barriers

4. Organisational Barriers

5. Interpersonal Barriers

6. Attitudinal Barriers

7. Channel Barriers



1. Language Barriers Different languages, vocabulary, accent, dialects Semantic gaps are words having similar pronunciation but

multiple meanings – these can easily be misunderstood Poorly expressed message, incorrect interpretation and

unqualified assumptions The use of difficult or inappropriately technical terms

2. Cultural Barriers Can create boundaries and separate people from each

other in such a way as to prevent understanding

Temperament

Age

Health

CulturalBackground

Economic Position

Social StatusGender

EducationPriorities

PopularityBeauty

Assumptions

Motives

Ethics

PoliticalViews



3. Individual BarriersMay be a result of an individual's perceptual and personal

discomfortEven when two people have experienced the same event their

mental perception may be different and acts as a barrierStyle, selective perception, halo effect, poor attention, poor

retention, defensiveness, close mindedness, insufficient filtration

Can result from unrelated external forces, stress and personal change

4. Organisational BarriersOrganisational culture, values, protocols, rules, regulations,

accepted norms and behaviours Physical set up of work stations Communication tools and working facilities



5. Interpersonal Barriers– Lack of knowledge of non-verbal clues like facial expression, body

language, gestures, postures, eye contact– Managers

Lack of trust in staffDifferent priorities from employeesLack of understanding of employee expectations Authority and power imbalanceFear of losing of control

– StaffLack of trust in Manager or EmployerLack of motivation and co-operationFear of consequencesInformation overload



6. Attitudinal BarriersLimitation in physical and mental abilityDifferences in intellect, understanding and perceptionsLack of trust and fear of consequences

7. Channel BarriersInappropriate selection of communication channelInappropriately structured message – eg too long, no

summary, no clear outcomeLack of access to communication mediaImpacts clarity, accuracy and effectiveness


Overcoming the Barriers - Do’s

• Allow employees access to resources, self expression and idea generation

• Express your expectations to others• Avoid absolute words such as "never", "always", "forever• Avoid “Yes….But”• Be a good, attentive and active listener• Filter the information correctly before passing on to

someone else• Establish direct communication channels• Eliminate intermediaries



• Maintain eye contact if culturally acceptable• Use specific and accurate words which are easily

understood• Try and view the situations through the eyes of the speaker• Provide summaries and key messages if information is very

detailed or complicated• Oral communication must be clear and not heavily

accented• Explain technical concepts and provide definitions



• Ask for clarification and paraphrase to confirm understanding

• Break down hierarchies and chains of command• Foster congenial relationships between staff and managers• Focus on purposeful and well focused communication• Seek and act on feedback• Keep an open mind


Overcoming the Barriers – Don’ts

• Be a Selective Listener - this is when a person hears another but selects not to hear what is being said or to hear a different message

• Try to “win” and score points or prove the other person wrong

• Daydream• Use long chain of command for communication• Use technical jargon or unusual words• Jump to conclusions • Interrupt the speakers and distract them by asking too

many irrelevant questions• Digress off the main topic


Apply Communication Management Techniques

Project CommunicationProcesses – Part 1




Project Communication Management Processes – Part 1

PMBOK Project Communication Management Processes -10.1 Identify Stakeholders

10.2 Plan Communications

10.3 Distribute Information

10.4 Manage Stakeholder Expectations

10.5 Report Performance

Related processes from Project Integration Management –

4.2 Develop Project Management Plan

PMBOK 4th Edition


10.1 Identify Stakeholders

• The process of identifying all people and organisations involved in or impacted by the project

• Stakeholder information is gathered including their interests, involvement and potential impact on project success

• Includes diverse groups such as customers, sponsors, impacted management, impacted staff, external organisations and sometimes even the public or press

• Stakeholders can positively or negatively impact the project

• Occurs during Planning Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control

Adapted from PMBOK 4th Edition


Definition of Project Stakeholders

• Stakeholders are persons or organisations who are actively involved in the project or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the performance or completion of the project.

• Stakeholders may also exert influence over the project, its deliverables and the project team members.

• The project management team must identify both internal and external stakeholders in order to determine the project requirements and expectations of all parties involved.

• The Project Manager must manage the influence and expectations of the various stakeholders to ensure a successful project outcome.


Stakeholders and the Project

OperationsManager

Other Stakeholders

Portfolio Manager

Program Manager

Project Sponsor

Project Management

Team Project Manager

Project Team

FunctionalManagers

Business Partners

CustomersProject

ManagementOffice

Project Stakeholders

Project Team

The Project

PMBoK Guide – Fourth Edition, figure 2.6


Stakeholder Identification

• Identifying stakeholders and understanding their relative influence on a project is critical.

• It can be difficult• Stakeholders can change over time and new ones can

be identified during the project• Stakeholder expectations and power can also change

during the project


Internal and External Stakeholders

The Project

Internal Stakeholders

External Stakeholders

OperationsManager

Other Stakeholders

Portfolio Manager

Program Manager

FunctionalManagers

Business Partners

Customers

Project Management

Office

Public

GovernmentSub

Contractors

OtherStakeholders

Competitors

Suppliers



• Inputs to Identify Stakeholders -Project CharterProcurement Documents and ContractsEnterprise Environmental Factors

– Organisation culture and structure– Government regulations and– Industry standards

Organisational Process Assets– Stakeholder register templates– Lesson learned from previous projects– Stakeholder Registers form previous projects

• Tools and techniques to Identify Stakeholders –


StakeholderAnalysis

ExpertJudgement



Stakeholder Analysis

• The process of systematically gathering and analysing information to determine whose interests should be taken into account throughout the project

• It identifies the interests, expectations and influence of the stakeholders

• Looks at stakeholders with positive and negative feelings towards the project

Step 1 - Identify all potential project stakeholders

Step 2 – Identify Power and Impact of each stakeholder

Step 3 – Assess likely stakeholder reactions and plan to get support



Steps in Stakeholder Analysis

1. Identify all potential stakeholders and information about them

Understand their role and authority levels

Identify their interest and expectations

Key stakeholders are easily identified as they appear in the project governance and structure chart

Key stakeholders include anyone in a decision-making or management role that will be impacted by the project

Interview key stakeholders to identify more stakeholders

Positive stakeholders can be leveraged to enhance project success

Negative stakeholders need to be encouraged to support the project, or at least be neutral



2. Identify Stakeholder Power and Interest

Classify stakeholders

Plan approach to stakeholder management depending on their power and interest

Identify stakeholder communication requirements

Complete the Stakeholder Power & Interest Grid

It is critical to understand their roles or positions, interests, expertise, expectations and levels of influence



3. Assess likely stakeholder reactions

Identify stakeholder related risks

Monitor and control stakeholder related risks

Develop risk management plans and mitigation strategies to reduce negative impacts

Complete the Stakeholder Register and determine management strategy

Positive stakeholders can be leveraged to enhance project success

Negative stakeholders need to be encouraged to support the project, or at least be neutral


Stakeholder Power & Interest Grid

KeepSatisfied

Monitor(minimum effort)

Keep Informed

ManageClosely

Interest

Po

wer

Low

Low High

Hig

h

PMBoK Guide – Fourth Edition


Expert Judgement

• Stakeholders are normally uncovered through discussions with the key stakeholders and the list should be expanded until all potential stakeholders are identified – e.g staff or customers impacted by the project, third party suppliers, finance and legal departments

• It can be difficult to identify all the stakeholders• Different experts who should be consulted include -

SeniorManagement

IndustryGroups

PMO

SubjectMatter

Experts

OtherProject

Managers

KeyStakeholders

ConsultantsProfessionalAssociations



• Outputs of this process include –Stakeholder Register

– Identification information– Assessment information– Stakeholder Classification

Stakeholder Management Strategy

– Defined approaches to increase support or decrease negative impacts

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix– Takes the results of the above and the Power and Interest assessment– Summarises and organises into a register or table– Includes potential strategies to gain support or reduce negative impacts



Stakeholder Register or Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

• First step in communication planning• Includes expectations (interests) and management

approach (strategies)• Content can be very sensitive • Discretion is required regarding access to the document

and distribution lists


Stakeholder Stakeholder Interests in the Project

Assessment of Impact and Authority

Potential strategies for gaining support and reducing objections

Stakeholder name and position title Areas of interest –

functional, operational, specific project outcome or key knowledge area

Using the Power and Interest Grid to determine level of authority and also level and type of impact (positive or negative)

Specific actions planned to gain support and reduce objections, leverage supporters and neutralise detractors



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

• Plan Communication determines – who needs what information, when they will need it, how it will be given to then, and by whom

• Informational needs and communication mechanisms vary widely from project to project

• A complex process that is critical to project success, and unfortunately, often under valued

• Occurs during Planning Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control




• Inputs into Plan Communications –

Stakeholder register

Stakeholder management strategy

Enterprise environmental factors

– Project Management maturity helps to determine the type and frequency of communication

Organisational process assets

– Relevant policies and procedures

– Lessons learned from past projects

– Organisation charts

Adapted from PMBoK Guide – 4th Edition



• Tools and techniques to Plan Communications –


CommunicationRequirements

Analysis

CommunicationMedia

CommunicationMethods

CommunicationTechnology

CommunicationChannels


Communication Requirements Analysis

• Information used to determine specific project communication requirements includes –– Organisation charts– Project Organisation and Governance Charts– Stakeholder responsibilities– Disciplines, departments and specialisations involved in the

projects eg. Finance, legal, risk– Logistics of communication – how many people, location– Internal information needs – across organisation– External information needs – media, contractors, public– Stakeholder register and stakeholder management strategies


Communication Technology

• Information used to determine specific project communication requirements includes –– Organisation charts– Project Organisation and Governance Charts– Stakeholder responsibilities– Disciplines, departments and specialisations involved in the

projects eg. Finance, legal, risk– Logistics of communication – how many people, location– Internal information needs – across organisation– External information needs – media, contractors, public– Stakeholder register and stakeholder management strategies


Communication Media and Channels

One on OneMeetings

Group briefings

Collaboration Sites

Stakeholder Meetings

Team Meetings

PushVs

Pull

Presentations

EmailNewsletters

InformalVs

Formal

Steering Committee

Presentations

TraditionalVs

Electronic

Status Reports


• Sent to specific recipients

• Need to know basis

• Doesn’t check understanding

• Letters, memos. Reports

• Emails, faxes

• Voice mail

• Press releases

Communication Methods

• Two or more parties• Multi directional exchange

of information• Efficient way to ensure

common understanding• Meetings• Phone calls and

teleconferences• Video conferences

Interactive

Push

• Used for large volumes of information

• Large audiences can self serve

• Can’t determine understanding

• Access at own discretion

• Intranet sites

• E-learning

• Knowledge repositories

• Collaboration sites

Pull



• Outputs of this process include –Communications Management Plan

– Stakeholder Communication requirements– Resources allocated to communication activities – including time and

cost– Escalation, approval information flow processes– Glossary of terms

Project Document Updates– Project schedule– Stakeholder register– Stakeholder management strategy– Project risk register – Risk Management Plan

Target Audience

Communication Needs

Messenger Approval Media/Channel Frequency

Who to What Who from Who approves How When


Apply CommunicationManagement Approaches

Project CommunicationProcesses – Part 2




Project Communication Management Processes – Part 2

PMBOK Project Communication Management Processes -10.1 Identify Stakeholders


10.3 Distribute Information



Related processes from Project Integration Management –

4.2 Develop Project Management Plan

PMBOK 4th Edition



• The process of communicating and working with stakeholders to meet their needs and address issues as they arise

• Stakeholder expectations are actively managed to increase the likelihood of project acceptance and success

• Concerns are addressed as soon as they occur in order to prevent and minimise the negative impact of issues

• Issues that have occurred are clarified and resolved, resulting in decisions, agreement and sometime change requests

• Responsibility of the Project Manager• Occurs during Execution

Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control




• Inputs to Manage Stakeholder Expectations -

Stakeholder Register

Stakeholder Management Strategy

Project Management Plan

Issue Log – used to document resolution of issues

Change Log –used to document changes that occur during the project

Organisational Process Assets– Communication policies and procedures– Issue management procedures– Change Control procedures– Lessons learned from previous projects




• Tools and techniques for Manage Stakeholder Expectations:

Communication Methods –

– Using the communication methods identified in the Communications Plan for each Stakeholder

Issue Logs -

– Used to clearly document the issues and monitor the resolution of issues including assigning an owner

– Unresolved issues can be a major source of conflict and project delays




• Outputs of this process include – Change Requests

Project Management Plan Updates

Communication Plan Updates

Stakeholder Management Strategy Updates

Stakeholder Register Updates

Issue Log Updates

Risk Log Updates

Organisational Process Asset Updates– Lessons learned

– Causes of issues

– Reasoning behind corrective action



What is Conflict on Projects?

• A conflict exists when two people wish to carry out acts which are mutually inconsistent. They may both want to do the same thing, such as to deliver a project, but in fundamentally different ways. Or they may want to do different things where the different things are mutually incompatible, such as increase scope or decrease the timeframe.

• A conflict is resolved when some mutually compatible set of actions is worked out.

• The definition of conflict can be extended from individuals to groups (such as teams and organisations) and more than two parties can be involved in the conflict.


The Benefits of Conflict

• Conflict is inevitable and often good, for example, good teams always go through a "form, storm, norm and perform" period. Getting the most out of diversity means often-contradictory values, perspectives and opinions.

• Conflict is often needed and can -Help to raise and address problemsEnergizes work to be on the most appropriate issuesHelp people "be real", for example, it motivates them to

participateHelp people learn how to recognize and benefit from their

differences

• Conflict is not the same as discomfort. The conflict isn't the problem - it is when conflict is poorly managed that it becomes a problem.

Source: Adapted from Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC, Basics of Conflict Management, 1997-2008


Conflict is a problem when it…

1. Hampers productivity

2. Lowers morale

3. Causes more and continued conflicts

4. Causes inappropriate behaviours

5. Causes delays or cost overruns

6. Causes scope or quality issues



Tips to Reduce Team Conflict

• Regularly review job descriptionsSeek team member’s input and agreementDocument, distribute and date themReview roles to ensure no overlaps, gaps or conflict

• Build relationships Execute Communication Plan with stakeholders and team

membersConduct team member one on onesConduct regular team meetings



• Get regular status updates including –Accomplishments and progressCurrent risks and issuesPlans for the upcoming periodNeeds for assistance

• Conduct basic training about –Interpersonal communicationConflict management and resolutionDelegation and decision making




• Develop team rules for working togetherProcedures for key tasks based on team inputAgreements about how the team will operate – Team CharterClearly communicate behavioural expectationsMake these easily accessibleFeedback and review protocolsConflict resolution frameworksEscalation procedures




• Encourage feedback and inputBe prepared to act on good ideasEnsure rationale behind suggestions that are not taken up

are clearly communicatedConsider an anonymous suggestion box in which employees

can provide suggestions




5 Common Responses to Conflict

1. Competing

2. Avoiding

3. Accommodating

4. Compromising

5. Collaborating

Source: Adapted from Negotiation Theory and Techniques, Spegel et al, Butterworths, 1998



1. Competing

is a style in which one's own needs are advocated over the needs of others.

It relies on an aggressive style of communication, low regard for future relationships, and the exercise of coercive power.

Those using a competitive style tend to seek control over a discussion. They fear that loss of control will result in solutions that fail to meet their needs.

Competing tends to result in responses that increase the level of threat.




2. Accommodating

also known as smoothing or appeasing, is the opposite of competing.

People using this style yield their needs to those of others, trying to be diplomatic.

They tend to allow the needs of the group to overwhelm their own, which may not ever be stated, as preserving the relationship is seen as most important.



5. Responses to Conflict

3. Avoiding

a common response to the negative perception of conflict – perhaps it will go away

feelings get pent up, views go unexpressed, and the conflict festers until it becomes too big to ignore.

Perhaps it could have been overcome if tackled early

Can break relationships and severely impact project success.

Because needs and concerns go unexpressed, people are often confused, wondering what went wrong?




4. Compromising

is an approach to conflict in which people gain and give in a series of tradeoffs.

While it gets an outcome, compromise is generally not satisfying for all parties

Often there is a lack of trust and risk taking involved. In more collaborative behaviours this is avoided




5. Collaborating

is the pooling of individual needs and goals toward a common goal.

Often called "win-win problem-solving," collaboration requires assertive communication and cooperation in order to achieve a better solution than either individual could have achieved alone.

It offers the chance for consensus, the integration of needs, and the potential to exceed the original possibilities.

Dispute are resolved more meaningfully



Channels for Negotiation


Communication Channel Advantages Disadvantages

Face to Face • Promotes good communication• Allows co-operative and interactive problem solving• Tends to be flexible• Promotes honesty• Agreements can be executed immediately

• Travel and accommodation costs• Artificial time restrictions• Harder to confer with advisers and absent team members• Can be stressful for some participants

Telephone or Teleconference

• Immediate response• Normally easy to establish contact

• Artificial time constraints• Unable to see non verbal queues• Easy to misunderstand meaning• Can be expensive if long distance• Easier to be less truthful

Correspondence – Hardcopy, email etc

• Time to consider proposals• Less misunderstandings• Permanent record• Difficult to misrepresent ot lie• Outcome more certain and enforceable

• No immediate response• Normally takes longer• Slows down negotiations• May not generate as many options as it is not interactive• Doesn’t promote co-operative problem solving• Very inflexible


Communication Management

EFFECTIVE MEETINGS &

PRESENTATIONS


Effective Meetings

• Meetings are one of the major forms of communication for projects and in the general business environment

• These can be positive and fruitful or a total waste of time• An effective meeting is one that reaches the required

outcomes of all participants• Achieving the required outcomes requires planning and

preparation• Meetings are a form of ‘Interactive Communication’ and

can be conducted in many different ways – both formal and informal

• 'Hey, if this person can't manage a meeting, what chance does the project stand?'


How to Conduct Effective Meetings

1. Ensure outcomes are defined prior to the meetingNever go to a meeting where the desired outcomes are not

clearly understood by all involved. This includes the meetings you call and the ones you are

required to attend.Send an outline of the purpose of the meeting and the required

outcomes

2. Plan the meeting in advanceThink about what you want to say, what information you require

or what you need to learn from the meeting. Anticipate and prepare for questions and objections, raise them

yourself if they are important.Prepare agendas for formal meetings and distribute in advance



3. Manage your time and respect the time of others Understand the expectations around meeting start and finish

times Be clear about your expectations – eg.

1. Always start on time and finish on time vs Start 5 minutes late and finish 5 minutes early

2. Reschedule the meeting if key contributors are not present

3. Agree key contributors and minimum attendees

4. Pay attention and actively listen If it is important enough to attend then it is important enough to

listen carefully. Be engaged and present, you never know what you might find

out. Confirm understanding



5. Suggest optionsDon't be afraid to challenge what is put in front of you.Suggest alternatives if this will achieve the outcome more

effectively

6. SummariseRecap decisions and actions at the end of the meetingBe specific about who is to do what by whenClarify that outcomes have been achieved and assess

understandingAsk for feedback and confirm agreement



7. Confirm and confirm again Always confirm appointments the day before Leave nothing to chance Be prepared to reschedule immediately if there are issues

with the timeslot

8. Document agreed actions and decisions Formal meetings should have formal minutes including

action items and major decisions Informal meetings can be followed up with a brief email

outlining outcomes and action items Maintain a Decision Register and an Action item Register,

review with the group regularly


Meetings vs Workshops

– Small or large groups

– Specific plan of the outcomes

– Standing agenda distributed prior to meeting

– Room to accommodate additional business

– Formal minutes, action items and decision register

– Good meeting practices

– Active listening

– Small or large groups

– Require strong facilitation skills

– Very detailed plan for the sessions

– Room for flexibility if valuable information being obtained

– Specific objectives but less defined outcomes

– Good to generate ideas, gain understanding, problem solve

Meetings Workshops


Formal vs Informal Meetings

– Small or large groups– Specific plan of the

outcomes– Standing agenda distributed

prior to meeting– Room to accommodate

additional business– Formal minutes, action items

and decision register– Good meeting practices – Active listening

– One on one or small group– Scheduled in advance or ad-

hoc– High level plan of outcomes– Flexible agenda– Standing agenda or topics

agreed at start of meeting– Optional confirmation of

agreements, decisions and actions via email

– Active listening

Formal Informal


Effective Presentations

• Very few people enjoy giving presentations• Some are even more afraid of giving presentations that

they are of dying!• Speeches are being replaced by PowerPoint presentations• PowerPoint is only an aid, to be effective attention must be

applied to the content as well as the performance aspects of the presentation

• Audience expectations are often very high• People demand to be enlightened, informed and

entertained • Skilled presenters can transfer information, influence the

audience and inspire action

Adpated from PMBoK Guide – Fourth Edition


Planning Presentations

1. Have a strong introduction Plan an engaging introduction eg – provocative question, impressive

fact, quotation, recall an anecdote

2. Consider your listener Frame the presentation as though you are sitting in the audience Understand the specific needs, wants and emotions of your

audience

3. Ensure your audience knows what's in it for them Be clear about what is in it for the audience – WIIFM – What’s in it

for me! Tailor your presentations to the needs of the audience

4. Begin with the end in mind Let them know what to expect, how they can use the information and

the direct benefits to them Define the outcome and plan the messages Prepare a storyboard and remove unnecessary content



5. Establish credibility Be confident in your movements, speech and what you are saying Mention your background, skills and experience Get the audience emotionally engaged

6. Plan the flow of your argument Be clear on the outcome and your intentions Lead the listener through Obtain agreement along the way Summarise key points



7. Speak as if to one individual Deliver your speech as though each person was the only one in the

room Make the presentation personal

8. Practise your presentation style Include three different styles - audio, visual and kinaesthetic Plan how you transition between these elements It pays to practise with someone you trust and then to ask for their

comments

9. Strong conclusions Summarise key points Call the audience to action

10. Ask for feedback Be open and calm Take it on board if appropriate for future presentations


• Win the audiences attention

• Gain their interest

• Create a desire

• Stimulate action or agreement

AIDA – A Simpler Model


Tips for Using PowerPoint

• Keep it simple• PowerPoint is an aid not the main attraction• Avoid cheesy clip art, animation and fancy backgrounds• Use ‘slide master’ for consistent formatting• Presentations - 6 points per slide• Practice your interaction with the slides and other media• Report Format – can be very detailed and small font if

designed to be printed out• Lectures can break the rules as they are a combination

of presentation and detailed notes



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

• Involves the periodic collection and analysis of actual data versus baseline data for Time, Cost, Scope and Quality

• Performance reports provide different levels of information for different audiences

• Undertaken during Monitoring and Control

Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control




• The inputs into Report Performance are –

Project Management Plan

Work Performance Information and Measurements– Deliverable status– Planned versus actual schedule performance– Planned versus actual cost performance– Planned versus actual technical performance

Budget Forecasts

Organisational Process Assets– Project Reporting policies and procedures– Report templates– Defined variance and tolerance limits Initiation Planning Execution Close

Monitor

Control




• Tools and techniques to Report Performance include -


VarianceAnalysis

CommunicationMethods

ForecastingMethods

ReportingSystems

StatusReports

SteeringCommitteeMeetings



Variance Analysis –

After the fact look at what caused a difference between the baseline and actual performance

Common steps are -

– Verify the quality of the information

– Determine the variances, comparing actual information with the project baseline

– Determine impact and resolution options




Forecasting Methods -

The process of predicting future project performance based on the actual performance to date

Time Series Methods – use historical data to predict future outcomes

Causal or Econometric Methods – underlying factors that might influence the deliverable are used to predict future performance

Judgemental Methods – incorporate intuitive judgements, opinions and probability




Reporting Systems –Standard tool for the Project Manager to capture, store and

distribute information to stakeholders about budget, timelines and performance

Enables data and report consolidation and distribution - different levels of information can be distributed to different audiences according to different timeframes

Status Reports -Manual production of status reports by the Project Manager

normally using some form of standard templateDiffering levels of information and timeframes depending on

the audienceCan be a very intensive process, proceeded by status

meetings and capturing of performance dataAdapted from PMBOK 4th Edition



Steering Committee Meetings –

Steering Committees are commonly part of the project governance structure and require particular reporting and status updates

Senior stakeholders may not have time to read and interpret detailed status reports and often convene monthly meeting where the status is presented along with risks, issues and change requests for assistance and decision making purposes

Often requires the preparation of a high level status report, status update presentation, action items and decision logs




• Outputs of this process include –Performance Reports or Status Reports

– Status and progress information

Steering Committee Presentations and Updates– Standard agenda– Status Report and Presentation– Actions Items– Decision Log– Meeting Minutes

Organisational Process Assets– Reporting formats– Lessons learned– Causes and resolution of issues

Change Requests– Recommended corrective and preventative actions required to bring

project back on trackAdapted from PMBOK 4th Edition


Project Reporting

• Project reporting is an essential aspect of project management

• Key to stakeholder expectation management and tailored to their requirements and expectations

• Preparing a Project Status report is more than the time taken to type up the report, it also involves monitoring and controlling the project, risk review, financial review etc

• This should be negotiated at the start of project and included in the Project Communication Plan


Project Status Reports

• Performance against plans needs to be assessed and reported at regular intervals to suit the project and stakeholders

• Frequency and detail included depend on project characteristics such as –

Project Size – Timeframe and Budget

Established organisational project governance processes

Risk Level

Specific Audience

Reporting Cycles – weekly vs monthly


Project Status Reports

• Always include the following standard content and then variations based on stakeholder expectations –

Project Name, Project Manager and reporting period

Progress against plan for deliverables and timeframes

Project budget tracking

Explanation of variances

Major Risks, major issues and change requests

Summary status indicators such as traffic lights etc


Example Project Status Reports

Refer to Templates and Examples in the Learning Program


Steering Committee Meetings

• Regular meetings with the Project Sponsor, major client and key senior stakeholders

• Hybrid between a presentation and a report

StandardAgenda

PowerPoint Presentation

Status Report Minutes

Action Items

Decision Log


Steering Committee Agenda

• Flexible depending on type of project and style of organisation, typically includes –

Key MessagesProject Status – Time & CostsSummary Performance MetricsScope Management and Change ControlRisks and IssuesDecisions RequiredOptional appendices with more detail –

– Project Structure– Detailed Performance Metrics– Detail to support decisions– Change Control Impact Assessments


Steering Committee Outputs

• Minutes

Attendees

Summary of discussion

• Action Items

Action item progress from last meeting

New action items assigned at meeting

• Decision Log

All key decisions made at all meetings

New decisions made at this meeting


Team Assignment Criteria

Team AssignmentComponents

Marks Basic Competency Higher Competency

Stakeholder Identification 5 Stakeholder Analysis Matrix detailing major stakeholdersOne stakeholder management strategy per stakeholder

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix detailing extensive internal and external stakeholdersSeveral stakeholder management strategies per stakeholder

Stakeholder Analysis 10 Power and Interest Grid with basic rationale for stakeholder placement

Power and Interest Grid with detailed rationale for stakeholder placement

Communication Matrix 7 Communication Matrix covering major stakeholderIncludes – Target audience, Messenger, Purpose, Media/Channel, Frequency

Communication Matrix covering extensive internal and external stakeholdersSeveral different media and channels considered for each stakeholder

Project Performance Reporting

8 Mock up of a Project Status Report

Template for Steering Committee Meeting presentation

Total 30 19.5 to 25 25.5 to 30


Individual Assignment Criteria

Individual AssignmentComponents

Marks Basic Competency Higher Competency

Stakeholder Identification 10 Stakeholder Analysis Matrix detailing major stakeholdersOne stakeholder management strategy per stakeholder

Stakeholder Analysis Matrix detailing extensive internal and external stakeholdersSeveral stakeholder management strategies per stakeholder

Stakeholder Analysis 10 Power and Interest Grid with basic rationale for stakeholder placement

Power and Interest Grid with detailed rationale for stakeholder placement

Communication Plan 10 Communication Plan covering major stakeholder

Communication Plan covering extensive internal and external stakeholders

Project Performance Reporting

10 Mock up of a Project Status Report Template for Steering Committee Meeting presentation

Communications Management Procedures

20 Basic Communication Management Procedures including standards, escalation processes, version control, process to update the Communications Plan

Advanced Communication Management Procedures including Glossary of Terms, Flowcharts for communication, communication constraints and policies

Total 60 40 to 50 51 to 60