Transcript Communication

Communication
Kathy S. Schwaig
1
Objectives






To understand Project Communications
Management
Meeting project communication needs
Uncovering the reasons for ineffectiveness
Matching communication styles and media
Gaining access for communication
Ensuring efficiency and confirming
“appreciation”
2
Project Communications
Management

Goal: to ensure timely and
appropriate generation, collection,
dissemination, storage, and
disposition of project information.
3
Project Communications
Process

Communications Planning
– Determine the information and communication needs of
stakeholders

Information Distribution
– Involves 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

Administrative Closure
– Generating, gathering, and disseminating information to
formalize phase or project completion
4
1. Communications Planning
(A Plan)







A description of a collection and filing structure
for gathering and storing various types of
information.
A distribution structure describing what
information flows to whom, when, and how
Format for communicating key project information
A production schedule for producing the
information.
Access methods for obtaining the information
Method for updating the communications
management plans as the project progresses and
develops
5
Stakeholder communications analysis
Sample Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholders
Document
Name
Document
Format
Contact
Due
Customer MGT
Monthly Status
Rpt
Hard copy
Gail, Tony
First of Month
Customer Bus.
Staff
Monthly Status
Rpt
Hard copy
Julie, Jeff First of Month
Customer
Tech. Staff
Monthly Status
Rpt
E-mail
Evan,
Nancy
First of Month
Internal Mgt
Monthly Status
Rpt
Hard copy
Bob
First of Month
Internal Bus.
And Tech.
Staff
Monthly Status
Rpt
Intranet
Angie
First of Month
Training
Subcontractor
Training Plan
Hard copy
John
Nov 1, 2002
Software
Subcontractor
Software
E-mail
Implementation
Plan
Barbara
June 1, 2002
6
2. Information Distribution

Getting project information to the
right people at the right time and in a
useful format.
7
Formal and Informal
Methods

Formal Project Communication
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Meetings
Status Reports
Change Orders
Conference Calls
Project Scope (or project map)
Control Reports
Test Results
Problem detections and notification
Problem Solving
Informal Project Communication?
8
3. Performance Reporting




Goal: Keep stakeholders informed about how
resources are being used to achieve project
objectives
Status Report: where a project stands at a
specific point in time with respect to the triple
constraint.
Progress Report: what the team has accomplished
within a certain period of time
Project Forecasting: predicts future project
status and progress based on past information and
trends.
9
4. Administrative Closure



Project Archives: a complete set of
organized project records that provide an
accurate history of the project
Formal acceptance: documentation that
the project’s sponsor or customer signs to
show they have accepted the products of
the project.
Lessons learned: reflective statement
written by project manager and team
members
10
Challenges to Communication:
Nature of the Project Team




Project team members often come from diverse
departments and are unfamiliar with each other
Projects are made up of highly specialized people
who may prefer to interact only with those of
their specialty
Project team members understand less about the
intricate interdependencies of the tasks required
than the project manager
Project managers are responsible for soliciting
input from team members who are reluctant to
communicate, and therefore project managers
must be superior communicators themselves.
11
Project Manager’s Role:
Motivate team members to
communicate regularly
 Encourage or train team members to
communicate well

12
Matching Communication
Styles

Communication: information is
exchanged between individuals
through a common system
– People tend to send out messages in the
manner they take in information best
– Some avoid certain media altogether
even when doing so may create a problem
for them
13
Readers

Advantages
– Ability to explain
complex ideas or
numerical data and
keep it available for
referral
– Documents provide a
record for
communication
– Things in print seem to
have enhanced
credibility

Disadvantages
– Without nonverbal cues,
possibility exists for
misunderstanding.
Requires greater
attention to word choice,
grammar, and
punctuation.
– An error in print could be
taken as fact and legally
binding
– Follow-up may be
required to ensure
communication
14
Listeners

Advantages
– Quick feedback and
response during
real-time
communication
– Sender can adapt
message if he/she
perceives it is not
being received
correctly

Disadvantages
– Risk of error, of
“not hearing you
right” or forgetting
important facts
– Most people are not
efficient listeners
and are influenced
by biases in some
way or another
15
Exchangers

Advantages
– Both parties to the
communication are
actively involved
– Feedback is
automatic
– Often many
relevant issues
emerge during
exchange.

Disadvantages
– Conversation may drift
off-target unless
sender is skillful in
keeping on track
– Process constantly,
may step on ends of
sentences of others
– Must have some kind
of exchange
– Conversations often
aren’t documented
16
Movers

Advantages
– Think well “on their
feet” or on the run,
and process quickly
and generate ideas
rapidly
– Get through to movers
by joining them for a
walk around the plant
or communicating
during some sort of
physical activity.

Disadvantages
– May not sit still at
meetings, might get
out of seat frequently,
which distracts others.
– Will not process as
efficiently if required
to sit still while
information is being
distributed; may pace
or fidget when doing
presentation, which
will distract listeners.
17
Manipulators

Advantages
– Generally easily
comprehend an idea if
allowed to manipulate
equipment or to work
through an operation
rather than just
watch.
– When abstract concept
is involved, an activity
or object to reinforce
concept will ensure
successful
communication.

Disadvantages
– If they cannot
physically be involved
in the procedure in
some way, they will
not retain the ideas as
well
18
Viewers

Advantages
– Pictures can substitute
for words or can
enhance meaning for
viewers
– Might feel like your
ideas “make more
sense” if you have
represented them
graphically and another
presenter has not.

Disadvantages
– Difficult to accomplish
goals with words with
viewers. Viewers will
likely assign more
importance to drawings
and charts than to
words.
19
Meeting Channel Preferences
Readers
Listeners
Viewers
Memos
Phone
Movies
Letters
Conversation
Multimedia
Articles
Music
Charts
Proposals
Meetings
Graphs
Email
Videoconferencing
Line
Drawings
Photographs
20
Understanding the
Communication Process
21
Sender’s Idea
Receiver’s Idea
Communication
22
Elements of the Message
Sent

Purpose
– Motivation for the communication

Body Language
– Nonverbal communication

Proxemics
– The physical distance between people during an
exchange

Inflection
– Any change in loudness or pitch in a person’s
voice
23
Elements Affecting the
Message Received

Listening
– hearing something with thoughtful attention

Bias
– Inclination to think good or bad thoughts based
on prior attitudes or experiences

Connotations
– Value placed on certain words; implication

Appreciation
– Understanding message sent and believing it
has value and merit
24
Reasons for Ineffectiveness

Chasms
– The physical distance between you and the
person with whom you are communicating

Barriers
– Anything that gets in the way of communication

Noise
– Anything that muddles the message being
communicated
25
Gaining Access for
Communication
Clues to Accessibility
 Electronic Access Alternatives
 Personal Time Accessibility

26
Need for Control versus Need to Communicate
High
Cell Phone
Pager
Need to
Communicate
Low
Calendar
Low
High
Need to Control
27
Ensuring “Appreciation”



Common Experience
Communication Skill
Constructive Attitude
– Reasonable, problem-solving approaches
– Concern for mutual agreement, no one-sided
dominant solutions
– Constant pursuit of understanding
– Acceptance of responsibility for success of
communication

Interactive Processing
28
Ensuring “Appreciation”

Interactive Processing
–
–
–
–
Model excellent communication patterns themselves
Affirm superior communication skill in employees
Value clear, open communication (good news/bad news)
Persist in encouraging skill improvement through
training or coaching
– Remove as many communication barriers as possible
– Provide person-to-person, electronic, and other
formalize platforms to encourage frequent and candid
communication
– Provide ample opportunities for informal idea exchange
to foster cooperation.
29