According to many experts, what is the greatest threat to project success?
A failure to communicate — especially in IT projects.
What chain leads from communication to project success?
Communication → cooperation → coordination → project harmony → project success.
List the communications management processes and their process groups.
Plan communications management (planning); manage communications (executing); control communications (monitoring and controlling).
What does a communications management plan describe?
Stakeholder requirements; information to communicate (format, content, detail); who receives and produces it; methods or technologies; frequency; escalation procedures; revision procedures; a glossary.
What does managing communications include?
Using technology to enhance information creation and distribution; selecting the appropriate communication methods and media; reporting performance.
What is a push method, and what is its limitation?
Information sent to recipients without their request (reports, e-mails, faxes, voice mails). It ensures distribution, but not that the information was received or understood.
What is a pull method?
Information sent to recipients at their request via websites, bulletin boards, e-learning, knowledge repositories like blogs and wikis.
What is an interactive method?
Two or more people exchange information via meetings, phone calls, or video conferencing — usually the most effective way to ensure common understanding.
What does performance reporting do?
Keeps stakeholders informed about how resources are being used to achieve project objectives, and motivates workers to have some progress to report.
What is the main goal of controlling communications?
To ensure the optimal flow of information throughout the entire project life cycle.
List the five keys to good communications.
Focusing on group and individual needs; formal and informal methods; distributing important information effectively and on time; setting the stage for bad news; determining the number of communication channels.
Give examples of formal and informal communication methods.
Formal: reports, e-mails, web pages, formal meetings. Informal: informal meetings, personal social media.
How should bad news be communicated?
Put it in context, know how the problem will affect the whole project and the organization, and recommend steps to mitigate it.
What is the formula for the number of communication channels?
n(n − 1) / 2, where n is the number of people involved.
How many communication channels do 2, 3, 4 and 5 people have?
1, 3, 6 and 10 channels.