As the business world has gone global and hybrid office models have taken hold, communication management is more important than ever.
The right project manager will command strong communication up, down, and laterally. Project management requires an airtight process to make sure that changes are identified, acknowledged, and revised in a way that’s complementary to the original expectations.
Communications Planning
There are several important questions about communication that a project manager must consider as part of the project planning process:
- What information does each stakeholder or group of stakeholders need?
- When will they need it?
- What’s the best way to communicate it to them and what team collaboration tools are available?
- How and how often should we review the communication plan for effectiveness?
Communication becomes necessary immediately, and many teams rely on simple tools like an online whiteboard to coordinate early planning before systems formalize. It is tempting but dangerous to assume that decisions made in the very early days of the project will remain true and useful as the project matures. Many organizations standardize these decisions using a communication plan template, but even that must be revisited as the project evolves.
Considerations
Communications requirements – This includes the type and the format of information required by all stakeholders. The project manager should also consider the value of the information needed and avoid generating unnecessary documentation that doesn’t meaningfully advance the project. Since communication requires resources, you should only require communicating information when doing so bolsters project success (or poor communication prevents it). Other issues that might be necessary to consider include:
- Project organization and stakeholder positions
- Technical disciplines and departments included in the project
- The number of people involved and where they’re located
- External communication (g. likelihood of public interest)
Communications technology – The available communications technologies can range from hallway conversations to formal meetings; from simple written items to online project plans and data housed in the organization’s project management software. Some factors the project manager should consider include:
- Does project success require constantly updated information from your project tracking tools, or will periodic written reports suffice?
- Is a sufficient communication and collaboration platform already in place, or should implementing one part of the project?
- Will project participants require training?
- Is the available communication technology in the organization likely to change during the project; how might that affect the project?
Constraints – In this context, constraints are factors that limit the project manager’s options. Are there information security needs or contract provisions that might limit the team’s choices? Constraints may also include organizational standard operating procedures that dictate how information must be communicated or stored.
Assumptions – These are factors that must be considered real for planning purposes. Assumptions involve risk, but unrecognized or unstated assumptions greatly increase that risk.
Communications Management Plan
A communications management plan is a part of the overall project plan that includes:
- The methods for collecting and storing necessary information (eg: through shared drives or knowledge database software); these should also cover updates and corrections
- A description of what information (status reports, schedule, technical documents, etc.) will flow to whom and the methods (written reports, meetings, etc.) for distributing the information, including the format, content, level of detail, and any conventions or definitions used in your technical documentation
- A description of each item of information the team will distribute, including the format, content, level of detail, and conventions or definitions they will use
- A schedule showing when the team will produce each type of communication
- A description of the procedures to get information between regular communications
- A plan for reviewing and updating the communications plan as the project progresses
If your organization has a complex structure and information it can’t afford to get lost or miscommunicated, reach out for an assessment.
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