Concepts
Project management can be likened to the conductor of a symphony, orchestrating different sections to blend harmoniously and deliver a successful performance. A key skill necessary for any successful project manager is effective communication. The Project Management Institute (PMI) estimates that project managers spend 90% of their time communicating. Hence, understanding and managing stakeholder communication needs is key.
Defining Communication Methods
Communication methods fundamentally refer to the ways in which information is transferred. They can be broadly classified into three categories:
- Interactive Communication: This is real-time communication and includes methods such as meetings, calls or instant messaging. This type of communication allows for immediate feedback.
- Push Communication: In this type, information is sent to recipients who need to access and understand it. For instance, emails, memos and reports. It may not require immediate feedback and it’s also not guaranteed that the receiver has understood the information.
- Pull Communication: This method is for large amount of information or for large audiences who access this information at their own discretion. Websites, knowledge repositories and databases are examples of this method.
Communication Channels
The communication channels refer to the medium used to transfer information. Here, it’s critical to determine the right channel for various types of information.
For instance, important or confidential information should be delivered in a private and secure channel like one-on-one meetings or secure emails. General information can be transmitted through newsletter or bulletins, and urgent matters could utilize instant messaging or calls.
Communication Frequency
This refers to how often communication should happen. This heavily depends on the nature of the project, stakeholder needs, project phase, and risk level of the project. For example:
- Daily: Daily stand-up meetings, daily progress report for high-risk activities.
- Weekly: Weekly status reports, Weekly team meetings.
- Monthly: System performance reviews, executive updates.
Levels of Detail
Different stakeholders will require different details. For instance, top-level management would prefer a high-level view of the project status instead of granular details. Team members, on the other hand, need detailed information to carry out work.
Example: An executive might need a project dashboard that shows red, yellow or green status for various project aspects while a software developer needs explicit instructions about coding functionalities.
Stakeholder Analysis
In order to determine suitable communication methods, channels, frequencies, and detail levels, a thorough stakeholder analysis is necessary.
A critical part of stakeholder analysis is the Stakeholder Register. It characterizes stakeholders by their interest, influence, impact, and communication requirements.
| Stakeholder | Interest | Influence | Impact | Communication Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO | High | High | High | High level, Monthly |
| Project Team | High | Medium | High | Detailed, Daily |
| Users | Medium | Low | High | Detailed, As needed |
The stakeholder analysis arms project managers with the insights needed to fashion an effective communication management plan which is a critical part of effective project management. It ensures the right messages are delivered to the right person at the right time, in the right format – hugely improving project outcomes.
Project Management Professional (PMP) examination would specifically test your competence in this aspect of management to evaluate your understanding and ability to apply these concepts in real-life scenarios.
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True or False: Face-to-face communication is the most effective communication method in all project conditions.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Although face-to-face communication is often considered very effective, the most effective communication method depends on various factors such as project type, geographical distribution of the team, phase of the project and stakeholders’ preferences.
Which of the following factors should not be considered when determining the level of detail in communication with stakeholders?
- A. Stakeholder’s position in the organization
- B. Stakeholder’s interest in the project
- C. Stakeholder’s influence on the project
- D. Stakeholder’s favorite color
Answer: D. Stakeholder’s favorite color.
Explanation: The favorite color of a stakeholder is an irrelevant factor when determining the level of detail in communicating with them. The other options are valid considerations.
True or False: The frequency of communication should be the same for all stakeholders.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: The frequency of communication can and should vary depending on the stakeholders’ needs, influence on the project, and interest in the project.
Which of the following is not a typical channel for project communication?
- A. Emails
- B. Meetings
- C. Social Media
- D. Food delivery app
Answer: D. Food delivery app.
Explanation: Food delivery apps are not a typical channel for professional or project communication.
Multiple Selection: In determining the communication method, which of the following should be considered?
- A. Stakeholder’s preference
- B. Project’s urgency
- C. Project’s budget
- D. Project’s duration
- E. All of the above
Answer: E. All of the above
Explanation: All listed options affect the choice of communication method in a project.
True or False: Communication details should be the same for all stakeholders.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Different stakeholders require different levels of detail depending on their role, authority, and interest in the project.
Multiple Select: Which channels could be utilized for communicating with remote team members?
- A. Email
- B. Video Conferencing
- C. Instant Messaging
- D. In-person meetings
Answer: A. Email, B. Video conferencing, C. Instant Messaging
Explanation: With the exception of “In-person meetings”, all the listed options are feasible for remote communication.
True or False: It is always beneficial to increase the frequency of communication in a project.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: While communication is important, excessively frequent communication can lead to confusion, information overwhelm and lower productivity.
Single selection: Which communication method is the most suitable for highly complex and urgent project issues?
- A. Email
- B. In-person meetings
- C. Text messaging
- D. Independent research
Answer: B. In-person meetings
Explanation: For urgent and complex issues, in-person meetings or video conferences are usually the most effective as they allow for instant feedback, clarification, and brainstorming.
Single selection: The Stakeholder Register is used to determine which of the following?
- A. Communication channels
- B. Method of communication
- C. Frequency of communication
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: The Stakeholder Register is used to retrieve all the necessary information about the stakeholders which subsequently aids in determining the communication channels, method, and frequency.
True or False: Project managers should adapt their communication approach according to the cultural background of the stakeholders.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Cultural awareness is important in project management, as it affects all project activities, including communication.
Great post! Determining the communication channels is essential for project success.
Can anyone suggest some effective communication methods for large distributed teams?
I found that setting the frequency of updates really helps in managing stakeholders’ expectations.
How detailed should our communication be with different stakeholders?
This is very informative. Thanks!
I appreciate the effort put into this blog post. It’s very helpful.
Anyone has experience with using Asana for stakeholder communication?
I think this post could have included more on the use of communication plans.