PM571

PROJECT COMMUNICATION & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Lecture 1: Plan Communication Management

Facilitators:

Rev. Prof. F D K Fugar

Dr. (Mrs) Ivy M. A. Abu, PMP
Godwin Afful, PMP
Michael Asamoah, PMP
 GORD-AFFUL, PMP, P2
AREAS OF EXPERTISE & INTEREST
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• LEADERSHIP
• MONITORING & EVALUATION
• OIL & GAS MANAGEMENT
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP
• HEALTH & SAFETY
• PUBLIC/MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING
• YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & DEVELOPMENT

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 Project Communication and Resource Management
Course Objectives:
i. Explain the nature of Project communication management
ii. Identify the different methods in project communication
management
iii. Identify the roles and responsibilities of key project stakeholders
iv. Develop Project Communication and Resource Management Plan
v. Explain the processes involved in managing resource on a project

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 Learning Outcomes
• Understand the importance of good communication on projects and describe the major
components of a communications management plan

• Identify and discuss the elements of project communications planning, including

information distribution, performance reporting, and administrative closure

• Understand various methods for project information distribution and the advantages and
disadvantages of each

• Understand individual communication needs and how to determine the number of

communications channels needed for a project
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 Learning Outcomes
• Understand how the main outputs of performance reporting help stakeholders stay
informed about project resources

• Recognize how the main outputs of administrative closure are used to formally end a
project

• List various methods for improving project communications, such as managing

conflicts, running effective meetings, using e-mail effectively, and using templates

• Describe how software can enhance project communications

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 Readings
1. A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK
Guide) 6th Edition 2021

2. Construction Extension to the PMBOK Guide, 2016.

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 Basic Assumptions
This course assumes that students have basic knowledge in other project
management processes and terminologies.
• Enterprise Environmental Factors (EEF)
• Organizational Process Assets (OPAs)
• Stakeholders – Stakeholder registers

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT: HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
• PMI has established that 56% of a project budget might be at risk due
to poor communications.

• Good communication management on projects leads to higher

success rates.

• Projects use finite resources to achieve an objective. One of the most

valuable resources in a project is the people (developers, engineers,
financiers, end users, etc.). Communication is used to support and
manage it.

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT: HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?

• Project managers use different tools and techniques at

different times, but project communication management
is one that it used throughout a project.

• On the average project managers spend anywhere from

60% – 90% of their time on communication with the
various people on their projects.

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS IT?
• Project Communication Management is a process that ensures that
KEY information flows EFFECTIVELY and EFFICIENTLY and
in a PREDETERMINED way between the various people working
on (or impacted by) a project.

• Some need the information for awareness purposes only. Others need
it to provide the basis for a specific action to be taken.

• It is important to have a plan for sharing information throughout a

project’s lifecycle. It is critical to project success.

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT –WHAT ARE THE
BENEFITS?
• Effective communication bridges the following differences in the project
execution:
– Stakeholders involved in a project
– Cultural and organisational backgrounds
– Levels of expertise
– Perspectives and interests
• Provides links among people, ideas and information
• Enables transparency throughout the project
• Provides feedback which increases productivity and prevents making the same
mistake
• Provides guidelines for team members
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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT -
PROCESSES

1. Plan Communication

2. Manage Communication

3. Monitor Communication

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT -
PROCESSES

1. Plan Communication
The process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for
project communications based on stakeholder’s information needs
and requirements, and available organizational assets

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT -
PROCESSES

2. Manage Communication

The process of ensuring timely and appropriate collection, creation,

distribution, storage, retrieval, management, monitoring, and the

ultimate disposition of project information.

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT -
PROCESSES
3. Monitor Communication
The process of monitoring and controlling communications throughout
the entire project life cycle to ensure the information needs of the
project and its stakeholders are met

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications

• This involves:
- Determining project stakeholder information needs
- Defining a communication approach
- The questions to ask are:
1. Who needs what information
2. When they will need it
3. How it will be given to them and
4. By whom
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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications
• Improper Communications will lead to
1. Delay in message delivery
2. Communication of sensitive information to the wrong audience
3. Lack of communication to some of the required Stakeholders
• Effective communication means providing information:
1. In the right format
2. At the right time
3. And with the right impact
• Efficient communication means providing only the information that is needed

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - INPUTS
• Project Charter

• Project Management Plan

Resource Management Plan
Stakeholder Engagement Plan

• Project Documents
Stakeholder register
Requirements Documentation

• Enterprise Environmental Factors i.e. organisational structure, technology etc

• Organisational Process Assets i.e. lessons learned and historical information

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
• Communication Requirements Analysis
• Determines the information needs of Stakeholders

• Consideration is given to the potential number of communication channels which reflects the
complexity of a project’s communication
• Total number of channels = n(n-1)/2 where n is the number of stakeholders 9e.g.
where n=15, number of potential channels = 105)
• The sources of these channels could be
- Organisation Charts
- Stakeholder register
- Internal and external information needs
- Disciplines, departments and specialties involved in the project
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 Communication Channels

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
Communication Technology
• Method used to transfer information among stakeholders. Factors to consider are:
1. Urgency of need for information i.e. regular issue of reports or moment’s notice
2. Availability of technology i.e. access to technology
3. Expected project staffing i.e. experience and expertise of staff
4. Duration of project i.e. would there be change in technology before project ends
5. Project environment i.e. do team members meet face-to-face, virtual team etc
6. Ease of Use
7. Sensitivity and Confidentiality of information

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
Communication Models
– Sender - Encodes the message, Determines communication method
– Sender - Confirms that message is understood
– Message – Sent but could experience noise (disturbances)
• Distance, Unfamiliar technology, Lack of background information,
Language, Culture, Hostility,
– Receiver - Decodes the message, Confirms that message is understood

sender message receiver

encoder decoder

Feedback

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 Shannon-Weaver’s Model

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
• Communication Methods (based on mode of access)
– Interactive Communication e.g. meetings, phone calls, video
conferencing
– Push Communication e.g. letters, memos, reports, emails, faxes, voice mails
etc.
– Pull Communication e.g. knowledge repositories, e-learning etc.

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 INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION
• Interactive Communication is a multidirectional form of
communication. When an immediate response is required,
and when the information being communicated is sensitive
with the possibility of being misinterpreted, interactive
communication is the most appropriate approach. It involves
one or more people exchanging thoughts and ideas, where
participants respond in real time.

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 PUSH COMMUNICATION
Push communication is from sender to receiver and is preferable when
the sender of the information is not looking for an immediate response
or if the matter being conveyed is not urgent or sensitive. However, as
soon as the recipient views the message, some action is required. One
disadvantage of this type of communication is that the sender can only
identify that the message has been successfully sent. Some email
systems can notify the sender when an email has been opened, but this
feature can’t guarantee that the recipient has understood the message
being communicated.

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 PULL COMMUNICATION
• Pull communication doesn’t involve pulling in a reader to read a
message. Instead, pull communication is all about providing a
group access to common information. The receiver, however, must
recover this information. This method is used for a large audience
who require access to information for their use. It is used for
informational communication. If a receiver does not read the
message, it will in no way affect the project.

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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
• Communication Methods (based on mode of presentation)
– Formal Written:Used for complex problems, project plans and documentation,
communicating over long distances
– Formal Verbal:Used for presentations and speeches
– Informal Written:Used for memos, e-mail and notes
– Informal Verbal: Used for meetings and conversations

NB: Different approaches should be applied to meet the desire outcome. Eg:
Interpersonal Communication
Small group / Public / Mass Communication
Networks
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 PROJECT COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
Plan Communications - TOOLS
• Interpersonal and Team Skills
• Communication Style Awareness
• Political Awareness
• Cultural Awareness

• Meetings

• Data representation

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 Plan Communications - OUTPUT
• The Communication Management Plan
– This is an important output of communication planning

o Created by the Project Manager as a subsidiary of the Project

Management Plan
o Stakeholder communication requirements including language, format, content and level of
detail
o Time frame and frequency for the distribution of information
o Person responsible for communicating information
o Person responsible for authorising confidential information
o What information should be collected and when
o Who will receive the information
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 Plan Communications - OUTPUT
• The Communication Management Plan
– This is an important output of communication planning
o Methods to be used to gather, store and distribute information
o Reporting Relationships
o Glossary of common terminology
o Escalation process
o Communication constraints e.g. organisational policies, legislation etc.
o Guidelines and templates for project status meetings, emails, project team meetings.

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 Plan Communications - OUTPUT
• Project Management Plan Updates
Resource Management Plan
Stakeholder Engagement Plan

• Project Documents Updates

Stakeholders register
Requirements Documentation

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 QUESTIONS?

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 Assignment:
• For your group project
• Develop a typical Communication Plan

• Identity the possible communication Channel on your project with the

assistance of your project’s stakeholder’s register.

Presentation Due Date: 14th & 15th May 2022

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END OF LECTURE 1

Thank You