Session 08 1187 2020

OPMT 1187
Project Communications
Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020
Session 08 Agenda
• Project Communication
• Communication Matrix
• Monitoring & Reporting
Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session students will be able to
• Understand the communications process between two individuals
• Identify numerous types of “noise” (communications distractors)
• Create a project Communications Matrix
• Identify communications issue sin each phase of the project

What is Communication
Exchange of information between two or more people
Message – actual information to be shared

Sender – owner of the info – chooses to share with others
Encoding – how owner sends info; oral, written, body language or
combination
Noise – External distracters (audio or other) that impair communication
Receiver - person who will receive the info

Decoding – personal interpretation of the info
Feedback – responding to the sender of the info

Discuss: which encoding/decoding techniques are being used?

Message
Encoding Decoding
Sender Noise Receiver
Chooses Technique
Must identify technique
Fully understand info to Technique
be sent Tries to understand info
Used
Assumes Receiver wants Does Receiver care
info about info?

Communications Filtering
Sender – who is recipient, what do they want (or expect) to hear/not
hear? How much time do they have for my info? What will they do with
my info? Why do they need/want this info?
What assumptions am I making about this issue/person?
Recipient – how will they interpret what is sent (their personal style).
Has enough info been sent? Is it clear or ambiguous/not complete?
Discuss : How do Cultural Differences affect communication?

Types of Communication
Non-Verbal:
Facial expressions
Oral: Body stance
Use of hands
Words chosen
Pacing
Inflection/Volume
Written:
Words chosen
Discuss: Which is best Report
style to use? Email
Note

Body Language Communication
Amy Cuddy
TED Talks
“Power Poses”

Project Communication
Know your audience!
• Who are they?
• What information is important to them?
• How do they want to receive the information?
• When do they wan to receive the information? How Often?
• What will they do with the information?

Formal vs. Formal Communication
Verbal:
Formal: Speeches, Instruction (this course?)
Informal: Meetings, Chats at lunch-time
Written:
Formal: Reports, contracts, Project Charter
Informal: Email, test messages, notes
Discuss: What is the worst communication feature in e-mail?

Communications Channels
2
1
11 2 1
1 2
How many channels with 6
people?
3 4

Communications Channels
Communication Channels
N(N-1) =X N = number of people

_______ X= number of communication
2 channels
PMI loves this calculation – expect it on the PMPexam
PMP Exam – The PM and his project team of 3 people have had to add
two more people for a complex activity. How many more
communications channels have been created?
Answer: 9 First calculate how many channels with 4 people, then how
many channels with 6 people. What is the difference between the two

Communications Types
Push: One way by the sender. Direction, reports, letters, emails
Pull: One way by the recipient. Suggestions forms, feedback

mechanisms, websites
Interactive – Two way. Exchange of communication – verbal/non-verbal,

can be extended until fully understood. Can include periods of Push and
Pull
See project websites for UBC Skytrain, Site C dam

Why Communication is so important in projects:
Involves multiple stakeholders – each with their own perspective, level of

involvement and expected results
Each party desires to receive information in a manner and type that they can
best understand (interpret)
Not all parties need nor want the same level of detail or quantity of information:
Know Your Audience

Project Manager needs to be a skilled communicator
In Execution and Monitor/Control phases – 90% of PM’s role is communicating
• Public and Private info (when to be confidential)

• Verbal – personal, telephone
• Written – email, reports
• Technical – level of detail appropriate for consumer of the info
• Body language – when and how to use
• Reporting: Project Gate Reviews

Communication is Power
In the absence of timely relevant communication – assumptions, rumors

and misunderstandings can develop (quickly)
This then requires extra communication to undo the incorrect messages
Discuss any personal issues with workplace rumors and problems this
caused

How should PM control all
Project communication?
Project Within team - open

collaboration
Within Project – SME with

Project supplier
Team
Outside of project – Public
Relations Department
Discuss: Who should

communicate with Customer?

Project Communication Trends
Inclusion of multiple stakeholders in project reviews
Inclusion of stakeholders, customer on project team
Increased use of social media
Extensive public consultation before decision-making (may be a legal

requirement – Transmountain pipeline and First Nations

Project Communication - Stakeholders
Senior Management: Project Gate Reviews. High level overview – but PM must
have detailed data readily available if requested
Sponsor: the Truth about project progress (good, bad, ugly)
Customer: the Truth??? (or a positive version of the Truth)
Team: work activity updates, personal performance
Supplier: Individual scopes of work, supplier performance
General Public – Press Releases “fluffy” good news

Communication in Project Phases
Flow of information, ideas and feedback
Planning – upfront brainstorming, generation of ideas, sharing
Execution – progress reports, audits
Completion – project summary review report
Post-completion – project analysis

Planning:
Team meetings – brainstorming, record ideas, potential solutions, risks
Face to face meetings – verbal exchange, free-flowing, lack of critique of

ideas
Meetings with Customer – seek full understanding of requirements – obtain

sign-off
Discuss: Why should first meetings between Customer and Project

Manager be personal face to face?

Planning:
Stakeholders Engagement – from Stakeholder Register
Based on Impact and Influence of each stakeholder
What information does each need and how often?
If a large government project – what “official public communication” will

be published and what is the intent/purpose?
Discuss why governmenr project websites do not contain any negative

project information?


At Onset of Execution (Baseline):
Project Baseline (Scope, Cost, schedule) becomes the “official published

communication” of the project
Based on sensitivity and risks of the project determine what information

will be publicly communicated as project progresses – to stakeholders
and/or public

Monitor & Control
The role of the Project Manager in managing communications during the

project
Inward:
• Work performance Data
• Stakeholder queries
• Change requests and Issues that arise
Outward:
• Direction and leadership
• Answers
• Work Performance Reports
• Customer updates

Monitor & Control
Creating a project monitoring system involves determining:
• What data to collect

• How, when, and who will collect the data
• How to analyze the data to ensure its accuracy and relevancy , filter out
“noise”or inaccuracies
• How to report progress and who to report to

Monitor & Control
What data should be collected?

o Current status of project (scope, schedule and cost)
o Remaining cost to compete project
o Scheduled date project will be complete
o Potential problems to be addressed now
o Out-of-control activities requiring immediate action
o Cost and/or schedule overruns and the reasons for them

Monitor & Control
Collecting data and analysis

• Who will collect project data? (Project Coordinator)
• When and how will data be collected?
• Who will compile and analyze the data?
Reports and reporting
• Who will receive the reports? Different audiences
• How will the reports be transmitted?
• When will the reports be distributed; weekly, monthly

Monitor & Control
Need a consistent reporting process across all areas of the project; use
forms with predefined data entry fields
Need a timely reporting process- immediate? Daily? Use of computing

technology to allow immediate transmittal – tablets?
Need timely analysis of data reported so Project Manager can issue

actions to team – within 24-48 hours

Completion:
Finalized project report – may include recommendations for next steps or

future actions
Team or company-wide emails (if project successful)
Public celebrations (only if successful!)

Completion:
If not successful – quietly close off the project, Project Manager– keep a low
profile in terms of project communication
Fully document all causes that contributed to failure – include in Lessons

Learned knowledge database – so Project Managers do NOT repeat same
mistakes on future projects

Images Acknowledgement:
Slide 4: Dlibert.com
Slide: 7: yabctj.com

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OPMT 1187

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

• Understand the communications process between two individuals

• Identify numerous types of “noise” (communications distractors)

• Create a project Communications Matrix

• Identify communications issue sin each phase of the project

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Exchange of information between two or more people

Message – actual information to be shared

Noise – External distracters (audio or other) that impair communication

Receiver - person who will receive the info

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Discuss: which encoding/decoding techniques are being used?

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

What assumptions am I making about this issue/person?

Discuss : How do Cultural Differences affect communication?

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

• Who are they?

• What information is important to them?

• How do they want to receive the information?

• When do they wan to receive the information? How Often?

• What will they do with the information?

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Formal: Speeches, Instruction (this course?)

Informal: Meetings, Chats at lunch-time

Formal: Reports, contracts, Project Charter

Informal: Email, test messages, notes

Discuss: What is the worst communication feature in e-mail?

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

N(N-1) =X N = number of people

PMI loves this calculation – expect it on the PMPexam

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Push: One way by the sender. Direction, reports, letters, emails

Pull: One way by the recipient. Suggestions forms, feedback

Interactive – Two way. Exchange of communication – verbal/non-verbal,

See project websites for UBC Skytrain, Site C dam

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Why Communication is so important in projects:

Involves multiple stakeholders – each with their own perspective, level of

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Project Manager needs to be a skilled communicator

In Execution and Monitor/Control phases – 90% of PM’s role is communicating

• Public and Private info (when to be confidential)

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

In the absence of timely relevant communication – assumptions, rumors

This then requires extra communication to undo the incorrect messages

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Project Within team - open

Within Project – SME with

Discuss: Who should

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Inclusion of stakeholders, customer on project team

Increased use of social media

Extensive public consultation before decision-making (may be a legal

Copyright BCIT School of Business 2020 Real Experiences. Real Results.

Sponsor: the Truth about project progress (good, bad, ugly)

Customer: the Truth??? (or a positive version of the Truth)

Team: work activity updates, personal performance

Supplier: Individual scopes of work, supplier performance

General Public – Press Releases “fluffy” good news