Project Communications Management According to the PMBOK

Many project managers have executed the technical work to perfection only to find out that stakeholders were not satisfied because communication was poor.  Thus, project communication is sometimes more important than the technical work.

Of course, the project manager needs to communicate when unexpected events occur.  That’s the domain of project risk management.  But the ongoing, steady communication with stakeholders that prevents the occurrence of project issues falls under the Project Communications Management knowledge area.

There are three processes:

1. Plan Communications Management
2. Manage Communications
3. Monitor Communications

Plan Communications Management

Many project sins have been forgiven because of good communication. Likewise, when a controversial project is being proposed, the solution is often communication with stakeholders, for example open houses, town hall meetings, and meetings. The project might not even change significantly from its original plan, but the mere communication with stakeholders can often be the deal breaker that allows the project to proceed. Even if the project is not controversial in nature, the PMBOK dictates that standard communication needs such as progress updates, investor circulars, and the like are identified and their content planned out in advance in the form of Communications Management Plan.

Inputs

1. Project charter
2. Project management plan
   • Resource management plan
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
3. Project documents
   • Requirements documentation
   • Stakeholder register
4. Enterprise environmental factors
5. Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

1. Expert judgment
2. Communication requirements analysis
3. Communication technology
4. Communication models
5. Communication methods
6. Interpersonal and team skills
   • Communication styles assessment
   • Political awareness
   • Cultural awareness
7. Data representation
   • Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
8. Meetings

Outputs

1. Communications management plan
2. Project management plan updates
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
3. Project documents updates
   • Project schedule
   • Stakeholder register

Manage Communications

During the project execution phase, managing project communications can be the difference between a successful project and an unsuccessful one. The communications with stakeholders that are identified within the Communications Management Plan are put into practice, and any spontaneous communications are executed as necessary. The process of creating, distributing, and storing the communications is an important part of project management, and requires the constant attention of the project manager.

Inputs

1. Project management plan
   • Resource management plan
   • Communications management plan
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
2. Project documents
   • Change log
   • Issue log
   • Lessons learned register
   • Quality report
   • Risk report
   • Stakeholder register
3. Work performance reports
4. Enterprise environmental factors
5. Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

1. Communication technology
2. Communication methods
3. Communication skills
   • Communication competence
   • Feedback
   • Nonverbal
   • Presentations
4. Project management information systems
5. Project reporting
6. Interpersonal and team skills
   • Active listening
   • Conflict management
   • Cultural awareness
   • Meeting management
   • Networking
   • Political awareness
7. Meetings

Outputs

1. Project communications
2. Project management plan updates
   • Communications management plan
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
3. Project documents updates
   • Issue log
   • Lessons learned register
   • Project schedule
   • Risk register
   • Stakeholder register
4. Organizational process assets updates

Monitor Communications

Because project communication is so important to the overall success of a project, strong project control should be present. This process involves asking whether the project communications at the current point in the project have been adequate. As part of the Monitoring & Controlling process group, the project manager must include project communication control at regular project status update points. At the same time as earned value analysis, quality control, scope validation, and the other project control items take place, the project manager must ensure that each stakeholder has received the appropriate communication and whether anything should change.

Inputs

1. Project management plan
   • Resource management plan
   • Communications management plan
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
2. Project documents
   • Issue log
   • Lessons learned register
   • Project communications
3. Work performance data
4. Enterprise environmental factors
5. Organizational process assets

Tools & Techniques

1. Expert judgment
2. Project management information system
3. Data analysis
   • Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix
4. Interpersonal and team skills
   • Observation/conversation
5. Meetings

Outputs

1. Work performance information
2. Change requests
3. Project management plan updates
   • Communications management plan
   • Stakeholder engagement plan
4. Project documents updates
   • Issue log
   • Lessons learned register
   • Stakeholder register