Project Communication Management

Project Communication Management

A failure to communicate is often the greatest threat to the success of any project, especially information technology projects. Communications is the lubricant that keeps a project running smoothly. Project communications management involves communication planning, information distribution, performance reporting, and stakeholder management. Communications planning involves determining the information and communication needs of the stakeholders. For example, who needs what information, when will they need the information, and how will the information be communicated to them. The output of the communications planning process is a communications management plan Information distribution involves making needed information available to the project stakeholders in a timely manner. The main output of this process is updates to organizational process assets and requested changes. Performance reporting involves collecting and disseminating performance information that can include status reports, progress measurement, and forecasting. The outputs of this process are performance reports, forecasts, requested changes, recommended corrective actions, and updates to organizational process assets. Lastly, managing stakeholders involves managing communications to satisfy the needs and expectations of project stakeholders and to resolve any issues that arise. The outputs of this process are resolved issues, approved change requests and corrective actions, and updates to organizational process assets and the project management plan. The most important part of the communication process is the inclusion of a communications management plan. A communications management plan is a document that guides the project communications. This plan should be part of an overall project management plan. The communications management plan varies with the need of the project, but some type of written plan should always be prepared. For a small