Project Communications Management

● The communication activities involved in these processes may often have many potential dimensions that need to be considered, including, but not limited to:

1. Internal (within the project) and external (customer, vendors, other projects, organizations, the public);
2. Formal (reports, minutes, briefings) and informal (emails, memos, ad-hoc discussions);
3. Vertical (up and down the organization) and horizontal (with peers);
4. Official (newsletters, annual report) and unofficial (off the record communications); and
5. Written and oral, and verbal (voice inflections) and nonverbal (body language).

10.1 Plan Communications Management

10.1.2.1 Communication Requirements Analysis
● The analysis of the communication requirements determines the information needs of the project stakeholders. These requirements are defined by combining the type and format of information needed with an analysis of the value of that information.

● The total number of Potential Communication Channels is n(n – 1)/2, where n represents the number of stakeholders.
For example, a project with 10 stakeholders has 10(10 – 1)/2 = 45 potential communication channels.

● A key component of planning the project's actual communications is to determine and limit who will communicate with whom and who will receive what information.

10.1.2.2 Communication Technology

• Urgency of the need for information - There is a need to consider the urgency, frequency, and format of the information to be communicated as they may vary from project to project and also within different stages of a project.
• Availability of technology - There is a need to ensure that the technology that is required to facilitate communication is compatible, available, and accessible for all stakeholders throughout the life of the project.
• Ease of use - The message is translated by the receiver back into meaningful thoughts or ideas.
• Project environment - determine if the team will meet and operate on a face-to-face basis or in a virtual environment (Virtual Team), whether they will be located in one or multiple time zones; whether they will use multiple languages for communication; and finally, whether there are any other project environmental factors, such as culture, which may affect communications.
• Sensitivity and confidentiality of the information - There is a need to determine if the information to be communicated is sensitive or confidential and whether or not additional security measures need to be taken.

10.1.2.3 Communication Models

• Encode - Thoughts or ideas are translated (encoded) into language by the sender.
• Transmit Message - This information is then sent by the sender using communication channel (medium).
  The transmission of this message may be compromised by various factors (e.g., distance, unfamiliar technology, inadequate infrastructure, cultural difference, and lack of background information). These factors are collectively termed as noise.
• Decode - The message is translated by the receiver back into meaningful thoughts or ideas.
• Acknowledge - Upon receipt of a message, the receiver may signal (acknowledge) receipt of the message but this does not necessarily mean agreement with or comprehension of the message.
• Feedback/Response - When the received message has been decoded and understood, the receiver encodes thoughts and ideas into a message and then transmits this message to the original sender.

10.1.2.4 Communication Methods

• Encode - Thoughts or ideas are translated (encoded) into language by the sender.
• Transmit Message - This information is then sent by the sender using communication channel (medium).
  The transmission of this message may be compromised by various factors (e.g., distance, unfamiliar technology, inadequate infrastructure, cultural difference, and lack of background information). These factors are collectively termed as noise.
• Decode - The message is translated by the receiver back into meaningful thoughts or ideas.
• Acknowledge - Upon receipt of a message, the receiver may signal (acknowledge) receipt of the message but this does not necessarily mean agreement with or comprehension of the message.
• Feedback/Response - When the received message has been decoded and understood, the receiver encodes thoughts and ideas into a message and then transmits this message to the original sender.