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AD643 Communication Planning Why communication is critical to projects • The majority of projects fail to deliver what was required within the constraints that were set. • Most of the various causes of project failure can be attributed to communication difficulties. • Project Managers should spend between 75 and 90% of their time in communication activities (PMBOK 2000). • By being aware of and mastering the techniques in the following slides, project managers and team members will be able to be more effective communicators. A Communications Model Communication is a complex process. To better understand this it is helpful to break this down into components. A communications model derived from the telecommunications industry provides a useful representation of communications. Receiver Source Encoder Message Channel Decoder The Six Components of the Communications Model • • • • • • Source: the originator of the message. Encoder: the translator of the source’s thoughts into a format that can be transferred to the receiver. Message: the product of the encoder, what is transferred to the receiver. Channel: the medium used to transfer the message from source to receiver. Receiver: the recipient of the message. Decoder: the translator of the received message into meaningful content. Example of the Communications Model Consider the scenario:Mary wants to meet Jane for lunch on Tuesday, and sends an email… • Source: Mary • Encoder: The processing that takes Mary’s thought and converts that to words and then into the pressing of keys on the computer keyboard • Message: The text of the email sent “Jane, can you meet me for lunch on Tuesday? Regards, Mary.” • Channel: The email system • Receiver: Jane • Decoder: Jane’s conversion of symbols seen on her computer screen into an understanding that Mary wants to know if Jane can meet her for lunch on Tuesday The main channels of communication • Written: reports, notes, memos, letters, emails, faxes. Written communication allows the recipient to reply in their own time. • Verbal: face to face, phone. Verbal communication provides the opportunity to immediately deliver the message and obtain a response. • Non-verbal: it has been estimated that over 60% of our face to face communication is non-verbal. Factors include our appearance, posture, gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, eye contact end physical contact. Examples of communication types •One-on-one meetings • Personal letters •Workshops • Memos •Small group meetings • Posters •Presentations • Newsletters •Ceremonies • Articles in the press •Surveys •Voicemail •Electronic mail •Teleconferences •Videotapes •Audiotapes •“Corridor” or “kitchen” conversations • Annual reports • Announcements • Brochures • Bulletin boards • Suggestion cards • The “rumour mill” What is filtering? Filtering is altering the interpretation of the message by applying certain influences or biases. The receiver will filter the message according to their experience and as a result the interpretation of the message can be very different from what was intended. The consequence of filtering is that there can be misunderstanding which can lead to an unexpected response. For example, the project manager may ask a team member if the document has been completed. The team member may interpret this as asking whether it has been written, and not whether it has also been reviewed and signed off. Causes of Filtering Some of the common areas that cause filtering are: • Language: the receiver interprets the message based on their translation of the language to thoughts and ideas. • Culture: of the recipient and their understanding of the culture of the environment they are in (the workplace, the organisation, the industry, the local area and country). • Semantics: the receiver interprets the message based on their understanding of the meaning of the words used. • Knowledge base: the receiver utilises a different knowledge base on which to interpret the message. • Implication: the interpretation of the message may be based on assumptions. An extreme example of implication is sarcasm, where the opposite of what is meant to be interpreted is said Causes of Filtering • Ethics: the ethical values of the receiver and the sender can influence the interpretation of the message. For example the sender may consider honesty less important than upsetting people when reporting what happened. • Reputation: The reputation of the sender may set a predisposition on the receiver on interpretation. For example the sender may be reputed to exaggerate. • Organisational status: the role and position that the sender and receiver have in the organisation may influence interpretation of the message. • Emotional factors: the emotional loading of the words used may differ significantly. For example the interpretation of a comment such as “it’s a mess”. • Situational factors: the current mindset of the receiver. For example they may be distracted by some personal issue. Addressing filtering Project managers and business analysts need to be aware of how filtering can affect communication and appreciate that just because a message has been sent does not mean it has been received and interpreted as expected. To avoid problems caused by filtering it is recommended that the sender of the message check that the message was understood correctly by asking questions, or asking the receiver to verify their understanding of the message. Barriers to Communication Barriers to communication are obstacles that restrict communication. Some common types of barriers are: • Playing power games: where communication is politically motivated. • Withholding information: for example a cover-up of an error or omission. • Management by memo: instructions via memo rather than face to face. • Absence of communication channels: some recipients may not have access to the channel of communication that was assumed by the sender. For example email may be unavailable when out of the workplace. • Spatial separation: geographical separation can influence the extent and quality of communication Barriers to communication • Emotional sensitivity: for example the receiver may be particularly sensitive to criticism. • Hidden agendas: where the person may be influencing for an undisclosed reason. • Background noise: the level of background noise can impede effective communication. The large number of emails now being sent is one type of background noise that impedes its use as an effective communication tool. • Prejudices: personal prejudices and beliefs about types of people can impact the effectiveness of communication. Dealing with the barriers Project managers and business analysts need to break down the barriers so that effective communication can occur. One of the simplest methods of achieving this is to ask the person if the barrier exists? For example, ask: Is there something affecting this that I am not aware of? Is location a problem in communication on this project? Is this the best method for us to communicate on this? By asking questions the barrier can be recognised, and in many cases removed or made less restrictive. At the project level a communications plan can be developed and the strategies put in place to avoid or address anticipated barriers. Approach to Communications Considering the potential for filtering and barriers to communication a project manager should consider the following in each communication they make: Message Method Timing Communicator What information does this individual/group need to receive? What is the best mechanism for communicating with this individual/group? When and how often should the communication occur? Who will be responsible for creating and delivering this communication? Conveying messages effectively • Be clear and concise • Avoid using jargon • Don’t brain dump - summarise • Explain first and finish with instructions of what you want the receiver to do and by when • Don’t waffle - stick to the point • Don’t confuse several messages in one - keep it simple • If stating what to do and not to do finish with the do statement Listening Listening is a key component of communicating. A distinction is made between hearing and listening. True listening involves understanding. Good listening skills are of major importance in managing projects. The project manager needs to hear and understand the needs of the sponsor, team and stakeholders to be able to produce the best results for the project in the most effective way. Business analysts need to listen very carefully when gathering requirements to ensure they are captured correctly. Listening is not waiting to speak Listening techniques Some techniques to improve listening skills are: • Develop an appreciation of why we need to listen better. • Do less talking and stop internally preparing the next thing to say while the other person is talking. • Show you are listening – pay attention to the speaker, make supportive sounds and gestures. • Ask yourself if you have really understood what has been said. • Paraphrase back what they have said or take notes (depending on the context). Listening techniques (cont.)… Additional ways of improving listening: • Openness: be open in your communication style, show interest and curiosity. • Focus: ignore distractions. • Empathy: show an understanding of their situation, thoughts and feelings. • Positive intentions: maintain a positive mindset to what you hear, avoid reacting negatively or criticising. • Problem solving orientation: keep the focus on how to resolve or help the situation rather than on blame. Manage your emotional response and avoid confrontation. Communications planning The project manager needs to develop a communications plan for the project to ensure effective communication during the life of the project. The communications plan identifies all regular communications and key one-off communications such as the kick-off meeting and post implementation review. The plan needs to include all types of communications, including: • face to face: such as meetings and workshops • written: such as status reports and newsletters How it starts • Here is a typical communication scenario of a day in the life of a project: 1. A stakeholder requests an unexpected report. 2. A team member who is familiar with the data or has the skills to run a particular tool generates the report. 3. If the person who requested the report wants to receive it every week, the team member who created it will update it weekly and continue to send it indefinitely. What happened? • There was no planning • You just added a reporting requirement to the project • What seems trivial can snowball • Expectations are not properly set What should have been asked • What information does the report provide? • What are you trying to achieve with this information? • Who needs this report and how will they use it? • How often is the information needed? • How quickly do you need the report developed? • Do you have the budget to develop this report? • Is there an existing report that includes similar information? Up Front • Usually the PM provides project status to stakeholders • Most of the time, though, status is status quo • What do the stakeholders really want to know? • Just ask them Communicating is hard • Getting everyone together to plan can be difficult • Many people assume that ‘communicating’ is a natural trait • Time isn’t allocated for communication • Not everyone is a good communicator How can we avoid issues? • Hold in-person, face-to-face meetings with stakeholders on a regular basis • Deliver reports with cadence so that everyone knows what to expect • No surprises at meetings – send out agendas and topics a few days in advance • Follow up the next day to make sure everyone understands what is happening How it starts to unravel • • • • • • Too many status reports Too many emails Too many meetings Too much micromanagement Not enough time Multitasking Communications plan Guidelines Sample meeting Sample report Title Identify each communication Kick-of meeting Project status report Type Classify by type Workshop Written Objective State the purpose of the communication. Set the scene of the project Inform stakeholders of progress, performance, risk, issues and changes Frequency State how often the communication occurs One-off Monthly Who is responsible for ensuring this communication happens Project sponsor Project manager List each recipient or participant All stakeholders… Mary Jones, Bill Smith…. Steering committee, major stakeholders… Dave Lee, Janet Smith… Owner Recipient or participant Meetings • Much of the communicating we do is done in meetings • Sometimes it seems that all we do is sit in meetings • Most organizations don’t hold effective meetings • There are a few simple things that you can do to help focus participants Conducting meetings There are three stages to conducting meetings: • planning the meeting • running the meeting • after the meeting Planning the meeting Guidelines to planning effective meetings: • determine the outcomes that are wanted from the meeting • identify who needs to attend • prepare an agenda to satisfy the outcomes • ensure all the agenda items can be realistically covered in the allotted time for the meeting • book the meeting room • notify the participants of the meeting (why, where, when, how long, agenda) Running the meeting Guidelines to running effective meetings: • arrive early and make sure the meeting room is set up • start on time, do not wait for late arrivals as it encourages lateness • identify a chairperson to coordinate the meeting • identify someone to take minutes • state the purpose of the meeting at the start • Review the agenda, get agreement and then stick to the agenda • allocate time on each agenda item and do not run over time for each item • avoid getting bogged down in too much detail or in side issues. • If more information or a solution needs to be worked through make this an action item to be addressed prior to the next meeting. Running the meeting (cont.)… Guidelines to running effective meetings: • chairperson must control the meeting and not let individuals dominate • record minutes • identify action items, assign to one owner and specify when to be actioned by • finish on time • if some agenda items are not covered agree to reconvene • If it is a regular meeting, or a follow up meeting is required, state when the next meeting will be After the meeting • tidy the meeting room so it is left as you found it (clean whiteboards, remove papers, cups etc) • file a record of the meeting (minutes and action items) in the project folder and add actions to the project action items log • distribute minutes and action items to all participants of the meeting. • follow up with people assigned action items near to the “action by” date. Effective meetings • Know ahead of time what the likely outcome of any decisions will be • Be brutal about time • Consider not holding status meetings • Many small meetings are usually more effective than one big one • Remove all chairs from the meeting room • Avoid booking ‘standard’ meeting lengths RAP sessions • RAP is an abbreviation for Rapid Planning. • RAP is collaborative planning for a project. • the common principle of RAP is to engage the stakeholders of the project in the activities of the planning phase to gain their contribution and commitment to the project plan. Source: Rob Thomsett, Radical Project Management, Yourdon Press, 2002. Why hold a RAP session? A RAP session: • increases the involvement of stakeholders in the project plan. • gains input to the plan from a greater audience than traditional project planning. • may reduce the time taken to develop the project plan. • may increase the overall effort taken to produce the project plan (because of the number of people involved) • improves communication • facilitates team building • develops team commitment to the project plan • ensures the key players in the project are on the same page Main principles of RAP A RAP session is: • Participative: all attendees are encouraged to contribute to the session • Facilitative: format is interactive rather than formal and prescriptive • Proactive: style is creative (similar to brainstorming) • Open and trusting: information is shared, individual views are respected When to hold RAP sessions Type of meetings where a RAP session is useful: • project kick-off meetings • determining requirements • determining costs and benefits • work breakdown sessions • estimating sessions • resourcing and scheduling sessions Guidelines for holding a RAP session • A RAP session is a meeting, and as such should follow the basic guidelines for meetings • RAP sessions are normally longer sessions (2-4 hours) than meetings (1 hour) • In identifying the agenda for the RAP session ensure this can be achieved within the time allowed for the session • RAP sessions involve more discussion and development of ideas rather than meetings where action items are used to reduce the discussion time • Can be held over a series of days if necessary Early stage communication • Several documents are created prior to the formal project plan, such as • Project proposal • Options that were considered • Benefits that are hoped to be realized • High-level risks • High-level costs & schedule • Cost/benefit analysis Feasibility Study • A general estimate used to determine whether a particular project should be pursued. • This often includes prototyping • In RUP this is part of the inception phase • This can be run as a mini project Business Goals & Objectives • Need to understand: – Goals (the need for the project and the measurable benefits) – Scope – Time to complete – Estimates of timeline, resource requirements and costs SMART goals • • • • • S – Specific M – Measurable A – Assignable R – Realistic T – Time related Statement of Work (SOW) • • • • • • • • • • • Purpose statement Scope statement Project deliverables Goals & objectives Deliverables and NON deliverables Cost and schedule estimates Stakeholders Chain of command Benefits and risks Assumptions and constraints Communication plan Risk analysis • Identifies sources of risk • • • • • • • • Funding Time Staffing Customer relations Project size and/or complexity Overall structure Organizational resistance External factors Risk Analysis • Probability • Impact • Overall exposure = probability X impact Risk Plan • • • • • Accept Avoid Mitigation Contingency with trigger Transfer Risk Track and Control • Risk log – Review and update regularly – Assign ownership to risk Constraints • Real-world limits • Typical constraints: – Budget – Schedule – People – Real world – Facilities and equipment PMI Process Groups Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Closing PMI Framework Document Purpose of Initiation Process • To commit the organization to a project or phase • To set the overall solution direction • To define top-level project objectives • To secure the necessary approvals and resources • To validate alignment with overall business objectives • To assign a project manager PMI Framework Document Initiating Core Process—Initiation Input 1. Project description 2. Strategic plan 3. Project selection criteria 4. Historical information Process “Initiation is the process of formally recognizing that a new project exists or that an existing project should continue into its next phase.” Output 1. Project proposal 2. Project manager identified/ assigned Tools and Techniques 1. Project selection methods 2. Expert judgment PMI Framework Document Managing Expectations • Projects are: – Limited in scope, resources, time, and money – Intended to end – Focused on a limited set of goals • Manage Expectations towards what you can truly commit to;not what everyone thinks is great • Solving the business problem; not creating a great piece of software How to manage expectations • Communication • Involvement of all parties • Focus on strategic goals of the organization • Understanding limitations & truly prioritizing • And by the way … communication Project Proposal Creating communication among project stakeholders to achieve consensus • • • • • • • • • Project Proposal Content Scope definition Project objectives and benefits Project deliverables Acceptance criteria for project Assumptions Constraints Role definition and key staff High level schedule, budget Acceptance Benefits of the Project Proposal • Trade-offs between objectives and scope can be negotiated. • Level of involvement of the key stakeholders can be negotiated. • Availability of key personnel can be negotiated. • Risks inherent in the schedule can be reviewed. • The relationship between risk management and contingency management can be discussed. More Proposal Benefits • Acceptance criteria for the project can be agreed to by key stakeholders. • Establishes a basic Project Plan • Confirm how the project links to the business need • Identify management responsibilities • Make strategic procurement decisions, e.g., make, buy, or identify qualified vendors Results of Initiation Process • Acceptance of Project proposal • Project manager identified • The real communication begins! Sources • • • • PMBOK Thiery, Program Management Thommsett, Radical Project Management Dow & Taylor, Project Communications Bible