PMP Preparation Training

Communications Management

Chapter 10

Source: pmbok guide 1996 © 1999 Robbins-Gioia, Inc.

 Communications
Management
Processes required to ensure timely and appropriate
development, collection, dissemination, storage, and,
ultimately, disposition of project information
Communications
Communications Planning
Planning
Information
Information Distribution
Distribution
Performance
Performance Reporting
Reporting
Administrative
Administrative Closure
Closure

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-2

 Communication Management
Planning Executing Controlling Closing
10.1
Communications
Planning 10.3
Performance
Reporting
10.2
Information 10.4
Distribution Administrative
Closure

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-3

 Communications Planning

Determining
Determining the
the information
information and
and communications
communications
needs
needs of
of the
the stakeholders:
stakeholders: who
who needs
needs what
what
information,
information, when
when they
they will
will need
need it,
it,and
and how
howitit
will
will be
begiven
given to
to them
them

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-4

 Communications Planning

Tools
Tools&&Techniques
Techniques
•• Stakeholder
Stakeholderanalysis
analysis

Inputs
Inputs
•• Communications
Communications
requirements
requirements Outputs
Outputs
•• Communication •• Communication
Communication
Communication
technology
technology management
managementplan
plan
•• Constraints
Constraints
•• Assumptions
Assumptions

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-5

Communications Planning

Inputs
• Communications requirements – The sum of the
information requirements of the project
stakeholders
• Communication technology – Used to transfer
information back and forth among project
elements
• Constraints
• Assumptions

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-6

Communications Planning

Tools & Techniques

• Stakeholder analysis – A method for developing
a systematic and logical view of the information
needs of the stakeholders and of the sources for
meeting those needs

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-7

Communications Planning

Outputs
• Communication management plan – provides:
– Collection and filing structure – Methods used to gather, update, and
store various types of information
– Distribution structure – Specifies to whom information will flow and
what method will be used to distribute various types of information.
– Description of information to be distributed – Includes format, content,
level of detail, and conventions and definitions to be used
– Production schedules – Show each type of communication
– Methods for accessing information
– Method of updating and refining the communication management
plan as the project progresses

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-8

 Information Distribution

Making
Making needed
needed information
information available
available to
to project
project
stakeholders
stakeholders in
in aa timely
timely manner
manner

• Includes implementing the communications

management plan, as well as responding to
unexpected requests for information

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-9

 Information Distribution
Tools
Tools&&Techniques
Techniques
•• Communications
Communicationsskills
skills
•• Information-retrieval
Information-retrieval
systems
systems
•• Information-distribution
Information-distribution
systems
systems

Inputs
Inputs
•• Work Outputs
Outputs
Workresults
results
•• Communication •• Project
Projectrecords
records
Communication
management •• Project
Projectreports
managementplan plan reports
•• Project •• Project
Projectpresentations
Projectplan
plan presentations

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-10

Information Distribution

Inputs
• Work results
• Communication management plan
• Project plan

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-11

Information Distribution

Tools & Techniques

• Communications skills – Skills for exchanging
information
– Written, oral, listening, and speaking
– Internal and external communication
– Formal reports, briefings and informal memos, ad
hoc conversations
– Vertically, up the organization, and horizontally,
with peers

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-12

Information Distribution

Tools & Techniques (cont.)

• Information-retrieval systems – Manual filing systems,
electronic-text databases, project management software, and
systems which allow access to such technical documentation
as engineering drawings

• Information-distribution systems – Methods such as

project meetings, hard-copy document distribution, shared
access to networked electronic databases, fax, electronic
mail, voice mail, and video conferencing

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-13

Information Distribution

Outputs

• Project Records – Organized storage and maintenance

of correspondence, memos, reports, and documents
describing the project
• Project reports – Formal project reports on project
status and/or issues
• Project presentations – Provide information formall or
informally to any or all of the project stakeholders

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-14

 Performance Reporting

Collecting
Collecting and
and disseminating
disseminating performance
performance
information
information to
to provide
provide stakeholders
stakeholders with
with
information
information about
about how
how resources
resources are
are being
being used
used to
to
achieve
achieve project
project objectives
objectives

• This includes status reporting, progress

measurement, and forecasting
• Provides information on scope, schedule, cost, and
quality, and possibly on risk and procurement

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-15

 Performance Reporting
Tools
Tools&&Techniques
Techniques
•• Performance
Performancereviews
reviews
•• Variance
Varianceanalysis
analysis
•• Trend
Trendanalysis
analysis
•• Earned-value
Earned-valueanalysis
analysis
•• Information
Informationdistribution
distribution

Inputs
Inputs
•• Work
Workresults
results
•• Project Outputs
Outputs
Projectplan
plan
•• Other •• Performance
Performancereports
Otherproject
projectrecords
records reports
•• Change
Changerequests
requests

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-16

 Performance Reporting

Inputs
• Project plan – Contains the various baselines
used to assess project performance
• Work results – Accurate information on project
status, such as information about fully, or
partially, completed tasks and costs incurred or
committed
• Other project records – Any information
pertaining to the project context

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-17

 Performance Reporting

Tools & Techniques

• Performance reviews – Meetings held to assess project
status or progress
• Variance analysis – Comparing actual project results to
planned or expected results
• Trend analysis – Examining project results over time to
determine if performance is improving or deteriorating
• Earned-value analysis – Integrating scope, cost, and
schedule measures to assess project performance
• Information-distribution tools and techniques

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-18

 Performance Reporting

Outputs
• Performance report – Organizes and summarizes the
information gathered and presents the results of any
analysis. Reports should provide the kinds of information
and the level of detail required by various stakeholders
and documented in the communications management plan

• Change requests – Requests for changes to some aspect

of the project

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-19

 Administrative Closure
Documenting
Documenting project
project results
results in
inorder
ordertoto formalize
formalize
the
theacceptance
acceptanceof
ofthe
theproduct
productby by the
thesponsor,
sponsor,client,
client,
or
orcustomer
customer

• It includes collecting project reports, ensuring they reflect

final specifications and analysis of project success and
effectiveness, and archiving such information for future
use
• Each phase of the project should be properly closed to
ensure that important and useful information is not lost

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-20

 Administrative Closure
Tools
Tools&&Techniques
Techniques
•• Performance-reporting
Performance-reporting
tools
toolsand
andtechniques
techniques
•• Project
Projectreports
reports
•• Project
Projectpresentations
presentations

Inputs
Inputs
•• Performance
Performancemeasurement
measurement Outputs
Outputs
documentation
documentation •• Project
Projectarchives
archives
•• Product
Productdocumentation
documentation •• Project
Projectclosure
closure
•• Other
Otherproject
projectrecords
records •• Lessons
Lessonslearned
learned

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-21

Administrative Closure

Inputs
• Performance-measurement documentation – All
documentation produced to record and analyze project
performance, including the planning documents which
established the framework for performance measurement
• Product documentation – Documents produced to
describe the product
• Other project records

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-22

Administrative Closure

Tools & Techniques

• Performance-reporting tools and techniques
• Project reports
• Project presentations

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-23

Administrative Closure

Outputs
• Project archives – Complete set of indexed project
records

• Project closure – Confirmation that the project has met

all customer requirements for the product of the project

• Lessons learned

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-24

 Summary

• Review Questions

Source: pmbok guide 2000 © 2002 Robbins-Gioia, Inc. 10-25