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4-1 Case Scenario: Communication Plan
Cole Staats
Southern New Hampshire University
QSO-340 Project Management
Timothy Brecheen
May 28, 2023
4-1 Case Scenario: Communication Plan
Successful project management is more than allocating resources and delegating tasks. It is about communicating appropriately and effectively to minimize misunderstandings, keep everyone on the same page, and lay the foundation for achieving desired outcomes. That is why having a communication plan is crucial. A project communication plan is a document outlining how important project information will be communicated to key stakeholders. A good communication plan will determine who should be getting the information, how they will get it, and when they will receive it. A good communication plan will also keep the project on track, on time, and within budget. Further, a project communication plan will ensure every stakeholder is informed of the project’s progress. Without a good project communication plan, the project team can easily face issues, leading to project failure. In this paper, I will create a communication plan for the XYZ Business Workflow project.
Line of Communication
A line of communication is the channel through which the project manager, the project team, and other stakeholders share information. The project manager will communicate with the project team through meetings. Regular meetings facilitate leadership, collaboration, and top-quality decision-making (A. Allen, 2014). Additionally, a well-organized project meeting at every critical phase of the project can help ensure the project stays on track. The team will cover different topics in the meeting, including the project schedule, issue log, the project progress, and project risk management.
The project manager will use email when there is a need to communicate with the team before the project meeting. Communicating via email is instantaneous. This can help disseminate information quickly and facilitate faster response (Acevedo, 2019). Email can also facilitates faster problem-solving and more efficient project processes.
Besides meetings and emails, the project manager will use instant messaging to communicate with the project team and other key stakeholders. Instant messaging allows immediate communication between two or more individuals in real time (Maina, 2013). Further, instant messaging can facilitate short conversations between the project team, enabling individuals to share important information quickly. For instance, the project team can share information about the project milestones. These are important events that occur during a project’s lifecycle.
Scope of Communication
The project manager will regularly communicate basic project information with the project team. Basic information about the project includes project description, the project’s start and end date, project status, and project category and priority. The most preferred communication channels would be emails and instant messaging. The project team will have approximately twenty-four hours to respond to emails and two to three minutes to respond to instant messages.
Once in a while, the project manager will communicate sensitive and classified information with the most important stakeholders, including the management team, project sponsor, software systems architect, software developers, and technical team leads. Communication channels may include meetings and emails. The project manager will identify the most preferred channel based on the conditions of the information to be communicated. Whatever the case, the project manager should communicate all the details consistently and effectively to ensure clarity and transparency. Adhering to a consistent and effective communication system can also prevent delays and misunderstandings. The response time will depend on the conditions of the message.
Methods or Techniques of Communication
The most common communication methods and techniques are verbal communication, written communication, and visual communication. The team can use verbal communication when they want to convey sensitive information. Verbal communication may include face-to-face meetings, phone calls, video conferences, and teleconferences. If the message to be communicated is not connected to any sensitive situation, written communication would be the better way to go. Sometimes, the team can use visual communication to convey complex information. Visuals, such as diagrams, pictures, drawings, graphs, and charts, can effectively communicate complex information about the project.
Specific Communication Processes
The communication process comprises steps or actions taken to communicate successfully. The project manager will hold regular status meetings with the team members to discuss the latest updates on the project. A good status meeting will help the team overcome challenges and answer important questions. The project manager can also use the escalation project to alert the company’s top management about challenges and issues that need immediate attention (Winch, 2013). For instance, if a key stakeholder cannot perform a certain task, it would be necessary to alert the top management about the issue. The project manager should communicate the escalation via phone or face-to-face. It is not advisable to use emails as they can delay the resolution.
References
Acevedo, L. (2019). The Advantages of Email in Business Communication. Chron.
A. Allen, J., Beck, T., W. Scott, C., & G. Rogelberg, S. (2014). Understanding workplace meetings: A qualitative taxonomy of meeting purposes. Management Research Review, 37(9), 791-814.
Maina, T. M. (2013). Instant messaging an effective way of communication in workplace. arXiv preprint arXiv:1310.8489.
MindEdge Inc. (2023). Project Management. Mindedge, INC.
https://doi.org/https://snhu.mindedgeonline.com/content.php?cid=159546
Winch, G. M. (2013). Escalation in major projects: Lessons from the Channel Fixed Link. International Journal of Project Management, 31(5), 724-734.
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