Among the many factors that determine project management success, communication is one of the most important keys. It would help if you had a highly effective communication management plan to be a successful project manager.
Why is an effective project communication plan essential?
Stakeholders are the most valuable asset on any given project. They provide visibility, set clear expectations of the work that needs to be completed, and help you stay organized and focused throughout all stages of project life cycle from inception through completion. Project managers spend the majority of their time communicating with team members and other project stakeholders, whether they are internal or external to the organization.
Let us look at the ways to go about the process:
Consider the Project Communication Needs
Think about the whole life cycle of your project and make sure you know what communication is appropriate at each stage. Listen to stakeholders,understand their needs and ensure they are met to the highest level of their satisfaction.
Next, decide on the communication approach -what type of communication is best suited for your stakeholders (both internal and external). This necessitates carrying out a thorough analysis of their communication requirements and deciding upon the mode, method, technology, frequency etc. to meet the challenge.
The Communication goals need to be precise
When communicating with your team, make sure to set clear guidelines for the agenda and meeting outlines so that everyone is on track. It can be easy to miss important information when we receive too many notifications or messages at once – keep it simple!
Whenever you or any of your team members communicate, you need to ensure that your team members have shared understanding of the communication objectives, which may require adjustments based on the changing needs/requirements of the stakeholders. This will necessitate revising the communication management plan frequently.
Timing of your communication
To keep your plan flexible and allow for changes, you need a detailed scope. Be as specific about what information is needed in this document from the get-go so that everyone knows how often they’ll be receiving updates on progress or issues within their area of responsibility – avoid overwhelming people with messages everywhere!
Whom are you communicating to
Who should own what you’re sending? Also, since many people are on your team, it can be tricky to decide who gets which types of updates. The best way is to ask them! If they prefer e-mail or phone calls over text messages (or whatever communication method they prefer), then make sure those will work better for them in the future and take up as much time so everyone knows where things stand with each other before moving forward together.
Conclusion
If you wish to have proper understanding of this critical knowledge area and want to be a successful project manager, you must have the right training and get PMP Certified.