The Role Of Communication In Project Management
The Role Of Communication In Project Management
To make sure that the project management can go well, good communication is an indispensable factor, which allows team members to determine their objectives. In addition, teamwork can be improved because trust is built. The article gives information about different types of communication in project management as well as how to make the effective communication.
1. Essential role of communication in project management
According to a report made by PMI in 2013, it is estimated that of the $1 billion invested in projects, the cost of dealing with risks is $135 million, 56% of which is because of ineffective communication strategies. Therefore, we can see that the importance of communication is considerable.
- Communication in project management can have an impact on the success or failure of the project. Project management teams can fall apart without effective communication. Besides, language switching can be confusing, deadlines can be forgotten, or important aspects of the project can be missed.
- Communication in project management is of paramount importance because teamwork skill and cooperation is indispensable in project management. Therefore, if project management is inefficient, there is a high possibility of conflict and disagreement in it. As a result, the value transfer may fail.
2. Types of communication in project management
If businesses focus on communication to manage projects, it will become simpler to coordinate and delegate tasks to the appropriate teams. But first, for effective communication, it is advised to have a grasp of different types of communication strategies.
2.1. The Project Perspective
When it comes to the perspective of the project, it often refers to two types of communication in project management that are internal and external project communication.
- Internal communication is with reference to the information sharing that takes place between those who are directly involved in a project, such as a project manager and their team. It is frequently distinguished by the extensive conversation that takes place during planning or problem-solving.
- External communication in project management, in contrast, is with reference to the information flow between project team members and important stakeholders who aren’t directly involved in the project. The CEO, other departments or projects, the press, as well as internal and external clients, could be a part of this. When compared to internal communications, this one is frequently more formal because it is intended for people who are not directly involved in a project.
2.2. The Organizational Perspective
In terms of organizational perspective, there are 3 main types of communication in project management, including vertical communication, horizontal communication, and diagonal communication.
- Vertical communication occurs within an organization between people who are at various levels of the hierarchy. Upward communication can take the form of a project team member informing the project management about a specific obstacle impeding the completion of a task or the project manager updating their superior on the project’s status, which is in contrast to downward communication in project management.
- Horizontal communication occurs within an organization between people who are on the same level. It is the communication that takes place between peers and coworkers.
- Diagonal communication refers to the communication that occurs between people inside various functional divisions or departments within the company and is often restricted to corporations and institutions with more organizational complexity.
2.3. The Formality Perspective
With regard to channel perspective, it is often regarded as formal and informal communication in project management.
- Formal communication is regarded as consumables such as press releases, reports, and presentations. These messages are frequently more carefully created and planned because of the audience they are normally directed for.
- Informal communication is often similar to internal communication. It includes touch bases, daily emails, and unplanned meetings.
2.4. The Channel Perspective
The channel perspective is involved in the channel or medium through which communication is conveyed or transmitted.
- In-person communication in project management allows everyone to view body language and senses, which might affect the message transmitted. But it is not always available because remote teams are becoming more prevalent in corporations.
- Written communication enables the author to specifically design their language to share what they want to. But it maintains several drawbacks that would otherwise be apparent in verbal communication (such as sarcasm).
3. How to make effective communication in project management
If you want to manage the project perfectly, knowing how to make effective communication is highly important. There are 5 steps that you should follow to have good communication skills.
3.1. Make detailed communication strategies
Drawing up a detailed strategy for communication in project management is the first thing you need to do to determine what types of project communication you will use. There are several questions you need to take into account.
- What is the project objective?
- Who plays the key role in the project?
- What field of the project that members are specializing in?
- When does the project finish?
- How to deal with underlying risks?
Once you have the answers to these questions and have established your strategy communication in project management, you can begin the delegation/assignment process. You should clearly assign who will do what and what expectations need to be met.
3.2. Various channels and effective communication tools
In addition to traditional communication methods, digital communication skills are also pivotal because working remotely becomes more ubiquitous nowadays. There is an inadequacy of using only one means of communication in project management.
- You should raise your awareness of who you will have effective communication with (involved parties, group members, board of directors) as well as the most appropriate channel and types of communication with them.
- Consider all available channels (online/offline meetings, non-verbal and written communication in project management).
- Consider using various tools such as texting messages apps, automatic call distribution apps (ACD), as well as writing communication strategies, and in-person meetings.
3.3. Take advantage of technology
It is unnecessary for you to write all communications even when your project team is remote. Face-to-face meetings will be more beneficial; therefore, you need to make use of technology to these face-to-face interactions which can have a significant impact on the project. It is recommended that you use video conferencing and virtual meetings in communication in project management.
3.4. Keep up with latest updates
Make sure that you always keep updated with the whole process of the project both internal and external by using an additional software development requirements tool that can share documentaries and update the feedback or constant changes.
- If you constantly keep up with the latest updates, you can be more versatile in case there is any change.
- Furthermore, you also need to inform the latest updates of progress of the project to involved parties or your group members. Each object will react differently to different types of communication in project management. If everyone knows the progress of the project, the workforce will be optimized (WFO).
3.5. Analyze and supervise marketing strategy
When establishing communication strategies, make sure that you follow the whole process on a regular basis.
- Projects are constantly changing, and so are your means of communication in project management. Besides, your marketing strategy also reacts to those changes.
- Develop your marketing strategy by asking for feedback and making sure that the requirements of all team members can be met including both internal and external. You can anticipate potential risk management in project management and handle conflicts if you do this as soon as possible.