Horizontal and Vertical Communication in Project Management

Luca is a PM consultant in Italy. He has a passion for the industry and has worked as a professional in project management for more than 10 years.

  Communications Management   Estimating  

In a business organization, communication plays an important role. It affects interpersonal relationships, attitude, proactivity and affection toward the company and its values. In a company organized by projects, communication takes on greater importance than in a mere functional organization—and the project manager assumes the role of communication catalyst and promoter. The PM should interact with all project stakeholders: the sponsor or customer, program or portfolio manager, line manager, members of the project team, etc.

There are two main types of communication, based on the direction of the hierarchies within the project organization:

• Horizontal: Communication established with people on the same hierarchical level within the company (or project)
• Vertical: Communication established with people who belong to a different hierarchical level

These two types have equal importance. Let’s consider them from the point of view of the project manager…

Horizontal Communication
Horizontal communication represents an exchange of knowledge, ideas and experiences. The discussion is usually focused on managerial, behavioral and disciplinary topics; it is poorly oriented to technical discussions (except for the interaction between the project manager and the line managers). With the other stakeholders, the PM is the spokesperson for the project, the…

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