Aejaz ShaikhPM I| Alyx Technologies India Pvt LtdPune, Maharshatra, India
As per PMBOK to count the channels of communication we have a formula - (n x (n-1))/2.
If in a project there are 15 stakeholders, which means 105 lines of communication, Does this mean for all project related communication all this 105 lines of communication must be used? Saving Changes...
Blaine KruizengaSr. Project Manager / CFO| Southwest Cyber Systems Inc.Houston, Tx, United States
Communication is one of those areas that so critical to successful project management, but relies heavily on soft skills of the project manager. There is no formulaic way to approach project communication. Each project will be handled differently depending on various factors for that specific project, which is why developing a Communication Plan is critical.
For example, projects that span time zones or cultural differences need to have those differences accounted for.
As part of my Communication Plan, I usually incorporate a Stakeholder's Analysis that includes the best form of communication for each stakeholder or group of stakeholders. Depending on their role in the project, different team members prefer different mediums and forms of communication. For example, executive management team members prefer bullet point summaries that they can read in their own time whereas developers tend to want more technical and detailed information. Some project members prefer face-to-face meetings and interaction, where others just want to be updated with the information that they need.
By giving some thought up front to what's going to work best for everyone involved and getting creative with information sharing, you increase your chance of success. Typically, I have three to five main methods of active communication (emailed updates, meetings, phone calls, etc.) and a couple of methods of passive communication (posting updates in a shared portal, etc.).
Some of this you learn over time, but there's no harm in doing a survey at the beginning that asks team members for preferred communication methods. If nothing else, it gives you some insight on who's eager to participate and who will need special handling. Saving Changes...
