Effective
communication is the dissemination of significant information through oral and
written means (Cox, 2009). Instructional project designers use effective communication to build an understanding
of a project (Bourne, 2011) and reduce negative influences. Information must be succinct and clear to
eliminate misrepresentations about the project. Communication barriers such as perception,
beliefs, attitudes, values and noise can lead to message breakdowns (Cox,
2009). Information that is selective or
subjective can lead to misconceptions by the stakeholders. Stakeholders themselves can misinterpret
information because of their own perceptions. Lack of communication is equally detrimental to a
project plan.
For a project to be successful, effective communication needs to be informative, instructional and persuasive. To achieve this, the message goals, objectives, scope, costs, timelines, expectations, roles and responsibilities need to be addressed and targeted to the responsible stakeholder. To clarify roles and responsibilities, project tasks are clearly assigned, given a due date, and given a level of expectation. Typical communication methods include presentations, emails, newsletters, phone calls, and websites.
For a project to be successful, effective communication needs to be informative, instructional and persuasive. To achieve this, the message goals, objectives, scope, costs, timelines, expectations, roles and responsibilities need to be addressed and targeted to the responsible stakeholder. To clarify roles and responsibilities, project tasks are clearly assigned, given a due date, and given a level of expectation. Typical communication methods include presentations, emails, newsletters, phone calls, and websites.
Click on the picture to learn effective applications of emails, phone calls, instant messaging and meetings in project management. Use emails for concise messages and the phone for complex or emotional issues. Instant messaging is best used for brief exchanges. Hold face-to-face meetings to cut down on sporadic, daily communications between team members.
Personal Reflection:
Over the past week I have thought about communication and how I use it to express myself with my family, friends, and students. Often I tell someone who isn’t clear with their message to say what you mean and mean what you say. In the courses I teach I think of the syllabus as the contract between me and my students. This form of communication states what is expected to be delivered during the course and what is expected by the students over the semester. It is clear and concise and spells out exactly what I intend to do. It says what I mean and means what I say. When one of my students feels unclear about the course it is easy to refer to the syllabus for clarity. This is also true with project management. Without clear and precise communication there can be a breakdown in the progression of the project. It is important that what was intended in the message is what was interpreted. Project managers need to make sure all parties involved in a project are receiving the information they need to feel connected and informed. Information must be made available in a timely fashion especially project status, finances and time frame. It is also important to remember that communication is bidirectional. This means project managers need to address the concerns of the stakeholders. Any conflicts, barriers or negative influences can be minimized with frequent and effective communication.
Bourne, L. (2011, June 23). Project communication: A visual understanding. Retrieved from http://blogs.pmi.org/blog/voices_on_project_management/2011/06/project-communications-a-visua.html
Cox, D. (2009). Project management skills for instructional designers. (1st ed.). Bloomington, IN: iUniverse.
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