Communication is one of the most difficult parts of a project to get right – requiring a solid plan, and a defined process for communication throughout the entire Project Team.
In this whitepaper, we explore how Project Portfolio Management software can help PMO’s build a standardized, repeatable framework for managing and controlling all project communication throughout the entire project lifecycle.
In particular, it focuses on how streamlining and standardizing project progress reporting enables your project teams to quickly become proficient in the art of project communication, ensuring visibility, transparency and control are the driving principles behind the approach to project and program management.
Topics included in this whitepaper:
- How to raise project standards and reduce project failures through effective project communication
- How to use communication to minimize the impact of change
- How to build an effective communication strategy
- How to retain control through executive buy in
How to raise project standards and reduce project failures through effective project communication
We all know how important communication is in relation to project management. At least we’ve all heard how important it is. But what does good communication actually mean? What should we communicate? With who? When and how often?
Almost as challenging as what to communicate, is how to communicate. Changes in the way people manage their lives brought about by social media is having an impact in the workplace and projects are at the forefront of this change. It is no longer acceptable for individuals to rely on emails and self-contained information sources, it’s now the age of knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation, organizations need to bridge the gap between social technology and process requirement utilizing social technology such as timelines, newsfeeds and collaboration tools that change the way you think about communicate with project stakeholders and team members.
Adopting any kind of formal solution and methodology to control your business starts this change. For many utilizing SharePoint or a knowledge management solution is the start point – one version of the truth and no more emailing large documents around.
For many the next step is automating the mechanics of project management, from integrating execution management – assigning tasks and capturing progress and expenditure, through to standardizing the more complex processes of resource capability planning, budgeting and forecasting, planning, scheduling, and risk and issues management.
What’s left is the softer stuff – informing and engaging the team; getting buy in from the wider business; keeping the board up to speed and on side; managing the noise and making sure people have relevant and up to date information about what is really going on. This is where effective communication really pays – and can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your project delivery.
