A User's Manual to the PMBOK Guide, Fifth Edition

Chapter 10

Planning Communications

TOPICS COVERED

Project Communications Management

Plan Communications

Project Communications Management

Project Communications Management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate planning, collection, creation distribution, storage, retrieval, management, control, monitoring, and ultimate disposition of project information.

The majority of a project manager’s time is spent communicating, either orally or in writing. Whether you are giving status reports, negotiating for project staff, conducting a team meeting, managing stakeholder expectations, or listening to a team member, you are communicating. Being an effective communicator is essential to being an effective project manager.

Plan Communications Management

The process of developing an appropriate approach and plan for project communications based on stakeholder’s information needs and requirements and available organizational assets. The most effective way to manage stakeholders and stakeholder expectations is via a well-thought-out communication plan. This will ensure you get the right information to the right people in a timely manner.

An unspoken axiom in Project Communications Management is to communicate all the relevant information, and only the relevant information. In other words, “reply to all” is not a communication tactic you want to employ all the time!

Elements of Communication

While the majority of your time is spent communicating, the majority of your ...