Chapter 12 Project Communication and Documentation

1
Chapter 12Project Communication and Documentation
2
Learning Objectives

• Suggestions for enhancing personal communications
• Effective listening
• Various types of project meetings
• Formal project presentations
• Project reports
• Project documentation
• Collaborative Communication Tools

2
2
2
3
Real World Example

• Vignette Major Projects in Brazil
• Communication complications arise between team
  members from Brazil and Spain who are working on
  a project together.
• To accommodate the different approaches to
  communication for each team member and build a
  sense of trust weekly conference calls were
  scheduled.
• Similarly, cultural differences arise from two
  groups of Brazilians from North and South parts
  of Brazil.
• A well-defined, disciplined communications plan
  that required team members to assemble weekly
  performance and progress reports was developed.

3
3
3
4
Real World Example

• Vignette Silence Can Be Deadly
• The Concours Group and VitalSmarts LC recently
  conducted a major study entitled Silence Fails
  The Five Crucial Conversations for Flawless
  Execution.
• Five crucial conversations identified by the
  study which are the most prevalent, and most
  costly, barriers to project success
• - Fact-Free Planning - Project Chicken
• - AWOL Sponsors - Team Failures
• - Skirting
• The study also demonstrated that when project
  team members discuss core problems effectively,
  projects tend to stay on course.
• the best predictor of project success is a
  constant and open line of communication.

4
5
Personal Communication

• Can occur through words or nonverbal behavior.
• Can be face to face or use some other medium.
• Can be oral or written.

4
5
6
Oral Communication

• Provides a forum for discussion.
• Body language and tone are important.
• Body language can be used by the listener to give
  feedback to the speaker.
• Body language can be positive or negative.

5
6
7
Oral Communication (Cont.)

• Awareness of other cultures customs is
  important.
• One must not to use offensive remarks.
• Oral communication should be straightforward.
• The timing of oral communication is important.

7
8
Written Communication

• Carried out through internal memos and external
  letters.
• Are ways to efficiently communicate with a group.
• May be appropriate as a follow-up to a
  face-to-face conversation or a phone call.
• Should be used mostly to inform, confirm, and
  request.
• Should be clear and concise.

8

9
Effective Listening

• The heart of communication is not words, but
  understanding.
• Not only to be understood, but also to
  understand.
• Half of making communication effective is
  listening.

9
10
Common Barriers to Effective Listening

• Pretending to listen
• Distractions
• Bias and closed-mindedness
• Impatience
• Jumping to conclusions

10
11
Improving Listening Skills

• Focus on the person talking.
• Engage in active listening.
• Provide verbal and non-verbal feedback
• Ask questions.
• Dont interrupt.

11
12
Types of Project Meetings

• Status review meetings
• Problem-solving meetings
• Technical design review meetings

12
13
Status Review Meetings

• Usually led or called by the project manager.
• The primary purposes are to inform, to identify
  problems, and to identify action items.
• Should be held on a regularly scheduled basis.

13
14
Status Review Meetings Subjects for Discussion

• Accomplishments since last meeting
• Cost, schedule, and work
• Risk Assessment Update
• Corrective actions
• Opportunities for improvement
• Action item assignment

Scope Status
Trends Forecasts
Variances
14
15
Problem-Solving Meetings The Process

• Develop a problem statement.
• Identify potential causes of the problem.
• Gather data and verify the most likely causes.
• Identify possible solutions.
• Evaluate the alternative solutions.
• Determine the best solution.
• Revise the project plan.
• Implement the solution.
• Determine if the problem has been solved.

15
16
Technical Design Review Meetings

• A preliminary design review meeting
• After initial specs
• Get customers agreement on approach
• Gain approval to continue (order long-lead items)
• A final design review meeting
• After detailed specs
• Gain approval to build/assemble/produce

16

17
Effective Meetings Before the Meeting

• Determine
• whether a meeting is really necessary.
• the purpose of the meeting.
• who needs to participate in the meeting.
• Distribute an agenda.
• Prepare visual aids or handouts.
• Make room visual aid arrangements.

17
18
Effective Meetings During the Meeting

• Start the meeting on time.
• Designate a note-taker.
• Review the purpose and the agenda.
• Facilitatedont dominate.
• Summarize the results at the end.
• Do not overrun the scheduled meeting time.
• Evaluate the meeting process.

18

19
Effective Meetings After the Meeting

• Publish the meeting results within 24 hours after
  the meeting.
• The summary document should be concise.
• It should confirm decisions that were made and
  list the action items.

19
20
Preparing for a Presentation

• Determine the purpose of the presentation
• Know the audience.
• Make an outline.
• Use simple language.
• Prepare notes or a final outline to use during
  the presentation.

20
21
Preparing for a Presentation (Cont.)

• Practice, practice, practice.
• Prepare visual aids and test them.
• Make copies of handout materials.
• Request the audiovisual equipment well in
  advance.
• Go into the meeting room when its empty and get
  a feel for the surroundings.

21
22
Delivering a Presentation

• Expect a bit of nervousness.
• Know the first two or three sentences of your
  presentation.
• Talk to the audience, not at it.
• Speak clearly and confidently.
• Use appropriate animation.
• Do not stand in front of your visual aids.

22
23
Delivering a Presentation (Cont.)

• Build interest in your presentation.
• Keep to the key points in your outline.
• Know your closing lines.
• Allow time for interaction with the audience.
• When responding to questions, be sincere, candid,
  and confident.

23
24
Types of Project Reports

• Progress reports
• Final report

24
25
Progress Reports

• May include
• Accomplishments since prior report.
• Current status of project performance.
• Progress toward resolution of problems.
• Planned corrective actions.
• Problems or potential problems.
• Milestones expected to be reached during next
  reporting period.

25
26
Final Report

• May include
• Customers original need.
• Original project objective.
• Degree to which the original project objective
  was met.
• Brief description of the project.
• Future considerations.
• A list of all deliverables provided to the
  customer.

26
27
Preparing Useful Reports

• Make your reports concise.
• Write as you would speak.
• That means simple, not slang!
• Put the most important points first.
• Use graphics where possible.
• Pay as much attention to the format of the report
  as to the content.

27
28
Project Documentation and Controlling Changes

• Many other documents may be created.
• Revisions can result from changes initiated by
  the customer or by the project team.
• Some changes are trivial others are major.
• Various project documents will be revised to
  incorporate changes.
• Note when the revision was made and by whom on
  all documents.
• It is important to distribute updated documents
  in a timely manner.

28
29
Collaborative Communication Tools

• Face-to-face meetings are not always feasible or
  timely.
• Constraints such as
• Travel
• Distance
• Telecommuting.
• Collaborative communication tools allow all or
  some of the members of the project team to
  communicate with each other.

29
30
Types of Collaborative Communication Tools

• Teleconferencing
• Groupware
• Content management systems
• Extranets
• Collaborative project workspaces on the web

30