Project communication management is vital when managing a project because it helps project managers to ensure project success. This article will guide you on why project communication is important, its benefits, how poor communication impacts the project, and tools for project communication.
Table of Contents
What Is Project Communication Management?
We all absorb various information in different ways. Therefore, project managers use many tools to communicate with their team members and stakeholders, such as charts, graphs, presentations, emails, meetings, phone calls, video conferences, documentation, etc. However, before using communication methods, you are responsible for selecting the best way to communicate with team members and stakeholders.
According to the PMBOK ( project management body of knowledge), the project communication management process should include the collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information.
Furthermore, project communication management is vital for project managers because it helps them effectively communicate with their team members and stakeholders. Therefore, project managers follow these three significant processes to ensure effective communication for their project success.
- Plan communication
- Manage communication
- Control communication
Plan communication process – Project managers should develop an appropriate approach to plan for project communication based on team members’ and stakeholders’ information needs and requirements.
Manage communication process – Project managers should create, collect, distribute, store, retrieve, and ultimately dispose of project information.
Control communication process – Project managers must ensure that the right information is delivered to the right parties at the right time.
Why Important Project Communication Management?
Project communication management is vital for managing a project because it provides a clear guide to the project’s success. Therefore, project managers should continue effective communication throughout the project life cycle, including (according to the PMBOK) initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.
Furthermore, project communication management is vital for managing project triple constraints effectively and efficiently. Misunderstanding information may negatively impact the project scope, budget, and timeline. Thus, it will become a reason for the project’s failure. Therefore, by using effective communication methods, you can ensure project success.
Typically, project managers should spend most of their time communicating with team members and stakeholders. Therefore, they should have good communication skills to understand their team members’ and stakeholders’ needs and requirements and manage project phases effectively.
So, project communication management is crucial to handling project phases and team members, including primary and secondary stakeholders. Therefore, let’s discuss the importance of communication management.
6 Importance of Communication Management
- To Communicate with Team Members and Stakeholders
The performance of team members and stakeholders plays a vital role throughout the project because project managers need help to complete projects. However, you should select the right person to complete your project tasks and activities. Therefore, to identify the right person, you should have good communication skills to communicate with them effectively.
Communication is vital to any successful project because everything depends on communication. As a project manager, you must work with your team members and stakeholders throughout the project. For instance,
- Define project objectives and goals
- Identify and define project tasks and milestones
- Create project budget
- Create a project timeline/schedule
- Identify and prevent project risks and more
As mentioned above, the success of the project tasks and activities depends on effective communication. Misunderstanding or failure to communicate will negatively impact the project’s triple constraints. Thus, project managers should effectively communicate with team members and stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes.
- To Manage Communication Channels
Managing communication is vital for any project because project managers should give lots of attention to handling project communication.
As a project manager, you have to manage many communication channels throughout the project life cycle. These communication channels are built for various reasons, but every communication channel directly or indirectly impacts the project’s success.
- To Increase the Project’s Productivity
Project communication management is vital for increasing the project’s productivity. By increasing project productivity, project managers can ensure project success and minimize unexpected or unknown issues. On the other hand, it will help effectively maintain project triple constraints.
- To Develop a Communication Plan
Managing communication will help project managers to develop a better communication plan. Furthermore, it will help to manage the entire project life cycle effectively and efficiently. Therefore, As a project manager, it’s crucial to develop a communication plan because you can achieve many benefits as follows,
- Leads to better outcomes
- Running projects smoothly
- Supporting a healthy team culture
To become an effective project manager, you should have a good communication plan to communicate with your team members and stakeholders.
- To Prevent Project Conflicts
Managing project communication is vital because it helps project managers prevent project conflicts. Therefore, as a project manager, you should have a good communication plan to communicate with your necessary parties through various mediums. Furthermore, you should select the best medium to spread your information to the entire team. So, always try to give them the right information at the right time.
- To Prevent Project Failure
Lack of managing project communication is another vital reason for the project’s failure. Therefore, project managers should effectively manage their communication process throughout the project.
Poor Communication and Its Impacts on the Project
Poor communication is a negative symbol of project failure. Therefore, as a project manager, you should effectively communicate with your team members and stakeholders. However, if you fail to communicate effectively with them, the following problems may impact your project.
Poor Team Communication Impacts
- Missed project deadlines
- Unbalanced project triple constraints
- Misunderstanding project goals and objectives
- Decrease productivity on the project
- Lack of commitment on the part of the teams in achieving the work of the project
Poor Stakeholder Communication Impacts
- Conflicts between the project team and stakeholders
- Lack of commitment to the project
- Misunderstanding stakeholder expectations
According to that, project communication management is an important characteristic when managing a project to achieve desired outcomes and project success.
Tools for Effective Communication
As a project manager, you should manage project communication through various mediums. Here are some tools for effective communication.
- Emails
Project managers can use email to share information with their team members and stakeholders because it has many essential features, such as formatting options, attaching files, inserting links, inserting photos, inserting signatures, and more.
- Meetings
The meeting is another popular communication method because it helps project managers communicate with their team members as required. Furthermore, during the meeting, project managers use various ways to manage their communication, such as presentations.
- Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is another popular communication tool among project managers. It has many features, and it will help project managers manage their communication effectively and efficiently.
- Project management software
Project managers use project management software for various reasons. By using project management software, they can effectively manage project communication with team members.
Related post: Trello project management software
However, there are many tools for managing project communication. Therefore, you should select the most suitable tool for your project.
Conclusion
Project communication management is vital for managing projects effectively and efficiently because it helps project managers manage communication channels, develop a communication plan, prevent conflicts, and prevent project failures. Furthermore, the lack of communication may negatively impact project failure. Thus, project managers should manage project communication to achieve acceptable project outcomes. So, they can use project management software to manage project communication throughout the project life cycle.