PM 00 6 Project Management Preparation for Success

PM 00. 6 Project Management Preparation for Success * Manage Communication * Ten. Step Project Management Process ™

PM 00. 6 The Importance of Communication The ability to communicate heads the list of criteria for success…. . Peter Drucker “A high percentage of the frictions, frustrations and inefficiencies in our working relationships is traceable to poor communication. In almost every case, the miscommunication of a design drawing, a misunderstood change order, a missed delivery date or the failure to execute instructions is the result of a breakdown in communication. ” Richard W. Sievert, Jr. , Project Management Journal Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 2

PM 00. 6 Group Exercise Review • List the ways project managers communicate status at your company? • Is anyone doing anything unique? • Discuss for all organizations in each group. Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 3

PM 00. 6 Manage Communication • Proper communication is a critical success factor • Deliver the right information to the right audiences – Project team to project manager – Project manager to stakeholders • Minimum, report status on all projects – Status Reports – Status meetings Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 4

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting Purpose • Report on project progress against the workplan • Report project management concerns – – – Schedule Budget Issues Scope change Risks • Manage expectations Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 5

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting Project Progr ess Change Requests Synthesize ssues Log I t Info elevan r. R Othe Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 6 Status Report

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting • Communicate with the target audience in mind (not the sender) • Doesn’t have to be on paper • If you ask for information, use it • Make use of exception reporting Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 7

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting • Use standardized reports • Synthesize and summarize as you go higher in the organization • Green / yellow / red status indicators • Be clear on when communication is due Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 8

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting • Make sure your reporting periods are realistic – Short project – more frequent – Long project – less frequent • Be creative in how you share information – – Voicemail Email Paper Web … Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 9

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting Warning: Don’t depend on status reports alone to keep your customer / manager fully informed, especially if you are communicating bad news. Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 10

PM 00. 6 Managing Expectations In many (most? ) cases where conflicts arise, it is not because of the actual problem, but because the customer / manager was surprised Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 11

PM 00. 6 Manage Communication How do you manage expectations effectively? ? COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 12

Managing Expectations • • • Must have a common agreement to begin with Communicate proactively to manage changes Periodically assess performance and expectations Deliver against the expectations Reset expectations if necessary (once if possible) Complete the agreement Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 13 PM 00. 6

PM 00. 6 Status Meeting Fundamentals • • • Create agenda Ask for participant preparation Invite only those people who are needed Start on time (but allow for prior meetings) Explain the purpose and expected outcome Follow the agenda, and watch the time Document action items Recap action items, who is responsible and due date Recap any decisions Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 14

PM 00. 6 Basic Status Reporting Major Deliverables • Individual status report – Team members to project manager • Weekly / monthly project status report – Project manager to stakeholders – May have multiple formats for different audiences • Status meetings Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 15

PM 00. 6 Manage Communication Q: How do you make sure you get the right information about your project to the right audiences, in the most effective manner? Answer: PLANNING Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 16

PM 00. 6 The Communication Plan Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 17

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan 1. Determine the project stakeholders and their communication needs 2. For each stakeholder, brainstorm how to fulfill the communication need 3. Prioritize the communication options 4. Implement any communications that are mandatory 5. Implement high value communication options 6. Add the resulting activities to the workplan Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 18

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan High Impact Focus here first Low Impact High Effort Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ Low Effort 19

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan • Compliance – Reporting, required data, status, “push” • Information – Education, “how to”, “pull” • Marketing – Sell, keep sold, “push” Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 20

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan Compliance examples • Project Status Reports • Regular voicemail updates (of status) • Status meetings • Meetings with Steering Committee • Regular conference calls and videoconferences with remote stakeholders • Government required reports and other information • Financial reporting such as budget status, headcount, run rate etc. Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 21

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan Information examples • Awareness building sessions (not training, build awareness. ) • Project deliverables placed in a common repository, directory or library that people can access • Project information on a website Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 22

PM 00. 6 Communication Plan Marketing examples • Project newsletters, with positive marketing spin • Contests with simple prizes to build excitement • Project acronyms and slogans to portray positive images • Project countdown till live date • Celebrations to bring visibility to the completion of major milestones • Project memorabilia - pins, pencils, cups, T-shirts, etc. Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 23

PM 00. 6 Branding a Project • More sophisticated form of marketing communication • Establish an identity that conjures up a positive image and goodwill. • Associate an image and a feeling when a person hears of your project Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 24

PM 00. 6 Branding a Project • Proactively build your image, rather than have one branded on you • Examples include: – Establish a positive project name / acronym – Establish an image / logo – Trinkets, logo material - t-shirts, pencils, cups, etc. Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 25

PM 00. 6 Advanced Communications Major Deliverable • Communication Plan Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 26

PM 00. 6 Case Study #9 – Manage Communication Building a Communication Plan • Review the class case study • Determine the communication needs of the major stakeholders – – Sponsor (both) Director Project team Vendor team – – USA Finance Managers USA users International managers Other • Determine method and frequency of delivering the communication and who will be responsible Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 27

PM 00. 6 Manage the Project ü Manage workplan ü Manage issues ü Manage scope ü Manage communication • Manage risk • Manage documentation • Manage quality • Manage metrics Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 28

PM 00. 6 Learning Objectives By the end of class, each participant should be able to: üUnderstand the value of project management processes üReview the various aspects of defining a project üBuild and maintain an appropriate project workplan üIdentify and manage issues, scope and communication • • Identify and manage project risks Determine methods to manage project documentation Identify and manage to the appropriate level of quality Identify metrics to improve processes and declare success Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 29

PM 00. 6 Questions? ? Ten. Step Project Management Process ™ 30