Chapter 11: Communications

What is communications?

Communications is the art of transmitting an idea from the mind of one person to the mind of another, with understanding. Understanding is the key word.

A classical communications model, shown in Figure 11-1, consists of a sender who is developing, coding, and transferring information through certain message channels to a receiver. When the receiver is reached, the message is decoded, filtered, and then studied. The receiver usually sends his feedback to the sender through a feedback channel. The overall model is called the loop of understanding.

Figure 11-1: CLASSICAL COMMUNICATION MODEL

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Good communications skills are considered to be the most important ability the project manager must have in order to manage projects successfully. In a well-planned project the major responsibilities of the project manager past the planning phase involve providing efficient communications and informing the project stakeholders of the progress achieved and thus coordinating the team effort with maximum success. It is therefore very important that the project manager have a wellplanned structure of internal project communications as well as a good knowledge and the ability to use the most efficient communications approaches.

The major functions of the project manager in building the communications infrastructure of her project involve activities related to planning communications, distributing information, reporting progress, and administrative closeout. Communications planning involves a thorough analysis of the project stakeholders and their needs as well as knowledge of the communication technologies that are gong to be used in the project. The organizational structure and the process of organizational planning for the project will determine some major communication requirements.

Information distribution is a process that involves the development of systems for gathering and distributing information and the major communication skills that we are going to review in the rest of this chapter, which include:

• The ability to transfer information correctly and provide a clear understanding of the message transferred, which involves good listening and talking skills

• The understanding of different types of communications (written, oral, formal, informal, etc.) and knowing when to use which

• Presentation skills and meeting management techniques

• Knowledge and utilization of the personality types present inside and outside of your project team and the ability to correct your approach according to personality type