This article contains most of the important information you need to know about Manage Communications process in order to answer questions related to this topic in the PMP Exam, I recommend you review this type of articles 1 week before your exam date, all information mentioned are based on PMBOK Guide 6th edition and PMP Exam Prep 9th edition for Rita Maclhy’s, ITTO refers to Inputs, Tools & Techniques and outputs.
This process is a part of executing Process group and Communications Management Knowledge Area with the following ITTO’s
Inputs:
- Project Management Plan ( Recourses Management Plan , Communications Management Plan , Stakeholders engagement plan )
- Project Documents (Change log , Issue Log , Lessons learned register , Quality Report , Risk Report , Stakeholder Register)
- Organizational Process Assets
- Enterprise Environmental Factors
Tools & Techniques:
- Communication Technology
- Communication Skills (Presentations, Nonverbal , feedback , Communication Competence )
- Communication Methods
- Project Reporting
- Interpersonal and team skills (Active listening , conflict management, Meeting management , networking , Political awareness , cultural awareness )
- Data Representation (Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix )
- Project Management information system – PMIS
- Meetings
Outputs:
- Project Communications
- Project Management Plan Updates (Communication management plan , Stakeholder engagement matrix )
- Project document Updates ( Issue log , lessons learned register , Project Schedule , Stakeholder Register , Risk register )
- Organizational Process Assets Updates
- It’s the process of ensuring timely and appropriate collection , creation distribution , storage , retrieval , management, monitoring and the ultimate disposition of project information .
- Involves gathering and providing this information and making sure information is flowing back and forth in the project as planned.
- Techniques of active listening includes acknowledging , clarifying and confirming , understanding , and removing barriers that adversely affect comprehension .
- Communication blockers ,
- Noisy surroundings
- Distance between those trying to communicate
- Improper encoding of messages
- Making negative statements
- Hostility
- Language
- Culture
- Performance Reporting , It is big part of managing communications as it should be collected and communicated to the right stakeholders in the level of detail required , there are different types of performance reports :
- Status Reports , Describes where project currently stands
- Progress Reports, Describes what has been accomplished.
- Trend Report, Examine project results overtime to see if performance is improving.
- Forecasting Report , Predicts future project status
- Variance Report , Compares actual results to baselines
- Earned Value report , Integrates Scope , cost and schedule measures to assess project performance.
- Lessons learned documentation , reports on performance are used as lessons learned for future projects.
- Project communications may include but not limited to : Performance reporting , Deliverables status , Schedule progress , Cost incurred , presentations and other information required by stakeholders .