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Improving Communications Management Using the Five Journalism Questions

In the PM Network Web excl si!e" #Mission: $lear $omm nications"% PMI p blished some statistics abo t the role of a stron& comm nication plan in pro'ect s ccess( )ccordin& to this article" #of the * in + pro'ects that fail to meet ori&inal &oals" , of the * do so beca se of ineffecti!e comm nications(% Poor comm nications can impact a pro'ect in man- wa-s( .ime and cost dela-s can happen d e to poor comm nication of work packa&e items( /cope chan&es can occ r if different stakeholders ha!e different perceptions of pro'ect &oals( Poor comm nication can also affect the 0 alit- of the pro'ect beca se different teams and team members are not comm nicatin& 0 alit- &oals properl-( With effecti!e deplo-ment of pro'ect comm nications mana&ement bein& so important" how can or&ani1ations stren&then their processes in this area2 .o satisf- the first process of Pro'ect $omm nications Mana&ement in the PM3456 Fifth 7dition" ,0(, Plan $omm nications Mana&ement" pro'ect mana&ers co ld consider a basic tool of 'o rnalism: the fi!e #W% 0 estions( )skin& Who" What" Where" When" and Wh- is a methodical approach for pro'ect mana&ers to create a

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comm nications mana&ement plan that &ets acc rate information to the ri&ht people at the ri&ht time( .he followin& is a breakdown of how each of the 0 estions can assist pro'ect mana&ers in comm nications mana&ement: Who:

Who needs to hear information abo t the pro'ect and what is their role2 (/takeholders) Who is in!ol!ed in the pro'ect and what is their role2 (Pro'ect .eam) Who is responsible for comm nication2 (/enders) Who needs to attend meetin&s2 (5e- stakeholders and decision9makers)

In other words" #Who% is a 0 estion concernin& the people on -o r pro'ect" what the- need to know" and how the- recei!e the information( In considerin& their roles" look at or&ani1ational" c lt ral" or departmental differences in decidin& how best to comm nicate with them( In decidin& who attends meetin&s" reco&ni1e that manpro'ects can be bo&&ed down d e to the wron& people bein& at meetin&s( 3- the wron& people" primaril-" that means someone who does not participate" does not ha!e the necessar- information to participate" or does not need to participate( /ome meetin&s can be strictl- for &atherin& information:brainstormin& while others can be decision9makin& meetin&s( What:

What information needs to be distrib ted2 What form does it need to take2 ($omm nications t-pes) What comm nications technolo&- is a!ailable2

/ome of the comm nication t-pes disc ssed in the PM3456 Fifth 7dition incl de:

M ltidirectional;between two or more parties" s ch as Instant Messa&in& or !ideoconference) P sh;sent to specific recipients< letters" emails" faxes" memos P ll;posted somewhere where the a dience can retrie!e it later( ) compan- Intranet" /harepoint site" wiki" or knowled&e base wo ld be an example of p ll comm nication(

$onsiderin& the 0 estion of what comm nications technolo&- is a!ailable is also important beca se that determines the pro'ect mana&er=s options( For example" a

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compan- that emplo-s man- !irt al teams will need to se technolo&- to facilitate lon&9distance meetin&s( Where:

Where is e!er-one2 (co9location !ers s !irt al) Where are the meetin&s held2 (meetin& space) Where will the pro'ect doc ments be stored (s ch as /harePoint" etc()

For str &&lin& pro'ects" the pro'ect team and ke- stakeholders co9locatin& allows for common &ro nd to be reached more 0 ickl-" leadin& to 0 icker and better decisions( If co9location is not possible" a !irt al set p mi&ht need to come into pla-" makin& se of the comm nications technolo&- a!ailable or leadin& to proc rement of new comm nications technolo&-( Meetin& spaces sho ld" ideall-" accommodate e!er-one comfortabl-" allow e!er-one to see each other and talk openl-" and tili1e the necessar- technolo&- to displa- doc ments" charts" or data as needed( Ideall-" it sho ld also be in a place that is eas- for e!er-one to &et to( When:

#When does the stakeholder need to know this information2 >ow soon and how often2% (timeliness)

.hese 0 estions pertain to how re& larl- information is distrib ted" and are closel- related to how critical some information is( Pro'ect mana&ers sho ld be proacti!e abo t comm nicatin& critical information 0 ickl- or arran&in& for the ri&ht stakeholder to comm nicate the iss es( Wh-:

#Wh- are we tellin& -o this2% (' stification) #Wh- do we need this re0 est f lfilled2 (rationale)

#Wh-2% is a 0 estion that sho ld constantl- be asked( .horo &hl- examinin& the #wh-% 0 estions helps reinforce the #ri&ht% part of ri&ht stakeholders" ri&ht information" and ri&ht time( In askin& these 0 estions" -o can make disco!eries abo t how to impro!e process efficienc- that can help with the other 0 estions( ?e!elopin& a comm nications mana&ement plan that works for -o r pro'ect re0 ires critical thinkin& and deep examination( @ed cin& comm nications mana&ement to the fi!e AWA 0 estions can lead to a rob st comm nications plan that is timel-" complete" acc rate" and incl des all rele!ant pro'ect team members and stakeholders(

www.refineM.com 8 contact@refineM.com 8 405 N. Jefferson Ave, Springfield, MO 65 06 84!".4!4.#

www.refineM.com 8 contact@refineM.com 8 405 N. Jefferson Ave, Springfield, MO 65 06 84!".4!4.#