o Negotiation – try to create

conversational relations…
MODULE 2: COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
o Influencing – try to change the
Communication Strategy
attitudes, knowledge or actions.
• Builds its core around the choices, (Kuvaja & Malmelin, 2008, 65).
definitions, and targets that the company
Communication Resources
interacts with its stakeholders and
environment in present and future • Resources in communication include
conditions to achieve its overall targets and material and immaterial resources used
strategy (Juholin, 2001, 79). for managing and implementing
communication.
Basic Definitions
• Resources must be assessed based on
• Are a foundation on which to build the
quality, quantity, time, objectives, and
communication strategy.
alignment with goals (Juholin, 2001, 74).
• Aspects of communication and
Customer Relationship Management
organization-bound terms and targets must
be understood and justified. • Primary interface between LOM and the
customer.
• Abbreviations are very common, such as
PM (Project Manager), PMO (Project • Ensures customer requirements are fulfilled
Management Office), PMI (Project within contractual guidelines.
Management Institute), BP (Business
Project Execution Management
Planning), and PLM (Project Lifetime
Management). • GPM triggers planned and ad-hoc project-
related actions globally.
Target Setting
• Ensures regions follow PC-process
• Setting strategic targets is one of the most
principles, milestone reviews, and
important parts of communication
checklists.
planning. Targets should be achievable and
linked to motivation (Juholin, 2001, 79). Risk Management
• Communication targets differ from • Controls project-related risks and steers
operative targets. Effects are directed to preventive and corrective actions globally.
stakeholders, e.g., improving familiarity with
• Acts as the escalation point for local project-
the company or creating a more positive
attitude. related issues.

Stakeholder Analysis Information Management

• Ensures validated, fact-based information is

• Stakeholders are “key components” of a
company, offering their knowledge, shared internally and externally.
information, money, or vision in return for • Organizes project resources with related
financial or ethical benefits (Juholin, 2009, resource owners.
199).
Technology Management
• Approaches to Stakeholders:
• Ensures global implementation of project-
o Avoidance – minimize contact related fundamental technologies.
o Adoption – listen and try to consider
expectations
 • Sets up resources for project technology • Focus areas may include network
implementation. communication, managerial
communication, and image building
Financial Management
(Juholin, 2009, 106).
• Integrates costing information from regions
Follow-up and Evaluation
to global costing consolidation.
• The company expects results from the
• Program manager ensures global project
performed actions.
profitability.
• Expected results can be defined as
Project Status Management something to improve, stay as they are, or
at least not to become worse.
• GPM organizes and leads global follow-up
• Results can be defined as percentages or
procedures to monitor regional-level
scores depending on the meters used.
execution.
• If targets are set by target groups, the
Communication Plan expected results should be divided by those
groups (Juholin, 2001, 83).
• The scale of the communication plan needs
to be discussed within the organization.
Planning is molded around the basic
MODULE 3: TOP FIVE COMMUNICATION FOR
principles of the company: the way of
PROJECT MANAGERS
thinking guides communication.
• The bigger the organization, the greater the 1. Active Listening
need for defining a common way of working
• A critical communication skill involving
(Juholin, 2001, 86).
more than just hearing words; it requires
Phases of Communication Planning (Project full engagement.
Management Institute, 2004):
Steps to Active Listening:
• Communications Planning
1. Approach each dialogue to learn
• Information Distribution
something.
• Performance Reporting
• Administrative Closure 2. Stop talking and focus solely on the
speaker.
Key Aspects of a Project Communication
Plan 3. Open and guide the conversation.

• The purposes of the document. 4. Drill down to the details.

• How to find information 5. Summarize what you hear and ask
• Guidelines for transmitting information, questions to check your
including typical media and a understanding.
communication
• How to operate in certain situations. 6. Listen for total meaning.
• Where to find support for project 7. Pay attention to your responses.
communication.
2. Building Relationships
Focus Areas
• Trust and respect are foundational, earned
• The starting point for focus areas is through honesty, integrity, and expertise.
communication strategic outlines and
current state analysis. • 12 Tips to Build Trust:
 1. Be true to your word and follow 5. Be Open – Adapt priorities based
through with your actions. on urgency and importance.

2. Communicate clearly and 6. Know When to Say No – Eliminate

honestly in all interactions. or delegate tasks when needed.

3. Remember trust takes time to Basic Steps to Reach Goals, Plans, and
build. Priorities

4. Avoid overcommitting and make 1. Establishing clear goals – Ensure clarity

decisions thoughtfully. to promote focus.

5. Value and support relationships 2. Establishing priorities – Determine which

consistently. goals are most important.

6. Develop team skills and trust 3. Planning – Write steps to reach the goals.
others.
Factors to Consider in Prioritization
7. Always be honest and speak the
1. Choose a direction.
truth.
2. Remove other work.
8. Help others without expecting
rewards. 3. Get the resourcing right.
9. Be open about your emotions. 4. Have tough conversations.
10. Recognize and appreciate others’ 4. Enabling Collaboration
contributions.
• Collaboration involves team members
11. Act in alignment with your beliefs. supporting, encouraging, and sharing
resources.
12. Admit mistakes to show
accountability. • Practices to Build Collaboration:
3. Setting Clear Priorities o Trust: Be honest and avoid conflicts
of interest.
• Priorities are tasks regarded as more
important than others. o Clarify Roles: Review team roles
and responsibilities frequently.
• Steps to Set Priorities:
o Communicate Openly: Clear up
1. Make a List – Write down
misunderstandings quickly.
everything you need to get done in a
day. o Appreciate Diversity: Evaluate
ideas based on merits and avoid
2. Evaluate – Rank
bias.
tasks/responsibilities by their value
to the project. o Balance Team Focus: Emphasize
both results and teamwork.
3. Manage Your Time – Devote
optimal time to maximize 6 Collaborative Skills
productivity.
1. Open-mindedness: Accept new ideas.
4. Get It Done – Stay true and
disciplined in completing tasks. 2. Communication: Express yourself clearly.

3. Organization: Delegate work and manage

responsibilities.
 4. Long-term Thinking: Envision project Important Elements
outcomes.
• Scope, contact details, and communication
5. Adaptability: Stay flexible during frequency.
disruptions.
• Stakeholder preferences and meeting
6. Debate: Tactfully discuss ideas without schedules.
personalizing disagreements.
Type of Project
9 Ways to Cultivate Team Cohesion
• Name the project to make it easy to find and
1. Create a clear compelling cause. reference.
2. Communicate expectations. Identify key players
3. Establish team goals. • Determine who is communicating
4. Leverage team-member strengths. Contact Information
5. Foster cohesion among team members. • Organize the contact details of stakeholders
and team members for easy communication.
6. Encourage innovation.
Frequency of Communication
7. Keep promises and honor requests.

8. Encourage socialization outside work. • Create a schedule for how you will share
specific kinds of information.
9. Recognize, reward, and celebrate
collaborative behavior. Types of Communication

5. Conveying Vision • It’s advantageous to communicate types of

information in varying ways.
• Vision is your big picture of how things
should be. Size and Scope of Project

• How to Communicate Vision with Others: • Different projects have different

communication needs. Use a project scope
o Get feedback on your vision. template to define your project to identify
o Develop and communicate details. communication needs.

o Help people take ownership of the Kristen Bellomo

vision. • Senior Project Manager at Bednark Studio,
o Be courageous and flexible to suggests using a survey at the beginning of
modify the vision. a project.

Communication Goal

MODULE 4: THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO • Look at past projects for specific processes
PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLANS to repeat or improve. Consider findings from
past post-mortems and lessons learned to
Definition ensure that you are establishing and
• A guideline for dispensing details of a implementing best practices.
project to invested parties. What should a communication plan include?

• Key stakeholders – people who have a

heavily invested interest in the project.
 • Team members – Individuals working on the Benefits of a project communication plan in
project. project management
• Scheduled Meetings and updates –
• Organization – will help keep you and your
Identify what’s important to communicate.
project schedule organized by plotting for
• Specific Updates for Individuals – Pick out
upcoming meetings and check-ins.
particular items of concern for key
• Team Cohesion – Keep everyone in the
individuals.
loop to foster trust and helps you manage
• Evolve as the Project progresses – Many
your expectations.
projects suffer from scope creep. Be sure to
• Stakeholder Input - When you have a
account for any major changes in your
communication schedule in place, you allow
communication needs as time goes on.
for early and ongoing feedback from key
How to Write a Communication Plan players attached to the project.
• Accountability – Well-written plan ensure
1. Determine your communication needs.
that individuals stay accountable for
2. Define communication goals for team reporting their work status and create a
cohesion. “paper trail” of reporting for higher-ups.
• Establish Confidence - Show the team
3. Name the project and outline goals.
and the higher-ups that you know what they
4. Identify stakeholders and their roles. need and when they need it.
• Fewer Meetings - Meetings take up a lot of
5. Create a schedule for meetings and time and resources. With a good
updates.
communication plan, you can share
6. Consolidate information into a single information more often and in fewer
document. meetings.

Best practices for writing project

communication plan MODULE 5: PROJECT COMMUNICATION
• Be open to change – Keep an eye out for PROCESS
scope creep. Don’t be afraid to update Develop the Communication Plan
communication as project plans evolve.
• Consider Preferences – Clients and high- • Plan assists the project team in identifying
level stakeholders likely have preferences in internal and external stakeholders.
their style of communication. Take these into • Project Manager leads the project
account. development team to prepare a
• Focus on what is important – Keep the communication plan.
minutiae in an accessible place.
• Consider the needs of parallel teams – • Plan is a framework to ensure an effective
helps ensure everything is clear from the communication strategy.
onset on what we need and when to • Communication plan is part of the
achieve established delivery schedule. project management plan.
• Determine your tone – Important when
establishing initial communication with Gather Inputs
clients.
1. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
• Delegate Clearly – Make sure action items
are clear by breaking things down by • list of potential project products
element, action item, due date, and who is based on work plan.
responsible for the task.
 • Team members use the WBS (Work • Stakeholder identification should occur as
Breakdown Structure) and the OBS early as possible in the project and continue
(Organization Breakdown Structure) throughout its life.
to create a communication plan.
Stakeholder
• Two types of WBS
o Deliverable-based WBS – • individual, group, or organization that may
demonstrates the relationship affect and be affected by a decision, activity,
between the project or outcome of a project.
deliverables and the scope. • Includes the project manager, project
o Phase-based WBS – requires sponsor, higher management, team
work associated with multiples members, clients/customers, contractual,
elements to be divided into and suppliers.
the work unique to each level
1 element. The following documents and techniques will
help you find your stakeholders:
How to make a WBS:
• Project Charter – contains high-level
a. Gather critical documents information documents such as names of
b. Identify key team members the project manager, client, other influential
c. Define level 1 elements stakeholders, and more.
d. Decompose (breakdown) elements • Contract Documents – contract
e. Create a WBS dictionary agreement. Can give you the names of the
f. Create a Gantt chart schedule suppliers, local agents, and contacts from
the client’s side.
• Procurement Documents – result from
2. Project Charter project procurement activities.
• Record of the agreement between sponsor • Organizational Process Assets (OPA)
and the project manager on key project and Enterprise Environmental Factors
elements. (EEF) – Government
• A formal, typically short document • Interview the experts / expert judgment -
describing project in its entirety. An expert or an influential one can give you
a great deal of information. Ensure
• Crucial ingredient in planning out the
appropriate identification and
project because it’s used throughout the
comprehensive listing of stakeholders.
project lifecycle.
• Brainstorming sessions - Brainstorming is
The project charter typically documents: a good strategy for collecting information.
You can do it with your team members and
1. Reasons for the project
experts.
2. Objectives and constraints of the project
3. Who the main stakeholders are Determine Stakeholder Needs
4. Risks identified
• Stakeholders have information and
5. Benefits of the project
6. General overview of the budget communication needs.

• The PDT assigns team members to contact

Identify Stakeholders
local, regional, state, and federal agencies
• Involves identifying and documenting all the with a stake in the project.
stakeholders on the project, including their
• By working with these agencies from the
interests, impact, and potential negative
earliest stages, the project team reduces
influences on the project.
the chances of conflict at critical times.
Stakeholder Analysis o Stakeholder analysis, including
goals and preferred communication
• Helps PDT analyze internal and external methods.
stakeholder needs by gathering important o A communication matrix showing
information from each stakeholder. how to communicate information to
• Often results in developing a project each audience.
stakeholder register that will help you in
Incorporate Changes and Finalize the
drafting stakeholder management strategy. Communication Plan
• The project manager or PDT members
Identify communication methods and WBS
incorporate changes from the project
products stakeholders into the project communication
plan.
1. Communication Methods:
• The project manager then distributes the
• Project team members and stakeholders final project communication plan to the
use different communication methods at project team members.
particular times during the project life • The project management support unit
cycle. (PMSU) uses the finalized project
• Includes meetings, telephone calls, communication matrix to track the progress
of project deliverables.
email, voicemail, and websites.
• Meetings in particular are often the most Distribute Information
effective way to distribute information to • It is a process that allows making relevant
project stakeholders. information available to project stakeholders
• Before planning a meeting, the project on time.
• It is important to distribute project
manager or assigned team member
information to the right stakeholders at the
should consider the communication right time using the appropriate
objectives carefully and choose a communication method.
meeting format that will meet the
objectives. • Inputs:
2. WBS Products: o Project Management Plan.
o Performance Reports.
• A work breakdown structure in project
o Organizational Process Assets.
management and systems engineering is a
deliverable-oriented decomposition of a
• Tools and Techniques:
project into smaller components.
o Group or individual meetings.
• A WBS also provides the necessary
o Video/audio conferences and other
framework for detailed cost estimating and
technology-based methods.
control along with guiding schedule
o Hard copies, shared databases, and
development and control.
electronic project management tools.
Prepare the Communication Plan Draft
Involve the Community
• The project communication plan includes
• The Department has adopted several
the information needed to successfully
policies that encourage community
manage the project product deliverables.
involvement and building partnerships.
• Contents of the Plan:
• Community involvement includes:
o Introduction and background,
o Preparing community involvement
including goals, objectives, and
plans.
benefits.
o Accommodating non-motorized
o A list of the audiences (stakeholders
travel.
and other groups).
o Distributing public information.
o Methods of communication to be
• Benefits: Builds patience, trust, awareness,
used.
and responsibility.
o Project reporting information
(progress, risks, issues, and
changes).
Report Communication Performance
• Includes collecting, analyzing, and
distributing performance information to
compare the baseline and actual data.
• Steps:
1. Review the communication plan.

2. Solicit stakeholder feedback.

3. Discuss feedback with the PDT.

4. Update the communication plan if

needed.

Maintain and Archive Records

• Project Engineers maintain a set of project

records until the award of the construction
contract.
• Resident Engineers maintain records from
the award of the construction contract to
project closeout.
• Filing Systems: The Project Development
Uniform Filing System (PDUF) and the
Construction Organization of Project
Documents.
• Project History File (PHF): Archived
records include project development
records, final project records, and the
project communication plan.