Communications Management

Definition

Communications Management

the endeavor management task of ensuring the efficient communication of information about an endeavor or center

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, Communications Management is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Abstract
• Superclass: Endeavor Management Task
• Subclasses:
  • Endeavor Communications Management
  • Center Communications Management

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of Communications Management are to:

• Communicate timely information about the endeavor or center to its internal and external stakeholders.
• Continually monitor and improve communication within the endeavor or center.
• Eliminate risks due to inadequate or inappropriate communication.

Preconditions

Communications management typically may begin when the following preconditions hold:

• Either the:
  • Endeavor has started or the
  • Center exists.
• The management team is adequately:
  • Staffed.
  • Trained in communications management.

Completion Criteria

Communications management is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• Either the:
  • Endeavor has been completed or the
  • Center has been retired.
• All information about the endeavor is either archived or properly disposed of.

Steps

Communications management typically involves the management teams performing the following steps in an iterative, incremental, parallel, and timeboxed manner:

• Generate and ensure the generation of timely and useful information (e.g., status, metrics, responsibilities and tasks, course corrections, significant events and milestones).
• Collect and ensure the collection of this information.
• Dissiminate or ensure the dissimination of this information. For example:
  • Send weekly status reports to executive management and the customer representatives.
  • Ensure that representatives of the stakeholder organizations are kept informed of the:
    • Status of the endeavor or center.
    • Services provided.
    • Work products delivered.
• Store or ensure the storage of current information.
• Archive or ensure the archival of valuable obsolete information.
• Dispose or ensure the disposal of unneeded obsolete information.

Techniques

Communication management typically involves the following techniques:

• Endeavor “Kick-off” meetings.
• Status meetings.
• Correspondance.
• Phone conversations.
• Face to face conversations.
• Legal and other documentation (e.g., reports).
• Email.
• Publish and subscribe notifications.
• Electronic bulletin boards.

Work Products

Communications management typically results in the production of the following work products:

• Management Set:
  • Status Reports

Guidelines

• Information can be communicated in many ways.
• Whereas face-to-face communication is very effective, written or electornic communication is also valuable and provides an audit trail.
• Verbal communication can often be more effective then written communication if no record needs to be kept of the communication.