However, the most important task of a project manager is to manage the flow of communication within an organization. Communication is essential. Poor communication can lead to delays and even complete failure of projects. This article will discuss the best practices in stakeholder communication.
Identify all stakeholders involved in each task. You can group them into two categories: those who must be consulted (two-way communication) and those who only require to know (one way communication). Developers who convert design into code in a website project, for example, will need to be consulted. Only IT support desks that manage the deployment need to be informed.
Create separate distribution lists for each stakeholder. Different communication strategies should be used to inform those who need it and those who can be consulted. For example, don’t send project discussion invites to stakeholders who are only interested in being informed. This will save them time, and reduce email clutter.
Inform everyone involved at the beginning of the project about the communication channels (email/IM/SMS) and the frequency with the updates (weekly summaries or daily snapshots, etc.). ).
Streamline your email communications. Avoid using “CC” and “Reply All” wherever possible. Only send the relevant content to the appropriate stakeholders.
All project-related information should all be kept in one place. These documents should be sent out to all stakeholders at project start.
It is possible to create a templated status report that can be easily accessed by all members of the project. Standardization in status reports can be used to automate and manage information flow.
Reduce the number of meetings and participants you don’t need. Your stakeholders’ time and effort are valuable. Invite only those who are responsible for the task or have a need to be consulted.
Send a clear agenda and a final document before each meeting.
If you have a time-critical task, set up a hotline for emergency calls. This hotline can be used to update project members if they are unable to return work due to snow.
All project stakeholders should have alternate communication details for important missions. This list can be used by project managers to reach any stakeholder in an emergency.
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