Importance of Effective Communication in Project Management

This article discusses the need for effective and structured communication between project managers and team members in project management. It highlights the importance of communication in achieving successful project outcomes and provides insights on how to implement structured communication strategies. The article also uses a case study of planning a trip to Uganda to illustrate the significance of communication in project management.

Project Management

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
A. Project Initiation Document (PID).........................................................................................3
Budgetary information................................................................................................................5
Objective.....................................................................................................................................6
Timescales and Approach...........................................................................................................6
Key Staff.....................................................................................................................................6
B. Work breakdown Structure.....................................................................................................7
Project 2...........................................................................................................................................8
A. A risk register containing at least 10 fully documented risks................................................8
B. Describing the way in which a risk register forms a crucial part of an overall risk
management plan........................................................................................................................9
Project 3.........................................................................................................................................10
1. Explanation of the need for effective, structured communication between the project
manager and members of their team.........................................................................................10
2. An analysis and critique of methodologies that might be used to run the project case study,
principally comparing Agile, Waterfall and PRINCE2 methodologies....................................11
Conclusion and recommendations to sponsor................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14

Introduction
Project management refers to the process which include initiating, planning, executing
and controlling the work of the team or the group to attain the specific goals and to meet the
criteria in the given time frame. The main purpose of project management is to attain the aims in
the confined way. Including this, objective of this assignment is to launch a major event of two
weeks trip to Uganda, through which the 30 students of QAHE Business Management can focus
on sustainable business on the ethical and environmental business issues. This is considered as
the essential element which will help in controlling cost and aid in using the resources effectively
(Meredith, Mantel and Shafer, 2017).
Prime objective of assignment is to make project initiation documents including
budgetary information, timescales, objectives in a well defined manner. Further it is going to be
enclosed with work break down structure which is considered as the essential tool for managing
the large project into smaller part which improve the efficiency. Risk register and short report
covers different methodologies such as waterfall and Prince2 in order to implement changes
effectively.
Project 1
A. Project Initiation Document (PID)
Stakehold
er
Name/Au
thority
(Category
of
stakehold
er)
Contact
Person
Phone,
Email,
Website,
Address
Imp
act
Influ
ence
What is
important to
the
stakeholder?
How could
the
stakeholder
contribute
to the
project?
How
could
the
stakehol
der
block
the
project?
Strategy
for
engagin
g the
stakehol
der
Senior
Authority
of
University
Cameron
Diaz, Jose
Parker,
David
Johnson,
Pollard
Michael
and Yen
High High Attaining the
different
range of
goals and
objectives
like
successful
planning for
Giving
authority to
both project
manager and
through
budgeting the
overall
project plan.
Through
cancellin
g the
whole
project
due to
any
reason.
Positive
impact
on
Universit
y in near
future.

Stakehold
er
Name/Au
thority
(Category
of
stakehold
er)
Contact
Person
Phone,
Email,
Website,
Address
Imp
act
Influ
ence
What is
important to
the
stakeholder?
How could
the
stakeholder
contribute
to the
project?
How
could
the
stakehol
der
block
the
project?
Strategy
for
engagin
g the
stakehol
der
Chi
university
@nu.org
0667 897
659
the trip of
Uganda.
Training
and
Developm
ent
departmen
t of
University
Malcolm
Taylor,
Smith
Jones,
Davies
Lara and
Thomas
Evans
university
@un.org
0778 923
894
Low Low Reduce the
chances of
trip to get
cancelled
through
motivating
and
delivering
information
to all the 30
students in
relation to a
accidents,
scams,
illness,
students not
being serious
towards
purpose of
trip and
homesicknes
Giving
training to
students,
project
manager and
staff
involved
within the
university
related to the
trip that they
have planned
to go to
Uganda.
Through
not
giving
training
to staff,
students
and
teachers
as well.
Positive
affect on
knowled
ge and
confiden
ce level
of
students,
staff
along
with the
teachers
towards
what
they are
going to
perform.

Stakehold
er
Name/Au
thority
(Category
of
stakehold
er)
Contact
Person
Phone,
Email,
Website,
Address
Imp
act
Influ
ence
What is
important to
the
stakeholder?
How could
the
stakeholder
contribute
to the
project?
How
could
the
stakehol
der
block
the
project?
Strategy
for
engagin
g the
stakehol
der
s
Project
Manager
and the
team
Swift
Taylor,
James
Jones,
Alex
Roberts,
Michelle
Walker and
more
university
@un.org
0778 923
894
High High Without
these
individuals,
the whole
plan cannot
successfully
be attained
right on time.
Through
making
effective
strategies and
hitting daily
targets in
relation to
the trip that
has already
been planned
(Kerzner,
2017).
Through
being
less
motivate
d
towards
work.
High
producti
vity
through
deliverin
g right
services
to the
universit
y in
relation
to
project.
Budgetary information
Particulars Budget(£)
Flight Fare £25,000
Food and refreshment Expenses £5,000
Lodging £15,000
Transfers (Uganda) £7,000
Sight Seeing £3,500
Registration for sustainable projects exhibition £4,000
Extra Expenses (Entertainment and Guide) £500

Total Budget: £60,000
With the help of above mentioned budgetary information, it can easily be said that the
whole project will lead to success. Along with this, it is may be possible that project manager
would require to make alterations based on the uncertain situation. But, on the basis of present
situation it can be said prepared project cost, will directly implemented in the same way it has
assumed.
Objective
The primal objective for this present project is “To enhance the knowledge level of 30
students in relation to sustainable business, focusing on ethical and environmental business
issues by conducting a two week field trip to see some interesting sustainable projects in
Uganda”. Including this, with the help of appropriate planning whole plan could effectively be
attained in specified time frame. Away with this, these are the objectives that provide the
groundwork or implementation necessary to achieve University's objectives in relation to trip to
Uganda of QAHE Business Management Faculty and other 30 students.
Timescales and Approach
Basically, the overall activities of whole trip will take around two weeks. On the other
hand, if it is talked about Project Manager of QAHE Business Management Faculty would take
into consideration of democratic leadership style.
Key Staff
Teachers, Dean, Project manager, team of the specific project plan would be considered
as the key staff for the particular project that has been developed for the 30 students of QAHE
Business Management that are going on a trip to Uganda for some interesting sustainable
projects. They could effectively sustain within the market in specified time frame (Harrison and
Lock, 2017).

B. Work breakdown Structure
A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical
decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team to accomplish the project
objectives and create the required deliverables. A WBS is the cornerstone of effective project
planning, execution, controlling, monitoring, and reporting. All the work contained within the
WBS is to be identified, estimated, scheduled, and budgeted. In present context, the whole
project in relation to trip to Uganda of 30 students of QAHE Business Management, would help
project manager in attaining different goals and objectives in specified time frame.

Project 2
A. A risk register containing at least 10 fully documented risks
S.
N
o.
Risk Impact
Description
Impact Proba
bility
Risk-
Score
(1-5) (5
as
highest)
Response Respons
ible
1 Illness
absenteeism
students
Impact upon
budget control
4 -
High
3-
Mediu
m
4 Reducing impact
through confirming
all the safety related
concerns of students.
Project
Manager
2 Over Budget
situation
Cancellation
of trip
-3 5 -
High
5 Utilising project
management
approach to reduce
the chances of
budget expansion.
Finance
Manager
3 Probability of
students
getting lost
Project
Closure
1 - Low 2- Low 3 Providing identity
card to students and
will offer them with
right instructions
that if, they are lost
what they can do.
Project
Manager
4 Accidents Project Delay 4 -
High
3 -
Mediu
m
2 Confirming that if
the drivers are
holding government
provided licence.
Project
Manager
5 Weather
condition
Project Delay 1 - Low 1 -
Low
2 Checking and
getting information
from weather
Project
Manager

forecasting channels.
6 Flight
cancellation
Project
Closure
3-
Mediu
m
4 -
High
3 Confirming with
customer care
service executive of
the airlines.
Project
Manager
7 Students not
being serious
towards
purpose of trip
Cancellation
of trip
3-
Mediu
m
3-
Mediu
m
4 Informing students
and motivating them
with the purpose that
university is having
towards the trip.
Project
Manager
8 Scams Project
Closure
4 -
High
4 -
High
5 Conducting research
on different
available scams that
Uganda faced
recently.
Project
Manager
9 Homesickness Project Delay 3-
Mediu
m
3-
Mediu
m
1 Motivational speech
by teachers.
Project
Manager
10 The travel bug Training needs
for students
2 - Low 1 -
Low
3 Checking health
conditions of all the
students 30 students.
Project
Manager
B. Describing the way in which a risk register forms a crucial part of an overall risk management
plan
Basically, it is said that a risk register within a project consists of many responsibilities
and aid the project manager in meeting number of tasks in much effective and in an efficient
manner (Heagney, 2016). With the help of a risk register project manager of the trip to Uganda
along with the decision authority could effectively reach to decisions through selecting whether
to proceed with mitigation strategies and implement contingency actions, especially those that

have an associated cost or resource requirement rest with the Project Manager who is responsible
for informing the funding agency to determine the requirement for any sort of modifications.
Project 3
1. Explanation of the need for effective, structured communication between the project manager
and members of their team.
According to Fleming and Koppelman, (2016), while working on a task, a project
manager along with team members needs to work together so that they can basically locate what
is required to be done and what is not. identify who needs what information. In other words,
project management needs to know what the requirements of successful communications are in
order to plan on how to achieve those requirements. Under this, if it is talked about the structured
communication then it is needed by the project manager to follow the formal structured
communication. The case that has been taken into consideration where, a trip is being planned
for the students to see some interesting sustainable projects in Uganda. At the time of planning, it
is must for the project manager and the team members to have effective relations with each
other. Through this, different tasks could effectively be attained right on time. This could be
understood with a good example of the case that has been given where 30 students will be going
on the trip to Uganda for sustainable projects. Here, it will be hard for the project manager to
manage all the requirements of the whole trip, here with the help of right communication, project
manager could assist his/her team members to manage different tasks in an effective manner
through delivering them the information that how a task like arranging transportation,
accommodation and so on in Uganda.
This can effectively be done considering an appropriate communication process, which is
require to be followed by both team and the project manager. As mentioned by Kerzner, (2019),
effective communication mainly delivers a number of benefits, which leads a project to attain the
ultimate goal and that is successful trip to Uganda. In present context, some of benefits of having
effective communication are mentioned underneath:
Building trust: Considering the case of planned trip for students of QAHE Business
Management, it will be required by project manager of this project to consider norms, laws and
culture followed by the respective country i.e. Uganda. Therefore, if project manager

communicates in an appropriate way with the team then he/she will directly develop trust among
them through enhancing their knowledge in relation to Uganda.
Preventing or resolving problems: Since, the country that faculty has chosen to go on a
trip to enhance the knowledge of students towards business and other related issues. Then it can
be considered as something, which project manager can find difficult, here communicating with
the team may help him/her in going through the situations that are carrying uncertain risks.
Increases engagement: Appropriate utilisation of communication would lead the project
manager of trip to Uganda to enhance the chances of becoming successful. Here, an example can
be taken where, through verbal communication project manager motivated team members and
gave different tasks to them based on their capabilities. Through this, engagement of themselves
towards the project plan would directly get improvised.
On the other hand, if it is talked about the need of communicational theory for this
project. Then it is said that, for a project manager it is must to communicate effectively and this
could be done through considering number of communicational theories, because without this
appropriate communication cannot take place among team and the project manager. Here, the
theory of communication and psychology that requires attention by whole team and manager is
Cognitive Dissonance Theory, and some of these are presented underneath:
Cognitive Dissonance Theory:
According to Leon Festinger, when two actions or ideas are not psychologically
consistent with each other, people will do all in their power to change them until they become
consistent. The discomfort is triggered by the person's belief clashing with new evidence (facts)
perceived, wherein they will try to find a way to resolve the contradiction to reduce their
discomfort. Considering this theory, all the conflicts among team members along with the project
managers will effectively resolved right on time. Through this, it can be said that communication
among project manager and members of his/her team will directly get improvised as they will
exchange the problems that they are having with each other (Cognitive Dissonance Theory,
2012).
2. An analysis and critique of methodologies that might be used to run the project case study,
principally comparing Agile, Waterfall and PRINCE2 methodologies.
At the time when a project is initiated by a project manager like in the case of QAHE
Business Management where, it's faculty has planned to take the 30 students to Uganda for an

educational trip, it involves number of methodologies which helps in executing the project in an
appropriate manner (Lock, 2017). Methodologies in this case that can be taken into consideration
are: Agile, Waterfall and PRINCE2. Considering the project case study, critical analysis of all
these methodologies along with their strengths and weaknesses are presented underneath:
Agile project and development approach: Presently, Agile project management approach
has gained popularity, which can effectively be adopted by the project manager to pull out
favourable results of the developed project. With the help of this, team's capabilities and
performance can also be enhanced, which is needed for present case where QAHE Business
Management faculty is taking students to Uganda. Since the budget of the whole trip is £60,000
and University cannot afford more than this, then with the help of this methodology project
manager would easily become able to develop a blue print along with the design as well for the
accomplishment of the whole project within optimum time and cost. It is being critically
analysed that through going in an Agile way, project manager may become able to transform
their processes completely and change the way teams viewed project management.
Strengths: One of the major strength that project manager of the trip to Uganda (Project)
can see while using Agile methodology is that it is highly flexible and help a project to make
appropriate modifications based on the requirements (Kivilä, Martinsuo and Vuorinen, 2017).
Weaknesses: Lack of long-term planning is being considered as one of the major
drawback that this type of project management methodology is carrying. This could create lack
of vision for the developed trip to Uganda for the purpose of enhancing knowledge related to
ethical and environmental business issues.
Waterfall (Traditional Project Management): Manager of the developed project could
take into consideration of traditional and linear approach, which utilising this type of
methodology. Step by step approach is utilised while considering this methodology where it is
said that once the primer stage is fulfilled i.e. gathering requirements, then only the project
manager of planning the trip for 30 students become ready for the next step. Here, it is critically
analysed that sometimes, changes are not easy to make within the project and there can be many
reasons like team of project resisting to change.
Strengths: Appropriate and clear structure is specifically being followed under this type
of methodology, which may help project manager to reach success.

Weaknesses: Crucial weakness that came in front of utilising waterfall approach is delays
testing until after completion (Fewings and Henjewele, 2019).
Prince2 (Projects in a Controlled Environment): This methodology is specifically
enclosed with 4 integrated elements: Principles, Themes, Processes and Tailoring to suit the
needs of project manager when it comes to analyse the nearby environment of the project.
Considering this methodology, project manager of trip that QAHE Business Management faculty
is planning would easily become able to learn about different elements linked with the project
and may work with the team which is having limited experiences.
Strengths: Major strength that came in front is expectations that a project manager carries
in relation to that the major decisions about a project must be based upon a robust business case.
Weaknesses: A project manager might become dominant in front of team members,
which will not put positive impact upon performance level of them and may create issues while
conducting the tasks linked with the project (Martens and Carvalho, 2017).
Conclusion and recommendations to sponsor
Based on the analysis, it is recommended that Waterfall (Traditional Project
Management), will be considered as the best methodology to utilise for the purpose of reaching
success of the trip linked with 30 students of QAHE Business Management. On the other hand, it
is concluded that for the university the whole trip will be much more effective and efficient as
well for the students.

References
Books and Journals
Rajkumar, S. 2010. Art of communication in project management. Paper presented at PMI®
Research Conference: Defining the Future of Project Management, Washington, DC.
Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.
Meredith, J. R., Mantel Jr, S. J. and Shafer, S. M., 2017. Project management: a managerial
approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Fleming, Q. W. and Koppelman, J. M., 2016, December. Earned value project management.
Project Management Institute.
Kerzner, H., 2019. Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for project
management. John Wiley & Sons.
Lock, D., 2017. The essentials of project management. Routledge.
Fewings, P. and Henjewele, C., 2019. Construction project management: an integrated
approach. Routledge.
Martens, M. L. and Carvalho, M. M., 2017. Key factors of sustainability in project management
context: A survey exploring the project managers' perspective. International Journal of
Project Management. 35(6). pp.1084-1102.
Kivilä, J., Martinsuo, M. and Vuorinen, L., 2017. Sustainable project management through
project control in infrastructure projects. International Journal of Project
Management, 35(6), pp.1167-1183.
Online
Cognitive Dissonance Theory. 2012. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.communicationtheory.org/cognitive-dissonance-theory/>.